Shivangi Sinha
In June 1990, hikers came across human remains inside a railroad tunnel in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, and immediately alerted the police. Because of unusual signs and markings on the body, investigators initially suspected the killing might be tied to occult activity. However, the victim was soon identified as Ron Baker, a UCLA student who had been reported missing by his family. As detectives dug deeper, they began piecing together the puzzle and uncovered a far more complex plot behind his death. The case and the capture of those responsible are featured in Discovery+’s ‘A Killer Among Friends: Friendship in Disguise.’
Ron Baker’s Family Got a Ransom Call Before His Remains Were Found in a Tunnel
Ronald Steven “Ron” Baker was born on January 18, 1969, in the Santa Monica area of Los Angeles, California. He was raised by his parents, Gaylon and Katherine, alongside his sister, Patricia, in a home rooted in strong religious values. From an early age, Ron was active in the Methodist church, though he also nurtured a deep curiosity for mystical and spiritual ideas. At the same time, he remained focused on building a bright future for himself. In 1989, he enrolled at UCLA to study astrophysics, believing it marked the beginning of a meaningful and rewarding path. Ron thrived academically and socially, forming close friendships along the way.
During his freshman year, he met Duncan Gordon Martinez while working at Sears, a department store. Ron and Duncan shared an apartment in West Hollywood for about a year before moving in January 1990 to a two-bedroom residence in Van Nuys, where Nathaniel Preston Blalock joined them as a third roommate. Like many young people his age, Ron explored different interests. He was intelligent, curious, and eager to learn, and he also became involved with the Mystic Circle, a group that practiced pagan witchcraft, commonly known as Wicca.
On June 21, 1990, his family received a phone call claiming he had been kidnapped and demanding $100,000 for his release by the following day. At first, they believed it was a prank, but when another call came the next day and they were still unable to reach Ron, they reported him missing. Unbeknownst to his family, on June 22, police discovered the remains of a young man inside a railroad tunnel in Chatsworth Park. The remains bore a necklace with a pentagram pendant, and the person had been stabbed at least 18 times, with his throat also slit. The remains were soon identified as Ron’s, and investigators began considering every possible angle that could have led to his brutal death.
One of Ron Baker’s Killers Came to the Police on His Own After Years
At first, investigators considered the possibility that Ron Baker’s death was connected to occult practices and didn’t rule it out. They also chose to question his roommates, Nathaniel Blalock and Duncan Martinez. Blalock was out of town at the time, while Martinez told police that on June 21, he had dropped Ron off at a bus station so he could head to UCLA. He claimed that was the last time he saw him. Martinez added that Ron had planned to attend a Mystic Circle meeting that evening. On June 28, Ron’s family held a memorial service where Martinez delivered a brief, emotional eulogy, speaking warmly of his friend. However, police soon learned from other Mystic Circle members that no meeting had been scheduled for June 21.
When police questioned Blalock after he returned to town, he stated that on June 22, after Ron’s parents had called looking for him, he went to Chatsworth Park to search for him. Since the crime scene’s location had not yet been made public, this immediately raised red flags for investigators. Blalock, however, defended himself by saying it was a spot Ron often visited to meditate. Meanwhile, Martinez was subjected to a polygraph test, which he failed, and he refused to undergo a second one. Not long after, he vanished completely and could not be located. Then, on December 12, 1991, an attorney from Salt Lake City, Utah, contacted the police. He said that he represented Martinez and that his client had information regarding Ron’s 1990 murder.
On December 13, investigators met with Martinez and learned he had been arrested on a federal charge of traveling under a false identity and wanted to leverage the information he held. He was granted a “King for a Day” immunity deal, which meant his statements given during that interview could not be used against him in court. Martinez then confessed that he and Blalock had been behind Ron’s death. He explained that their plan had originally been to kidnap Ron, but when Blalock tripped and Ron laughed, Blalock flew into a rage and stabbed him. Afterward, they disposed of their clothing and went to a party. At the time, Blalock was already being held in the county jail for a bank robbery. His AB blood type matched the evidence found at the scene. When Martinez later wore a wire, he recorded Blalock admitting to his role in the killing, which led to formal charges against him.
Duncan Martinez is a Free Man Today, While Nathaniel Blalock Remains Behind Bars
Due to the immunity deal, Duncan Martinez was initially released, but was arrested later following the violation of its terms. In 1996, Martinez and Blalock were tried separately on charges of first-degree murder. Blalock was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in March 1996, and Martinez got the same conviction and sentence in December. In the summer of 2020, the California governor commuted Martinez’s sentence, making him eligible for parole, which he was granted in December. Martinez was released from the California State Prison in Los Angeles County sometime in early 2021 and has since kept a low profile. Blalock, now 57 years old, remains incarcerated at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, California, where he is expected to spend the rest of his life.
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