BOONE COUNTY, Ind. -- The father of a man accused of shooting a Boone County deputy says his son's remorseless attitude makes him a "monster" he will pay for what he did.
Robert Baumgardt said he was eating lunch when he heard that Deputy Jacob Pickett had been shot.
“We said a prayer for the officer,” said Robert.
He spent the day waiting, just like the rest of the community, to find out more details about what had happened. It wasn’t until later that evening that he found out his son, Anthony, was being named the shooter.
“I don’t know that person,” said Robert. “I know the little boy Anthony, 15-year-old Anthony. I missed out on six years of his life, I don’t know him anymore.”
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People often look to a person’s past to find answers to why they commit crimes, but Robert says his son had a normal childhood.
“We were buddies when he was a kid – we went fishing together – went on trips together,” said Robert.
Until the summer Anthony turned 15 and he went to stay with his mother, who he hadn’t seen or heard from in many years.
“He came back a troubled kid, totally different,” said Robert. “He went from good to bad overnight.”
A few months later, Anthony moved out of his father’s home and quit school.
The two completely broke ties.
“He didn’t want anything to do with me,” said Robert.
Robert said he didn’t see his son again for six years, until his mother died in 2017. That’s when Anthony moved back in with his father – but their relationship wasn’t mended.
“He’d come here and he’d sleep for two or three days, he’d get up and be gone for two weeks,” said Robert.
Two months ago, Robert kicked him out for good – and the next time he saw his son was when he was being escorted into the Boone County Courthouse for his first appearance before the judge following Deputy Pickett’s shooting.
“He showed no remorse whatsoever,” said Robert. “Them taking him into the courthouse that day – that was a monster.”
Robert says his son’s actions will have consequences and he prays for the Pickett family daily.
“Justice will be served whether it’s life in prison or the death penalty, justice will be served,” said Robert. “One way or another and he’s going to have to pay for his actions.”
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