Daytona Beach man who wore clown mask in murder reaches plea deal
A Daytona Beach man who wore a clown mask when he shot and killed a man during a robbery was sentenced to 45 years in prison, according to the 7th Circuit State Attorney's Office.
Keylan Baker, 26, was scheduled to go on trial this week but, before jury selection began Monday, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder with firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to the State Attorney's Office.
Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols sentenced Baker to 45 years in prison, according to the terms of the plea agreement. Baker will receive credit for 718 days' time served in the Volusia County Branch Jail.
On Nov. 8, 2021, Baker and his co-defendant, Noble Geathers, 29, walked up to Francisco Soto, who was working on a vehicle in the parking lot of a restaurant, to rob him according to the State Attorney’s Office. The business was located at 854 Orange Ave., according to a charging affidavit.
Geathers is Baker's half-brother, according to a deposition.
As Geathers acted as a lookout, Baker pulled a revolver and shot Soto in the head, according to a charging affidavit. Baker then pointed the gun at one of the passengers in the vehicle before fleeing.
Baker shot Soto in front of Soto's parents, according to what Geathers said to Baker's defense attorney, Mitch Wrenn, in a deposition.
Geathers said in the deposition that Soto and his parents were living in their car. He said Soto was the first person they saw after they decided to rob someone, according to the deposition.
While both Baker and Geathers were wearing clown masks, investigators found video of them walking in the area during the night wearing the same clothes as they had on around the time of the shooting, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
Geathers reached a plea agreement with prosecutors in which he agreed to testify truthfully. Prosecutors agreed to drop a charge of first-degree murder against him and he would only be sentenced on a charge of robbery with a mask.
Geathers said that Baker got the masks for him and his girlfriend for Halloween.
After Baker reached his own plea deal, prosecutors dropped the murder charge against Geathers, according to court records. Geathers was adjudicated guilty of robbery while wearing a mask and sentenced to 10 years probation, according to court records.
A witness told police that on the night of Nov. 7, 2021, Baker had gotten drunk and said he wanted to do “a lick,” which is slang for a robbery.
The witness said a group, including Baker, walked to a liquor store and Baker saw Soto. They exchanged words and Baker grabbed Soto by the shirt. Soto did not fight back and Baker walked away.
The witness said Baker and Geathers later left a house with two clown masks, one with “green crazy hair” for Baker and the other with “red crazy hair” for Geathers.
Assistant State Attorney Mark Interlicchio prosecuted the case.
Wrenn said he believes he was able to reach a plea deal in part because the competency of a prosecution witness was in question.
Geathers' father, Noble Gene Geathers, was sentenced last year to 18 years in prison for dogfighting and animal cruelty charges.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida man who wore clown mask in murder reaches plea deal
