Young Oregon Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for ‘Conscious and Cold-Blooded’ Murder

Alec Baldridge (26) was sentenced to life in prison for second-degree murder after making ‘a conscious and cold-blooded decision’ to kill his former friend, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Todd Jackson in the Multnomah County Circuit Court yesterday (Friday).

Prosecutors said the killing was motivated by greed and not by drugs or mental illness when Baldridge gunned down Dominic Jacoby a few paces from his mother’s Gresham townhouse before dawn on August 21, 2021.

Killing Was Sparked by a $35,000 Drug Debt

The court was shown a slideshow of photographs of Jacoby who died because of a $35,000 drug debt. Baldridge sat still and emotionless during the sentencing hearing, turning only once to glance at the photographs. He had an eye operation recently and wore reflective glasses that masked any reaction.

Baldrige will appeal his sentence. He will be eligible for parole in 25 years if his appeal fails.

During his trial in June, the court heard that Baldridge had received black-market marijuana from Jacoby (21) who expected payment at a later date. Baldridge decided to kill Jacoby rather than to settle the debt.

Videos of surveillance tapes showed Baldridge circling the townhouse where his friend lived with his mother. Baldridge then turned off his phone after texting his friend and asking him to come outside.

The two young men had met when they were employed by Baldridge’s father at a landscaping business. According to a memo written by Baldridge’s attorney, the accused had lived in an environment of drugs and crime. In an attempt to escape foster care, Baldridge had moved in with his grandmother.

Baldridge Left a Trail of Evidence as Big as Bread Loaves

The Circuit Court Judge Heidi Moawad described the evidence leading to Baldridge’s arrest as a ‘trail of bread loaves, not breadcrumbs.’

Telephone calls made from prison were presented as evidence by prosecutors. Conversations showed that Baldridge had coordinated with people on the outside, as well as with other inmates, to intimidate a witness who had recovered the murder weapon to refuse to testify.

Jacoby’s mother, Rachelle Amato, said while her son may not have been perfect, he was kind-hearted and had a good nature. Amato said she heard the sound of six gunshots on the night of the murder but had closed the front door after not seeing anything when she peered out into the darkness.

She said the fact that her son lay alone while taking his last breath would haunt her for the rest of her life.