CHARLOTTE, Tenn. (Court TV) — Steven Wiggins has been sentenced to death for the murder of Dickson County Sgt. Daniel Baker. Jurors reached the verdict in Wiggins’ punishment phase after two hours of deliberations. The sentence was handed down six days after the jury first found him guilty of all charges.
ORIGINAL STORY:
CHARLOTTE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The man accused of killing a Dickson County sheriff’s deputy is now on trial.
Steven Wiggins is accused of killing Sgt. Daniel Baker during a traffic stop back in 2018. Wiggins is charged with premeditated first-degree murder after authorities say he shot Baker four times after the sergeant stopped the vehicle, which had been reported stolen.
FILE – Sgt. Daniel Baker (L, Dickson County Sheriff’s Office), Steven Wiggins (R, WTVF)
Wiggins then led law enforcement on a manhunt through the county before he was arrested about two miles from where Sgt. Baker was killed.
Erika Castro Miles, a woman who was with Wiggins, is also charged and will be tried later.
District Attorney General Ray Crouch is seeking the death penalty for Wiggins.
Wiggins’ trial is the latest high-profile murder case in the small town of Charlotte. Only a few months ago, Joseph Daniels’ murder trial was held in the same courthouse.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS:
DAY 4 – 8/5/21
- The jury hears closing arguments
- The jury finds Steven Wiggins guilty of all charges in the death of Sgt. Daniel Baker
- Charges include: premeditated first-degree murder, first-degree felony murder in perpetration of theft, false reporting, theft of property, criminal impersonation, criminal impersonation of law enforcement, tampering with evidence, arson, abuse of a corpse
- WATCH: 8/5/21 Deputy Killed Murder Trial: Verdict
- The sequestered jury will return Saturday, August 7, to begin the punishment phase of the trial
DAY 3 – 8/4/21
- Bryan Hudnall, a friend of Wiggins, tells the jury he warned the defendant about having agun while in Dickson County prior to the shooting. Hudnall testifies that Wiggins said, “If anybody tries to arrest me, I’ll smoke their a***.”
- Jurors are shown Sgt. Baker’s bodycam video from the incident
- Jurors are shown Wiggins’ confession video, in which he tells investigators he pulled the trigger
- WATCH: 8/4/21 Deputy Killed Murder Trial: Day 3
DAY 2 – 8/3/21
- Agents Nathaniel Proctor & Darrin Adams detail the circumstances in which they found Baker’s patrol vehicle, saying they saw a streak of blood and radioed to get permission to break the window – and eventually saw Baker’s body
- WATCH: 8/3/21 Tearful Colleague Describes Day Sgt. Baker’s Body Was Found
- WATCH: 8/3/21 Deputy Killed Murder Trial Day 2
DAY 1 – 8/2/21
- The jury hears opening statements
- The state calls multiple witnesses, including deputies and family of Sgt. Baker
This story was originally published August 2, 2021, by WTVF in Nashville.
