The trial for a Dallas man accused of capital murder began this week as he faces charges of related to the fatal killing a woman during a robbery in 2020.

In May 2020, during the early stages of the pandemic, Anthony Lewis, who was 16 years old at the time but is now 20, was allegedly involved in a robbery that escalated into murder on Memorial Day. The incident occurred in the 6100 block of Royalton Drive near the Preston Royal shopping center. The victim, 59-year-old Leslie Squair Baker, was a marketing executive for Texas Health Center for Diagnostics and Surgery in North Dallas.

According to records, on May 25, 2020, Dallas police reported to a driveway of Baker’s home around 5 p.m. after her husband called 911. She was moved to a local hospital where she was then pronounced dead. 

It was later confirmed the case was tied to a high-speed chase a day later that ended near Deerwood Drive near Camp Wisdom. Reports also include shots were fired at a Lyft driver’s car that was in use at the time along the East R.L. Thornton Freeway in East Dallas. The same gun was used in both incidents.

Lewis was arrested a few days later and was put into a juvenile court where he was trialed as an adult. The other two young men, 22-year-old Deng Chan Ajack and 21-year-old Anthony Isiah Taylor, who were with Lewis were also arrested with Lewis, are still awaiting their trials.

This week, Dallas County jurors will decide Lewis’ fate.  During the trial, 911 calls, surveillance videos and character witnesses were presented to the jury.  If convicted of capital murder as an adult, Lewis will face a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Since he was 17 at the time, Lewis could be given a lighter sentence of 40 years with possibility of parole. 

 

This story will be later updated to reflect the trial’s results and the other suspects convicted.