A Window of Time

Summary of A Window of Time

by NBC News

1h 22m•May 5, 2026
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Overview of A Window of Time — NBC News / Dateline

This Dateline episode tells the 25-year journey to solve the murder of Tara Baker, a University of Georgia law student found dead in her burned Athens home in 2001. What began as a suspected house fire became a brutal homicide investigation involving stabbing, rape, and arson. The case stalled for decades amid weak evidence, investigative missteps, and false suspicion cast on Tara’s boyfriend, until modern DNA testing and renewed attention finally led to an arrest and conviction.

What Happened to Tara Baker

  • Tara Baker was a bright, driven first-year UGA law student described by family and friends as energetic, funny, and deeply loving.
  • On the night before her death, she studied at the law library with a friend, then went home to her house on Fawn Drive.
  • The next morning, firefighters responded to a house fire and found Tara’s body in her bedroom.
  • Evidence showed she was:
    • stabbed in the neck,
    • beaten,
    • raped,
    • and then the house was set on fire to cover the crime.

The Initial Investigation

  • Firefighters and police quickly realized this was not a simple arson.
  • Tara’s morning routine helped create a narrow time window for the murder:
    • she typically woke early,
    • showered,
    • made cheese grits,
    • and then dried her hair.
  • Investigators estimated she was killed sometime between roughly 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
  • Key physical evidence included:
    • a knife from the kitchen,
    • a cord taken from a printer and used as a ligature,
    • a blanket from the house used to ignite the stove and then the bed,
    • and Tara’s bedroom clock stopped at 9:32.

False Leads and Years of Frustration

Suspects investigators considered

  • Tara’s boyfriend, Chris Melton
  • A law-school classmate nicknamed “Suit Boy”
  • Tara’s biological father
  • The apartment complex maintenance man, William Bryant Barrett

Major problems in the case

  • The crime scene was badly damaged by fire and water.
  • No usable fingerprints or direct forensic evidence initially tied anyone to the crime.
  • The family says police repeatedly gave them inaccurate or incomplete information.
  • Tara’s loved ones were especially hurt by years of suspicion focused on Chris Melton.

A painful false narrative

  • For years, Chris was treated as the main suspect because he was Tara’s boyfriend and had access to the home.
  • Later review showed his alibi was strong:
    • he was seen at his parents’ home,
    • had a work-related alibi,
    • and was captured on bank surveillance an hour away from the crime scene around 9 a.m.
  • The episode strongly suggests police lost time by over-focusing on him.

The Case Reopens

  • Four years into the case, investigator David Griffith took over and reexamined the file.
  • He narrowed in on:
    • the maintenance man, William Bryant Barrett, who had a master key and was seen around the scene,
    • and later, after modern forensic advances, the long-untested sexual assault kit.
  • The new Georgia Bureau of Investigation cold case team sent evidence back for retesting.
  • The breakthrough came when advanced DNA testing found:
    • male DNA from an unknown man,
    • and Chris Melton’s DNA as well, which investigators could explain given the relationship.
  • The unknown male DNA matched Edric Faust, a man with a criminal history who lived very close to Tara’s house.

Arrest and Trial

  • Investigators found no legitimate connection between Tara and Edric Faust.
  • That lack of relationship, combined with the DNA match, led to his arrest.
  • At trial, prosecutors emphasized:
    • the DNA evidence,
    • the lack of any innocent explanation for Faust’s DNA in Tara’s sexual assault kit,
    • and Chris Melton’s verified alibi.
  • The defense tried to redirect suspicion back onto Chris, but the jury rejected that theory.

Verdict and Sentence

  • The jury found Edric Faust guilty on all counts, including:
    • murder,
    • rape,
    • and arson.
  • He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus additional years.
  • The conviction finally brought the Baker family a sense of justice, though not closure.

Broader Impact and Legacy

  • Tara’s case helped inspire broader reform in Georgia cold-case work.
  • After years of advocacy, the Coleman-Baker Act passed, funding a Georgia Bureau of Investigation cold case unit with $5 million.
  • A podcast, Classic City Crime, also helped keep Tara’s story alive and drew new attention to the case.
  • The episode frames Tara’s legacy as more than her tragic death:
    • she was a high-achieving, compassionate person,
    • remembered for making others feel seen and valued,
    • and for inspiring meaningful legal and investigative change even after her death.

Key Takeaways

  • A badly compromised crime scene can delay justice for decades.
  • Early investigative tunnel vision can harm both a case and innocent people.
  • Modern DNA testing can revive “unsolvable” cases.
  • Persistent families, journalists, and advocates can drive both accountability and system-wide reform.