He fatally stabbed man during fight outside a Tacoma store. Now he’s going to prison
A man who fatally stabbed a security guard during a fight outside a Tacoma store was sentenced Thursday to four years in prison.
Jonathan Miller, 44, took a deal and pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter in the Jan. 11, 2021, death of 36-year-old Tracey Baker. He originally was charged with second-degree murder.
“I am not pleading guilty because I am guilty. I am pleading guilty to take advantage of a plea agreement,” Miller wrote in the deal. “The deceased was in the process of beating me. I stabbed him in self-defense, but did not mean to kill him.”
Pierce County prosecutors acknowledged there was evidence that Miller stabbed Baker in self-defense, meaning “the facts in this case make a conviction as charged extremely difficult,” deputy prosecuting attorney Claire Vitikainen wrote in the agreement.
The homicide was the first in the city last year.
Court documents give account of the incident:
Miller was standing inside a store in the 1900 block of South Union Avenue jokingly asking shoppers for their receipts as they left the store. When he did so with Baker, it led to a confrontation out front.
The two men squared off, according to video surveillance footage, with Baker picking Miller up in a “bear hug” and holding him against a store window before picking up his groceries and walking to the parking lot.
Witnesses said they overheard Miller threaten to stab Baker in the face as he walked off.
Both men walked to their vehicles, which were parked in the same row.
Miller claims Baker retrieved a handgun from his vehicle and pointed it at him. Witnesses and surveillance video could not confirm that Baker did so, but prosecutors said there is evidence to suggest that Baker did take a gun from his car and place it back on the seat prior to the stabbing.
Baker allegedly walked back toward Miller and a fight broke out. At some point, Baker was on top of Miller and punched him several times, records say.
“At that point, the defendant, who had a folding knife in his pocket, stabbed Mr. Baker, ultimately killing him,” prosecutors wrote in a statement explaining the plea deal.
Baker was pronounced dead at the scene. A GoFundMe account raised more than $15,000 for his family.
Miller was taken to an area hospital and treated for a broken nose that required seven stitches, as well as a bruised or fractured rib.
Baker’s family did not support the plea deal and lobbied for Miller to be held accountable.
Prosecutors pointed to the fact that Baker was the first to go “hands on” and pointed out the size difference in the men. Baker was 6-feet-5 and 315 pounds; Miller was 5-feet-9 and 145 pounds.
One of Baker’s co-workers described him as a “gentle giant” who was good at de-escalation and always treated people with care and respect. They worked together as security guards at Iconic Global Security. Baker made headlines in the fall of 2019 after stopping a sexual assault in progress outside a Seattle apartment building and holding the suspect until police arrived.
Regina Baker said her husband may have been a large man, but so was his personality.
“Tracey was just that type of guy... Always stepping in to do what’s right. Always available for a good laugh. Always that voice of reason when a bad situation arises,” she wrote in a victim impact statement. “He woke up daily to protect and serve others, but when it came down to protecting himself he was defenseless against evil.”
Miller was given credit for 408 days already served.
He has a lengthy criminal history with prior convictions for drugs, burglary, domestic battery, forgery and embezzlement.
