Bro Gary Hawkins 24: Smoking Meat

[Estrubius]

Hi all. I usually lurk around these parts. But I just saw this on Twitter. David Baker of Family Baptist is Bro Gary’s pastor right? Well he’s dead, apparently by suicide, a day after getting arrested for sexual battery of a minor. 
 

https://www.columbiadailyherald.com/story/news/crime/2024/09/11/columbia-pastor-david-baker-mayor-candidate-charged-on-sexual-battery/75177054007/

[FiveAcres]

Additional information:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/pastor-former-maury-county-mayoral-candidate-dies-by-suicide-in-hospital-sources-say/ar-AA1qpDOa

Quote

COLUMBIA, Tenn. (WSMV) - The Maury County Regional Medical Center was placed on lockdown after a firearm was discharged on campus.

According to officials with Maury Regional Health, they discovered a man entered the emergency department’s (ED) public restroom where he shot himself twice in the chest.

Sources told WSMV4 that the man who shot himself was Pastor and former mayoral candidate David M. Baker.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Pastor, former Maury County mayoral candidate facing sexual battery charge

Baker was arrested and charged with sexual battery on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Maury County Sheriff’s Office.

 

And Bruce Gerencser, deconstructed fundy pastor, has a writeup on his blog:

https://brucegerencser.net/2024/09/black-collar-crime-ifb-pastor-david-baker-kills-himself-instead-of-facing-sexual-battery-charge/

Quote from Bruce:

Quote

As noted in the news articles, Baker ran a ministry for “fallen” ministers with disgraced miscreant David Hyles — the son of the late Jack Hyles. Called Fallen in Grace, this ministry helped restore preachers to the ministry after they fell (or headlong ran) into sin –especially sexual sins, including rape, adultery, and molesting children. Hyles has a long history of sexual misconduct, but has, so far, evaded accountability for his behavior. Birds of a feather flock together, and that is certainly the case of Hyles, Baker, and other fallen Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) preachers. Both Hyles and Baker provided a smokescreen for other “fallen” preachers, helping them return to the ministry. Dr. David Tee (who blogs at TheologyArcheology: A Site for the Glory of God), a notorious defender of preachers who commit sex crimes, would be proud of these men and the “service” they provide to God’s people.

 

[thoughtful]

I am completely unsurprised that he was charged with that crime, somewhat surprised that he would take his own life - he always struck me as the type who'd brazen it out.

I feel bad for any innocent members of his family who will miss him.

Edited September 12 by thoughtful
riffle

[FiveAcres]

5 minutes ago, thoughtful said:

I am completely unsurprised that he was charged with that crime, somewhat surprised that he would take his own life - he always struck me as the type who'd brazen it out.

I feel bad for any innocent members of his family who will miss him.

Wasn't Baker the one who was always making nasty jokes about his wife?

[thoughtful]

6 hours ago, FiveAcres said:

Quote from Bruce:

Quote

As noted in the news articles, Baker ran a ministry for “fallen” ministers with disgraced miscreant David Hyles — the son of the late Jack Hyles. Called Fallen in Grace, this ministry helped restore preachers to the ministry after they fell (or headlong ran) into sin –especially sexual sins, including rape, adultery, and molesting children. Hyles has a long history of sexual misconduct, but has, so far, evaded accountability for his behavior. Birds of a feather flock together, and that is certainly the case of Hyles, Baker, and other fallen Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) preachers. Both Hyles and Baker provided a smokescreen for other “fallen” preachers, helping them return to the ministry.

This we knew about - I think it was how Gary found Baker and his church. Gary, Becky and Jacob house-sat for Hyles' FIG property and cared for the animals when Hyles took a trip a few years ago.

Just now, FiveAcres said:

Wasn't Baker the one who was always making nasty jokes about his wife?

Most of the IFB preachers and pastors do. On the IFB preacher scale, where a 1 is always kind to his missus and a 10 is constantly cruel, I'd say Baker was about a 5. He was one of those "I'm just teasing" guys.

His wife always looked cowed in the brief glimpses I got of her (she is one of the pianists for the church), but that could just be her manner of moving, combined with her being very petite and pale.

Gary posted:

Comments so far:

Spoiler

 

[Xan]

It gets worse.  He was accused of battery of a minor family member.

 

[FiveAcres]

If I believed in hell, I would believe that Bro Gary will burn next to his beloved pastor Baker. At least Baker took out the trash without causing further harm to his family: too many of these creeps turn to family annihilation. I do feel sorry for the hospital workers who had to clean up after him.

Edited September 12 by FiveAcres

[thoughtful]

 Becky posted, just as vaguely as Gary:

Spoiler

 

[Xan]

It would be nice if Gary and Becky could spare some sympathy and grief for the victim.  As far as I'm concerned, Baker took the coward's way out.  He didn't want to face the consequences of what he had done so he left a mess in the ER.  I have no sympathy for him at all.

[FiveAcres]

Some busy bees have been industriously wiping everything they can from social media and the web. However, Google Maps has a photo of the church. Notice the school bus in back.

[Joyster]

This was not what I was expecting when I clicked on the  Gary thread. The church Facebook is gone. I had skimmed through the last two weeks of services on Sunday. Baker had been sick the last two weeks, but the announcer said on Sunday that Baker was on the mend. Two weeks ago his whole family was sick, but his wife and children were back on Sunday. I don’t think the church congregation had a clue—at least they didn’t act like it. Gary posted an invitation just 4 days ago on the local FB group to come to church. Sunday was First Responders day at the church. There was one firefighter there—a  regular. 

