Man convicted of manslaughter in Elmore County

A man has been convicted of manslaughter after a four-day trial in Elmore County.

According to District Attorney CJ Robinson, 41-year-old Jason Lee Gosdin was convicted of causing the death of 19-year-old Christian Jace Baker.

Gosdin is set to be sentenced on December 11 by Circuit Judge Amanda Baxley. He could receive between 10 and 20 years.

Robinson said in the early morning hours of February 27, 2023, Gosdin got a phone call from his ex-wife asking him to come pick up their teenage daughter from her house because they were arguing. Gosdin began yelling threats that he was “going to clear that whole house out,” and everybody over there was going to “get some,” before driving to his ex-wife’s house, Robinson said.

Baker was sitting in the back seat of a car in the yard of Gosdin’s ex-wife with another young man sitting in the driver’s seat, Robinson said.

According to Robinson, when Gosdin got to the home, he had a pistol in his hand and approached the car. He hit the young man in the driver’s seat in the face with the pistol before firing a shot that hit Baker in the groin.

Baker jumped out of the car and ran approximately 200 yards before collapsing in the woods. Baker called 911 and told the operator, “Jason shot me,” before dying, Robinson said.

“Unfortunately, senseless gun violence has become a way of life in our society. Jace Baker found himself in the wrong place at
the wrong time when Jason Gosdin arrived armed and enraged. Those who lack self control must face the consequences and penalties when they engage in such dangerous behavior. Sadly, for the Baker family, they will forever count the cost of those actions.”