DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Mechanicsville, VA 23111
PRSRT. STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Mechanicsville, VA Permit No.141
Vol. 26, No. 51 | Richmond Suburban Newspapers | April 21, 2010
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Victim had vanished from Chesterfield
WHO KILLED THERESA?
reopening the case “appeared to be conand consulting with sistent with Theresa the chief medical Lynn Baker.” A missexaminer’s office, ing person’s report he said “It has been had been filed in determined that she September 1985. was shot post-morIn reviewing the tem and that her files on Theresa’s cause of death was death, Laplaga said By Melody Kinser blunt force trauma to a positive identificamkinser@mechlocal.com the skull.” tion was not made Two days after until May 28, 1986. No marker. No Mechanicsville on flowers. Theresa Feb. 8, 1986. Baker’s final resting At that time, law place at Roselawn enforcement authorCemetery in Glen ities and the medical Allen is void of any examiner’s office first of the usual symbols thought her death memorializing a life had been caused by lost. a gunshot wound to About 60 days the head. after coming to the Investigator Melody Kinser Richmond area Kevin L. Laplaga of Theresa Baker’s remains were buried at in 1985, the 24- the Hanover County Roselawn Cemetery on June 13, 1989. year-old vanished Sheriff ’s Office, who from Midlothian in took over Theresa’s her body was found “At that point, they Chesterfield County. case at the end of by three men in a were relying on The date was 2009, said the initial wooded area in clothing and physiCherrydale cal descriptors. They Sept. 20; her badly press release indi- the the had to get medidecomposed body cated she “was shot Subdivision, medical examcal records from was discovered on to death where her iner said the body family members Woodbridge Road in body was found.” In
THERESA BAKER Anyone with information on the Sept. 20, 1985, abduction/ homicide can call 365-6110 or visit www. hanoversheriff.com
and physicians in Pennsylvania.” Sgt. Eddy Smith, a supervisor in the General Investigation Unit, said the victim “was ultimately identified by her medical records.” He also said the decomposition “was pretty extensee THERESA, pg. 15 `
Group home saved Libraries only lose hour in final budget By Melody Kinser mkinser@mechlocal.com A group home targeted for closure in the new budget cycle got a reprieve last week from the Hanover County Board of Supervisors. On April 14, the supervisors agreed to keep the home, located on Adaline Lane in Mechanicsville, open for another year. They also approved maintain-
ing operations of the Pamunkey Regional Library system at nearly the same schedule. Libraries will only lose about an hour a week in Fiscal Year 2011. On motions by John E. Gordon Jr., South Anna District, and Aubrey M. “Bucky” Stanley, Beaverdam District, the supervisors voted 6-1 to adopt the $388.8 million budget
PHHS wraps up 50th with community event By Jim Ridolphi news@mechlocal.com A 50th anniversary celebration that began last fall at the annual Tomato Bowl wrapped up on Saturday with a Spring Fling at Patrick Henry High School. The day-long event recognized the school’s long and storied history in the Ashland area. “We wanted to wrap it up with a bang, and open up the school to the community. We wanted everyone to see what’s going on see PHHS, pg. 17 `
Mechanicsville Corner of 360 & Bell
PEACH
see GROUP, pg. 35 `
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Jim Ridolphir
Former principal Paul Vecchione spent some time in the dunk tank at the Spring Fling on Saturday. More photos on Community, page 9.
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