Crimes of the Times – Satanic Panic: The Death of Ronald Baker

Host: Christopher Goffard (L.A. Times Studios)
Release Date: November 4, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, veteran reporter Christopher Goffard revisits the 1990 murder of Ronald Baker, a UCLA student whose brutal killing initially set off a media frenzy with rumors of Satanic ritual and occult sacrifice during the height of L.A.'s "Satanic Panic." Goffard untangles the mythology from the facts, focusing on the true story behind Baker’s death: a senseless plot by his own roommates, which left the LAPD and the public baffled for years. The episode delves into the psychological dynamics of the killers, the misdirection by tabloid headlines, and the enduring impact on the victim’s family amid a justice system riddled with both twists and controversy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ronald Baker: A Portrait of the Victim

• [00:13]–[02:05]
  • Ronald Baker was born in 1969, described by family and friends as gentle, witty, scientifically-minded, and deeply kind.
  • UCLA student, Star Trek fan, and environmentalist with a strong aversion to waste and violence.
  • Quote:

    “Ron was a loving person with a witty sense of humor and a deeply inquiring mind.” (Ronald Baker’s Parent, 00:58)

2. The Crime Scene and Initial Media Reaction

• [00:47]–[03:33]
  • Baker’s body was found with 18 stab wounds, throat slashed, in a notorious Chatsworth railroad tunnel covered in graffiti and Manson-era lore.
  • His possessions included pentagram necklaces and witchcraft books, fueling rampant speculation of an occult killing, stoked by headlines like “Student killed on solstice may have been sacrificed.”
  • Context: Height of Satanic Panic, with cases like the Night Stalker (a professed Satanist) and McMartin Preschool feeding fears.
  • Quote:

    “The LAPD was considering the possibility of occult motives in the slaying. He had been killed on June 21st, the summer solstice. Occultists considered it a holy day.” (Christopher Goffard, 02:20)

3. The Real Ronald Baker: More Wiccan than Satanist

• [04:08]
  • Baker’s friends insisted his interest in the occult was peaceful; he practiced Wicca, eschewing violence and “adamantly against Satanism.”
  • False dichotomy exploited by both police and media as they speculated about “the light [to] the dark side.”

4. Eulogies and Early Suspicions

• [03:33]–[08:17]
  • Friends and roommates move the memorial—Duncan Martinez, especially, stands out for his poignant speech and display of grief.
    • Quote:

      “He was never real, you know, physically strong … but he had it here. And he would talk to anybody and be there for anybody at the drop of a dime.” (Duncan Martinez, 07:19)

  • Yet, certain details strain credulity: Martinez’s eagerness to search a specific park, a forged check, and the discovery that Baker had been heavily intoxicated when killed.

5. Detective Breakthroughs and Shifting Theories

• [09:02]–[13:56]
  • Detectives began to focus less on the occult and more on roommates Martinez and Nathan Blaylock—both military veterans, both oddly cooperative.
  • Martinez failed a polygraph, then quickly retained counsel and fled the state for 18 months, arousing more suspicion.
  • Alibis, smooth interviews, but no solid evidence—yet all clues still pointed back to them.
    • Quote:

      “You don’t do this to a good friend. … but everything we did kind of kept pointing back to them.” (Det. Rick Jackson, 12:56)

6. Martinez on the Run and an Unraveling Plot

• [15:58]–[17:15]
  • Martinez assumed the identity of a deceased child, forging a new life as "Jonathan Wayne Miller."
  • Eventually arrested in Utah on a passport fraud warrant. Given immunity to state his version of the crime.

