Alabama’s legal circles are reeling after veteran attorney Sara Baker, 74, was slapped with accusations she went full thriller-novel, trying to dispatch her own husband—not once, but three times in September—with a toxic dose of fentanyl secretly slipped into his food and drinks. Prosecutors claim this decades-long marriage (around 30 years and counting) was anything but picture perfect behind closed doors.
Sara Baker, who boasts a lengthy résumé in criminal defense and family law, is now facing a criminal complaint that outlines a stomach-churning murder plot. Authorities allege Baker began scheming on September 1, plotting her husband’s demise with at least one other person. Over the next few weeks, they say, the lawyer launched three separate poison attempts—on September 4, 12, and 20—by lacing her husband’s meals or beverages with the fatal opioid. The court documents, obtained by ABC affiliate WBMA, state she administered the substance behind his back, with zero medical justification, all with deadly intent.
The shocking allegations don’t end there. Prosecution claims Baker had help covering her tracks. Her client, Felisha Nichole Cofield, has been pulled into the legal crosshairs too. According to indictments, Cofield swallowed fentanyl herself in a desperate bid to destroy evidence, after being named a witness in the complaint. She now faces charges of evidence tampering related to the botched killing attempts, and reporter say Baker was in fact representing Cofield when she was handcuffed last Tuesday, November 25, by Cullman County deputies.
What’s chilling is Baker’s husband survived the alleged poisoning episodes, though not without suffering physical harm. He’d already been in poor health after suffering a stroke years before, requiring constant care—a role his wife played up until her arrest. NBC affiliate WVTM reports the fentanyl attacks happened while he was still under her supervision.
Legal peers are left stunned. “It’s just tragic to see someone go to these lengths—especially a lawyer who understands the gravity of the law,” remarked Alabama attorney Will League to NBC affiliate WAFF.
Authorities haven’t revealed whether Cofield is the same associate Baker allegedly teamed up with to acquire the lethal drugs. The investigation continues as both women await their day in court, and the legal community watches in shock as this real-life soap opera unfolds in Cullman County.
