Woman Convicted in Poisoning Death of Her Boss Denied Early Release Request
By: Larry Statser
Updated: March 14, 2013
Debra Lynn Baker, now 56-years-old, will not be released until her original prison release date of June 20th. She had filed for early release before then, but the parole board denied her request. She has made previous requests for parole but family and friends of the victim have always strenuously protested her release.
Baker was convicted of the 1990 arsenic poisoning murder of Clay County business man Jerry Sternadel, and the jury sentenced her to 10 years probation. But in 2003, she violated her probation and was sent to prison to serve those 10 years.
Prosecutors say Sternadel suffered a slow and painful death as a result of arsenic put in his juice. Family members have long maintained his second wife was also involved she has never been charged and that case file remains open.
His first wife and daughter say Sternadel discovered his wife and Baker, who was his bookkeeper, had been embezzling thousands from him and he planned to divorce his wife. His net worth was estimated at around two million dollars.