7. The Confession and the “Folie à Deux”

• [17:15]–[21:07]
  • Martinez, under protected confession, claimed it was Blaylock’s idea, inspired by an old Dragnet kidnapping episode.
  • They considered several victims, then chose Ron for convenience, lured him to the tunnel with beer and talk of meeting girls.
    • Quote:

      “I told him to make sure that it was over because I didn’t want Ron to suffer … I believe Nathan slit his throat a couple of times.” (Christopher Goffard quoting Martinez, 19:44)

  • Occult items and the solstice date were unintended red herrings.
    • Quote:

      “In the end, the occult trappings were a red herring, apparently intended to throw police off the scent...” (Christopher Goffard, 20:14)

  • Detectives ultimately saw the crime as a “madness of two”—a rare, senseless “folie à deux.”
    • Quote:

      “It makes no sense. At least it made no sense to us until a year and a half … when you told the story, it still didn’t make sense because it was such a harebrained scheme.” (Det. Rick Jackson, 21:07)

8. Legal Fallout and Justice Denied (Then Served)

• [21:22]–[22:53]
  • Immunity protected Martinez until he incriminated himself in a Utah burglary, finally leading to his conviction alongside Blaylock.
  • Both sentenced to life without parole. Detective Jackson compared the pair to a “blue-collar Leopold and Loeb”—not criminal masterminds, just desperate, foolish, and cruel.

9. Commutation, Controversy, and Ongoing Pain

• [23:31]–[26:32]
  • In 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom commuted Martinez’s sentence; he was granted parole in 2021, a move denounced by both law enforcement and Baker’s family.
    • Quote:

      “He got out of prison on his first attempt. And Nathan Blaylock still sits in prison. And I do believe they were equally responsible.” (Det. Rick Jackson, 26:32)

  • Key officials weren’t consulted in the commutation; the victim’s family and Jackson felt Martinez’s role was whitewashed and his manipulation overlooked.
    • Quote:

      “Martinez had not only failed to help Baker, but had urged Blaylock to finish him off and then posed as a consoling friend to the grieving family.” (Christopher Goffard, 24:34)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Martinez’s Eulogy:

  “And I miss him a lot, too. And I just hope that it’s something I can get over. Cause I love him. And it’s just hard to think of a time without Ron. He’s always been there, and he’s the one friend that I thought I’d know until I was old…” (Duncan Martinez, 08:17)
  Chilling in hindsight, given his culpability.

• Detective on Martinez’s Polygraph:

  “On every pertinent question, were you there? Did you see? Do you know? And he fails it miserably.” (Det. Rick Jackson, 10:24)

• Detective’s Perspective on the Tragedy:

  “I almost blame Duncan Moore because he was in the position as Ron’s best friend to stop this whole thing and say, wait a minute, Nathan, what the hell are we talking about here? He didn’t and he let it go through...” (Det. Rick Jackson, 26:32)

• Sister’s Pain:

  “They ruined their lives and all of the family's lives with the stupidest crime.” (Patty Baker Elliott, paraphrased by Goffard, 20:14)

Segment/Timestamp Guide

• [00:13–02:05] – Ronald Baker’s life and personality
• [02:20–03:33] – Satanic panic, media narratives
• [04:08] – True nature of Baker’s beliefs
• [06:06–08:17] – Martinez’s eulogy; initial suspicions
• [09:02–13:56] – Focus on roommates, failed polygraph, shifting investigation
• [15:58–17:15] – Martinez’s escape and arrest
• [17:37–21:07] – Confessions, plan, and murder details, “folie à deux”
• [21:22–22:53] – Legal outcomes, comparison to Leopold and Loeb
• [23:31–24:34] – Commutation and controversy
• [24:34–26:32] – Parole, official frustrations, and detective’s final perspective

Tone and Language

• Goffard’s narration is somber, methodical, and skeptical—countering hysteria with painstaking detail.
• Interviewees and detectives express frustration, sadness, and disbelief at both the crime’s cruelty and senselessness as well as the system’s response.
• The emotional impact is heightened by the contrast between public myth (occult “sacrifice”) and starkly ordinary, tragic betrayal.

Summary Takeaway

The murder of Ronald Baker, though sensationalized as an occult sacrifice, was in truth a devastating act of betrayal by those closest to him. The story is a cautionary tale about misplaced suspicion, the seductive power of media-driven myth, and the systemic failures that can let justice slip through the cracks—even when the facts eventually surface. The episode is a testament to dogged investigative work and the enduring agony for the families left behind.

For further reading, Goffard recommends his sources at latimes.com/crimesofthetimes and Det. Rick Jackson’s book on the case, Black Tunnel White: A Murder, A Detective’s Obsession, and 90s Los Angeles at the Brink.