FL - Candice Cooper, 38, suspicious drowning, Key West, 4 Aug 2017 *Arrest*

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Key West Police Department is deeming Candice's drowning as suspicious and might be a homicide. She was found floating by her partner, Billy Baker, while vacationing at Smather's Beach in Key West. Candice and Billy live in Texas. The case is stalled pending autopsy completion. Candice was laid to rest Saturday, August 12, 2017.

https://www.google.com/amp/amp.miam.../community/florida-keys/article165987002.html
 
This is sad. My best friend knew her and one of her sons.Hope it gets figured out. We are local to the Texas home town of Gilmer
 
roadrunnermt said:
http://www.kltv.com/story/37377040/...l&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Billy Baker has been charged with second-degree murder. According to Upshur County Public Information Office David Hazel, Baker was arrested on a warrant at his residence at 3 p.m. Monday afternoon.

Candice Cooper, 38 was pulled from the water on Smather's Beach on Aug. 4, 2017, by Baker.

More info & pics at the link!
Click to expand...

Not all the way caught up on this case, so excuse my question if it’s answered previously:
Is this man anyone who was in her life?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
SavetheQueen said:
Not all the way caught up on this case, so excuse my question if it’s answered previously:
Is this man anyone who was in her life?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...

Apparently he was her 48-year-old boyfriend.

I wonder what makes them think she was murdered?
 
Ibiz said:
Apparently he was her 48-year-old boyfriend.

I wonder what makes them think she was murdered?
Click to expand...
Yes boyfriend. The earlier articles said the drowning was suspicious. I assume it just took this long to gather the evidence trail to book him.
 
Ibiz said:
Apparently he was her 48-year-old boyfriend.

I wonder what makes them think she was murdered?
Click to expand...
If you search for KLTV facebook, look for the article shared there, and read comments. Some are interesting.
 
Ibiz said:
Apparently he was her 48-year-old boyfriend.

I wonder what makes them think she was murdered?
Click to expand...

Drowning is difficult to prove beyond the accidental death stage simply because of the nature in which it happens. Proving that an unknown assailant in some way aided the death of another by drowning is difficult to establish and can usually only be established if there are physical wounds such as cuts or bruises or indeed if an eyewitness has seen the event take place.

If the person was already deceased when they went in the water, if they are submerged long enough they will have water in their lungs.

BUT, there’s another clue for the pathologist. In the water are found diatoms (single-celled algae). If the person is alive when the lungs fill with water, the diatoms are then carried to distant parts of the body such as the brain, kidneys, lungs and bone marrow by circulation. If the person is dead when entering the water, then there is no circulation and the transport of diatom cells to various organs is prevented because of a lack of circulation and diatoms cannot enter the body. When a body is recovered from the water, there is usually a suspicion whether it was a case of ante-mortem or post-mortem drowning i.e. whether the body was drowned before or after death. In these medico-legal cases, the presence of diatoms in the body tissues is very useful evidence

I'm guessing the forensics on this case provided a murder.
 
Billy Earl Baker's trial date has been set for December 6, 2021, in Monroe County, Key West, Florida. He is now facing first-degree murder charges.
 
Court records attached.
 

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Is this a regular thread? If not, how do you start a regular thread? Could someone do that for me please? I have no idea how.
 
roadrunnermt said:
Is this a regular thread? If not, how do you start a regular thread? Could someone do that for me please? I have no idea how.
Click to expand...
Yes this is a regular thread. It’s under the forum Currently Awaiting Trial.
 
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