BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor
A 33-year-old West Tampa business owner was sentenced to five years probation in connection with the death of a teenager. She is accused of lying during the investigation.
Last Thursday, Ms. Taquanda Baker, the owner of Baker’s Mini Mart, 2504 N. Armenia, pleaded guilty to shooting within an occupied building, tampering with physical evidence, and making a false report to law enforcement.
The shooting death of 16-year-old Quintavius Moore, took place on April 16, 2012. At the time, Ms. Baker said the shooting was in self-defense. se.
Initially, Ms. Baker told police that Moore entered the store around 10:45 a.m., and asked for change. Approximately 30 minutes later, Moore is alleged to have returned to the store, this time armed with a handgun and allegedly displayed it.
Ms. Baker told police she pulled her own handgun and accidentally fired a shot into the ground. She then fired a shot at Moore, striking him. Moore was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
After the shooting, Ms. Baker flagged down a passing law enforcement officer and made him aware of the shooting.
During the course of the investigation, investigators determined that evidence at the scene did not match Ms. Baker’s account of the shooting, and she was arrested.
Police said a person of interest was seen on the store surveillance video leaving the scene. However, police have not made any other arrests in the case.
Ms. Laura McElroy, spokesperson for the Tampa Police Department said it was a very difficult case to investigate. The investigation led police to several cities before they tracked down Kenton Omar Homer, who was the alleged boyfriend of Ms. Baker in jail in Philadelphia, PA.
“He was in jail on narcotics charges and being deported because he was an illegal alien. When he went to I.C.E., we had a flag on his name. During the interview, he admitted the shooting. Witness accounts varied his account of the incident and it was ruled Justifiable Homicide,” she said.
Mark Cox, spokesman for the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office said, “No one was charged in the case because we could not disprove the assertion that the teenager was committing a robbery.”
Ms. Baker was sentenced to five years probation. If she violates the probation, she will be required to be incarcerated for the remainder of the sentence.
Additionally, she must repay $3,000 in investigative costs and complete 100 hours of community service, 50 of which must be with a law enforcement agency. She was also adjudicated guilty and had to surrender any firearms confiscated during the investigation, Cox said.
