Left: Janaya Baker (GoFundMe). Right: Malik Coleman (Reno police).
Malik Coleman, aged 20, received a life sentence on Monday for the killing of 18-year-old Janaya Baker in Reno. According to a statement from the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office, Coleman may be considered for parole after serving 28 years of his sentence. More details are available in the official press release.
On the evening of November 16, 2023, Reno police were called to an apartment complex on North Virginia Street following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered Baker outside her apartment with a fatal gunshot wound to her head. Investigations revealed that Coleman and Baker had ended their relationship roughly two weeks prior, during which Baker removed his name from her apartment lease.
Security footage documented Coleman entering Baker’s apartment at around 5 p.m. while she was still at work, waiting over two hours for her return. Audio recordings captured Baker questioning Coleman, “What are you doing here?” immediately before a gunshot was heard. Coleman was subsequently seen leaving the scene and later messaged Baker’s mother about the shooting.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Nicole Hicks advocated for the life sentence with the possibility of parole.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Nicole Hicks asked the judge to impose the life sentence with the chance at parole.
“Not one year, not one minute, or one second less,” she said.
Baker turned 18 about two months before the shooting.
“She had her whole life ahead of her,” her cousin wrote on GoFundMe.
