Ashley Renea Sanders Death Tied To Psychotic Boyfriend

On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, the body of 26-year-old Ashley Renea Sanders was discovered. It came after she was shot in a residential area of West 34th Street in Indianapolis. This true crime story revealed that the suspect soon ended up in police custody. Read on for more details.

A Chaotic Night Turns Deadly

The police arrested 38-year-old Steven Baker Jr. and placed him in jail. It’s not verified yet, but apparently, Sanders was Baker’s girlfriend. Additionally, Fox59 reported that he was the father of her unborn child.

Based on the court papers, Baker’s kids informed detectives that their dad experienced a severe psychotic episode which seemed very disturbing. Mental health issues, according to the kids, involved bipolar, and allegedly, he was off his meds. One of them claimed, for instance, that he went for them yelling about how “the world is about to end.”

Kids Tried Escaping

Not knowing what might happen to them if they stayed, the children called for an Uber. But, as the car was leaving, Baker allegedly followed it, aiming a gun at them. At the time, there was more yelling and overall, it seemed very erratic and scary.

During all of that, the boy was able to take the gun away, while the girl dialed 911. One can only imagine how scary it was when Baker allegedly screamed about “today is our death day.”

Violence Inside the Home

The details seem clear that it all started in the home where Ashley Renea Sanders lived. It seems that Baker went into the bedroom where Sanders was napping. Ranting, he was cited as saying that she must leave him, commented that she’s “evil,” and that “the government is out to get us.”

According to court papers, he hit her with the barrel of the gun and when she ran away, he shot at her. Police officers were on the scene in less than ten minutes on the 1400 block of West 34th Street, where Sanders was officially declared dead by the EMTs.

A Disturbing Arrest

It didn’t take the cops long to find Steven Baker Jr. They located him at 33rd and Harding Streets. However, he didn’t want to cooperate, so eventually, he was taken down with a Taser.

During the conversation with police, Baker seemed very confused, and he even described himself as “a cool guy.” From the report, it seems that the psychotic episode included a belief that he’s a “time traveler.” Allegedly, he can’t time travel elsewhere because the Taser gun interfered with his ability.

On top of that, he allegedly told the police that he had seven children and two babies on the way but he didn’t know who the mother was. The true crime story grew more bizarre when Baker claimed he doesn’t even have a girlfriend.

Investigation Continues

Baker is under a preliminary murder charge and the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office considers a decision on formal charges. Police labeled the event a domestic-related shooting, and the investigation is still in progress. Undoubtedly, some sort of mental health expert will also assess his cognizance.

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