Jonesboro, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – A Jonesboro man faces multiple felony charges after police said he attacked and strangled a woman outside her residence, explicitly telling her he was going to kill her.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Jonesboro Police Department officers were dispatched on June 20 to a disturbance on Garden Manor. Upon arrival, officers made contact with a female victim who reported seeing Carl Cortez Baker outside her home near her vehicle.
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When the victim went outside to confront him, Baker allegedly ran toward her, grabbed her, and threw her to the ground. According to the affidavit, he then began to strangle the victim to the point that she could not breathe.
During a subsequent interview with a detective, the victim stated that she believed she was going to die during the assault and noted that Baker told her he was going to kill her while he was strangling her.
The affidavit notes that Baker has a history of violating protective orders regarding the victim. In 2025, Baker violated a no-contact order and was found guilty of the offense earlier this year. A new no-contact order was issued against Baker in February 2026 and was active at the time of the alleged attack.
Baker appeared before Judge Tommy Fowler, who found probable cause to charge him with the following:
- Aggravated assault on a family or household member, a Class D felony
- First-degree terroristic threatening, a Class D felony
- Violation of a no-contact order, a Class D felony
Baker was given a $10,000 cash-only bond with a GPS ankle monitor and no-contact order upon release. His next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 21 at the Craighead County Courthouse.
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