Fingerprints Link Homestead Man to 2024 RED Burglary Scene

Maricopa police arrested 30-year-old Sheldon Wayne Baker on February 20, 2025, in connection with a December home invasion in Rancho El Dorado.

The investigation into the burglary, which began months earlier, culminated in new charges being filed against Baker after his fingerprints were discovered at the scene. Police initially responded to a report of a home invasion in progress at approximately 4 p.m. on December 19, 2024. The suspect had accessed the backyard, broken a window with a rock, and attempted to pry open a sliding glass door, resulting in about $1,500 in damage, according to a probable cause statement.

By the time officers arrived, the intruder had fled. However, they found fingerprints on the damaged window adjacent to the door. Detectives collected the prints and sent them to a lab for analysis.

On February 13, lab results linked Baker to the crime scene. Notably, the residents of the home stated they had never seen him before the incident occurred.

As a result, Maricopa police submitted felony charges of burglary and criminal damage against Baker to prosecutors on February 20. If convicted, he could face a prison sentence of up to five and a half years.

Brian Petersheim Jr. is a crime and breaking news reporter for InMaricopa. He joined the newsroom in October 2020 and studied at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.