Retired Pembroke Pines police sergeant killed by wife in apparent murder-suicide

Crime admin September 22, 2026 0 Comments

Retired Pembroke Pines police sergeant killed by wife in apparent murder-suicide

The wife and caregiver of a retired Pembroke Pines police sergeant, who was permanently injured on his police motorcycle around seven years ago, fatally shot him Monday before turning the gun on herself, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

John Baker, 62, proudly served the police department for nearly 28 years before he was critically injured on Aug. 10, 2019, when a car turned in front of his motorcycle, the Pembroke Pines Police Department said in a statement. Baker was left with impacted speech and movement, but “through perseverance and the help of his family and medical team, Sergeant Baker regained limited motor skills.”

In the aftermath, John’s wife, Joanne Baker, 59, regularly updated the community about his recovery with lengthy, loving posts and photographs on social media, according to her Facebook and GoFundMe pages.

“He is always expressing his gratitude to me and our care aids for all that we do for him each day, and he regularly apologizes to me for the accident,” Joanne said in a Feb 13, 2025, GoFundMe post. “I always reassure him he’s not to blame, but I do like knowing he understands our situation and acknowledges my struggles.”

More than a year since that message, detectives found them both dead in an apparent-suicide Monday morning inside their Pembroke Pines home on the 8300 block of Pine Drive, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

“The preliminary investigation has revealed that Joanne shot and killed John, before turning the gun on herself,” the sheriff’s office said. “The official cause and manner of death will be determined by the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office.”

Detectives are investigating.

Outside of work, John was a dedicated father to his three children, who enjoyed traveling and attending concerts alongside his family, the Pembroke Pines Police Department said in the statement. He participated in several charity races through Special Compass, a non-profit organization that assists children and families with disabilities, as well as the Special Olympics Torch Run after his accident.

“The entire PPPD family mourns the sudden loss of Sergeant John Baker,” the statement said. “Even with the challenges he faced from his work-related injury, his joyful and positive personality always persisted.”