Aug. 28—A cash reward is now offered through a partnership with the Kettering Police Department and Miami Valley Crime Stoppers on the missing person case of 9-year-old Erica Baker, whose body has never been found.
More than 26 years ago, on Feb. 7, 1999, Erica disappeared after she went for a walk with her family’s dog during a rainy afternoon near the Kettering Recreation Complex. The dog was found near a neighbor’s house shortly afterward with Erica nowhere in sight.
Her disappearance sparked a massive search and garnered attention across the Miami Valley and beyond. Efforts to find Erica are ongoing to help bring closure to her family.
“This case hits hard for our community and we will not stop until we find Erica,” the Kettering Police Department posted to Facebook on Thursday afternoon.
Kettering police detective Amy Pedro took over Erica’s case in August 2024.
Pedro said last year she’s focused on getting boots on the ground and keeping up with search efforts.
In July 1999, Christian Gabriel and his ex-girlfriend Jan Franks were identified as possible suspects in Erica’s disappearance. A few years later, in 2004, Gabriel contacted Kettering detectives and confessed to hitting Erica with his van on Glengarry Drive near the intersection of Powhattan Drive and burying her. His passenger, Franks, died of a drug overdose in 2001.
Gabriel served six years in prison for gross abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. He was released in 2011. Gabriel said because Franks and he had established criminal records, he put Erica inside the vehicle and took off instead of calling for help.
Erica’s grandmother, Pam Schmidt, picked up Gabriel from jail in 2011 in hopes she could learn more information regarding Erica’s whereabouts.
“Detectives believe Gabriel knows where Erica is, but that he knows her discovery would lead to evidence linking him to her murder, adding more charges against him,” Miami Valley Crime Stoppers posted Thursday on its Facebook page. … “Detectives still know where Gabriel is and will not stop tracking him until justice is brought to this case.”
A Kettering police official in April 2021 said the Baker case has never been considered closed.
“Anytime a lead would come in, we would follow up on it,” then-Kettering police public information officer Joe Ferrell said.
Anyone with information on Erica’s disappearance, who knows Gabriel or knew Franks, or someone who did, is asked to contact Pedro at 937-296-2460. People can remain anonymous at 937-222-STOP (7867) or online at MiamiValleyCrimeStoppers.com and be eligible for a cash reward.