Zahra Baker: Easy conscience of child killer

ELISA Baker says she is not guilty of the murder and dismemberment of her stepdaughter Zahra and says she keeps a photo of the 10-year-old in her prison locker.

Elisa Baker is planning to appeal her conviction for the murder and dismemberment of her stepdaughter Zahra.

ELISA Baker is planning to appeal her conviction for the murder and dismemberment of her stepdaughter Zahra.

In a jailhouse interview, Baker refuses to take responsibility for the 2010 crime and even describes how she keeps a photo of the slain 10-year-old pinned inside her North Carolina prison locker.

“Why would she haunt me? I was a good mamma,” she said.

Zahra, the freckle-faced girl from Wagga Wagga, had been in the US less than two years when she was cut up and dumped in North Carolina’s Hickory foothills.

She had beaten cancer twice.

Her Australian father Adam Baker met Elisa online. The 47-year-old woman, who pleaded guilty to the second degree murder of Zahra, said she was making inquiries about mounting an appeal. She claims she was pressured and rushed into signing her plea.

“There’s things in the works, yes. It’s the understanding that they think I have a very good case,” she said, claiming her plea options weren’t properly explained to her and she was rushed to sign the deal in 15 minutes.

The time for a traditional appeal has lapsed, but Baker could attempt to mount a motion for appropriate relief. It is notoriously difficult, but not impossible.

The plea agreement signed by Elisa Baker for the murder of Zahra.

The plea agreement signed by Elisa Baker for the murder of Zahra.

Part of a memorial shrine set up after Zahra disappeared in 2010.

The man who locked Baker up in 2011 claims a “conflict of interest” existed between the convicted murderer and her defence lawyer.

Former district attorney Jay Gaither, who lost re-election after the high-profile case, candidly said he believes evidence was tampered with in the investigation by Baker’s lawyer who collected a mitre saw from the site of Zahra’s remains and held on to it for two days before turning it into authorities.

Mr Gaither asserts because of this “unethical conduct”, a “conflict of interest” arose between Baker and her defence lawyer.

Baker’s lawyer Scott Reilly firmly denies any wrongdoing.

His actions were never called into question during the case.

He also said Baker was given adequate time to consider the plea.

Mr Reilly said he believed the evidence against Baker was “overwhelming” and that before a jury his client could receive a life sentence. Baker is due for release in June 2025.