[FiveAcres]

4 minutes ago, Joyster said:

This was not what I was expecting when I clicked on the  Gary thread. The church Facebook is gone. I had skimmed through the last two weeks of services on Sunday. Baker had been sick the last two weeks, but the announcer said on Sunday that Baker was on the mend. Two weeks ago his whole family was sick, but his wife and children were back on Sunday. I don’t think the church congregation had a clue—at least they didn’t act like it. Gary posted an invitation just 4 days ago on the local FB group to come to church. Sunday was First Responders day at the church. There was one firefighter there—a  regular. 

It is not all that big a building. It looks like there is a below ground floor that is probably a fellowship hall.

[Joyster]

@FiveAcres, there is a downstairs where the kids have children’s church. I’ve heard it mentioned before. They’ve mentioned  a building off the parking lot as well, but that might just be a shed they store supplies in. During the evening service, two of the teachers offered praises that they each saved one of the bus kids. Yuck. 🤢 About a month ago, there was an evening Saturday night youth activity at the Baker house that Baker was announcing. 

[Expectopatronus]

What a mess! I wonder if Baker’s ugly sermons were coming from the disgust he had for himself due to « sexual sins ». This whole situation is tragic. I don’t like the man but I also don’t want anyone to die by suicide. And my heart breaks for his family, the victim, the victim’s family and his parishioners. 

[Joyster]

On the local group Facebook page, the victim from Baker’s old church wrote a post about his suicide. Gary commented and deleted his post a short while later. However, one of the commenters screenshot his response. 

[Joyster]

Responses to Gary that he can’t delete:

Spoiler

 

[JermajestyDuggar]

I’m just sad that man has 11 children. 

[thoughtful]

4 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I’m just sad that man has 11 children. 

I was already sad that he had 11 children. They were born into a shitty life. I was and am sympathetic to their plight.

Most are adults at this point, and I think all are still IFB, most of them at Family Baptist. His sons seem to be as smug, self-righteous, and ready to live off of others as he was, but maybe I'm wrong - I'd love to be. How this will affect them is anyone's guess, but both the accusation and their father's response have got to be horrible for them.

1 hour ago, Expectopatronus said:

What a mess! I wonder if Baker’s ugly sermons were coming from the disgust he had for himself due to « sexual sins ».

He strikes me more as the type who set up a whole life of seeming squeaky clean and moral, in a setting with access to children, as a facade behind which to abuse.

Maybe he was a tortured soul, who knows? But he sure didn't seem like it - he seemed as arrogant and confident as a person can be, to me - slick and slimy.

Considering that he co-ran Fallen in Grace and a prison ministry, and constantly preached that all sins were under the blood, his choosing death over facing the music makes me think that there was a long history that was going to be uncovered, and that he didn't think he could wiggle out of consequences.

But again, I could be wrong.

[Bluebirdbluebell]

2 hours ago, FiveAcres said:

If I believed in hell, I would believe that Bro Gary will burn next to his beloved pastor Baker. At least Baker took out the trash without causing further harm to his family: too many of these creeps turn to family annihilation. I do feel sorry for the hospital workers who had to clean up after him.

Not to mention, he didn't take out any innocent medical center/hospital workers or other patients, etc. 

I'm reading the articles and a lot of questions are coming.

Quote

Early Wednesday morning, Baker bonded out. His bond was set at $200,000.

Who bailed him out? Why? Where did they get 200,000 dollars? 

Quote

Baker then went to the Maury Regional Medical Center’s emergeny department on Wednesday where he died by suicide, sources told WSMV4.

Why did he go to hospital in the first place?

Also if he went directly to the hospital, then where did he get the gun? 

I'm surprised he didn't have a warden like Josh Duggar. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

I guess it’s possible he went to the hospital so his family wouldn’t find him dead. Nor would some random person walking by if he did it somewhere like a park. I imagine even child molesters could try to shield their family from the trauma of finding their dead body. 

[PianoGal]

I normally just lurk on this thread these days, but I'm just dumbfounded. I was not aware of the connection between David Hyles and David Baker. Jeepers. It's awful but it makes so much sense.

This week has been heavy between this story and the Anderson situation. I grew up IFB, and although I don't think I've ever met David Baker or Bro. Gary, I suppose it's possible our paths crossed at some point. I personally know so many people that have been traumatized and abused by people connected to the IFB. How many more victims are out there? How can people continue to protect and defend these scum? I can't understand it. 

[marmalade]

1 hour ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

Not to mention, he didn't take out any innocent medical center/hospital workers or other patients, etc. 

I'm reading the articles and a lot of questions are coming.

Who bailed him out? Why? Where did they get 200,000 dollars? 

Why did he go to hospital in the first place?

Also if he went directly to the hospital, then where did he get the gun? 

I'm surprised he didn't have a warden like Josh Duggar. 

You only need to put up 10% to bail out. Still, someone wasted 20 grand on this motherfucking coward. 

I hope hos victim(s) get help. 

[KWLand]

Someone on one of the reddit Christian subs (can’t remember which) posted about a pastor,  associated with some other well known pastors, taking his own life.  It was vague on who it was, but was for the same reasons so wonder if it is this guy.   So, sad for the kids and hope the victims have a support system that is not connected to the church.  

[thoughtful]

In happier times (four days ago), Gary posted on the community facebook, asking about dog grooming:

Spoiler

He let them know when he found someone, with a classic Gary typo:

Spoiler

 

[Ozlsn]

I imagine a lot of the congregation are in shock, both from the arrest and then what followed. I am guessing quite a few others besides Gary are experiencing very complicated emotions (Gary of course has the additional hurdle of not being able to express himself well, let alone be in touching distance of his feelings). 

I hope the victims have good support around them, and that people don't blame them for what has happened and how they are feeling.

i am currently reading a book about the Malka Liefer case, and the reactions from some individuals towards those who came forward were occasionally absolutely shocking.