Alleged Gunman in Boy’s Death Arrested in Watts

After months on the run, the suspected gunman in the fatal shooting last December of a 7-year-old Inglewood boy is now in custody and facing murder charges, thanks to a bit of luck and the instincts of two Los Angeles patrol officers.

Charles Baker, 22, who had eluded capture since the shooting death Dec. 8 of Evan Leigh Foster in Inglewood’s Darby Park, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Inglewood Municipal Court to murder charges. Judge Eudon Ferrell set bail at $1.1 million.

Baker was arrested Monday morning at a Watts housing project by two Los Angeles police officers summoned there on a report of a domestic dispute--which, it turned out, involved Baker.

“We definitely refer to this as a lucky break,” said Inglewood Police Sgt. Tom Rowson. Detectives and FBI agents had been searching for Baker in Los Angeles and in Oklahoma, Rowson said.

Evan Foster’s father, Ruett, said Tuesday of Baker’s arrest: “It’s somewhat of a relief, but it doesn’t replace the void and emptiness.”

Evan Foster was killed by errant gang-related gunfire in the back seat of his mother’s car, shot just moments after registering for a Darby Park basketball league. His younger brother, Alec, 10 months old at the time, was wounded in the left eye.

Their mother, Rhonda Foster, was not hurt in the attack. Neither was the intended victim, a 30-year-old Inglewood man who happened at that moment to be standing in the park by his red car. He is not a gang member, police have said.

Three others--all, like Baker, reputed Crips gangsters--also face criminal charges and have been in custody since December. They are Ollie Wilkins, 19, and Kevin Bookman, 20, both of Los Angeles, and a Los Angeles youth--17 at the time of the shooting, now 18--whose name has not been released.

When Los Angeles Police Officers P.F. Ryan and P.G. Cromer were called about 10:30 a.m. Monday to the Imperial Courts housing project, it was because Baker’s girlfriend wanted to leave but he had the keys to the car, Ryan said.

At first, Ryan said, Baker told officers his name was Ricky Williams. But his body language suggested “he was not being altogether truthful,” Ryan said, and officers kept asking questions around the complex.

When they were given his correct name, Ryan checked for warrants and discovered Baker was wanted by Inglewood police.