Manhattan, NY, doctor slain; his former girlfriend and her son charged in murder

Jet, Nov 17, 1997

A Brooklyn, NY, woman and her son recently were charged in the murder of a Manhattan internist who was the woman's ex-boyfriend.

Dr. Daniel Hodge, 53, was found shot to death outside of his new girlfriend's apartment. His suitcase was stolen, but, according to police, $1,700 was left inside his wallet.

Rosie Baker, 58, of Brooklyn, and her son, Vance Baker, 26, were charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy to commit murder and obstruction of justice. If convicted, they could be the first people on Long Island sentenced to death under federal law, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Brown.

Supposedly, Hodge and his former lover, Baker, ran a nonprofit home health-care agency in Brooklyn that received $37 million a year from Medicaid. Law officials said the couple siphoned away hundreds of thousands of dollars a year from government payments to Long Life Home Health Care, Inc. by paying rent to themselves through shell corporations, phantom employees and other illegal schemes.

The relationship reportedly ended last year when Hodge told police where to find Baker's son, Vance, who was wanted for allegedly shooting at an electrician who upset his mother in a dispute over $100.

Nine months later, Hodge was murdered. After an investigation, federal prosecutors accused Baker and her son of arranging Hodge's murder after the doctor threatened to expose her business deceits.

Rosie Baker and her son both pleaded not guilty to the charges.