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Tempe man beaten to death after granddaughter's wedding

Friends and family continue to mourn a Tempe man who was beaten to death in Virginia earlier this week after he attended his granddaughter's wedding, police said.

Three teenagers attacked George Baker III, 81, on his walk to a restaurant following the wedding ceremony Sunday night.

"I will miss the phone calls the most," son Gregg Baker said at a press conference at his father's home on Wednesday.

Witnesses who heard and saw the attack from a nearby restaurant told police that three male teenagers beat Baker until he lay unconscious and then fled.

Baker sustained broken ribs and significant head injuries, police said. He was taken to a local hospital but died Monday morning.

"There was no motive," Lynchburg (Va.) Police Department Captain Todd Swisher said, "This should have been a joyful occasion but it has been marred by this tragedy."

Police said there were a few other teens walking with the suspects at the time of the attack. One of them told police that the suspects were trying to impress a girl they were with.

Two of the suspects are 16-years-old and one is 13. They were arrested on suspicion of murder, police said.

Baker was a widower who leaves behind three children. He had lived in the same Tempe home across from the Ken McDonald Golf Course since 1973. Baker even had his own chair at the course restaurant, the chef made him specialty meals to accommodate his celiac disease, his son said.

The younger Baker said it was hard to describe the emotions he went through on the day of both his daughter's wedding and his father's death.
He was informed by police that his father was critically injured as the wedding reception was coming to an end. As the newlyweds took off in their car, Gregg Baker's new son-in-law turned toward the hospital instead of the planed their honeymoon destination and said "family is important" before explaining Baker's condition to his new bride.

Baker was unresponsive at the scene and was put on life-support at the hospital, his son said. He stayed by his father's side until he died.

"I don't want retribution, I want redemption," Baker said of his father's killers. He added that the two 16- year-olds will be tried as adults.
Baker was a Christian man; his son said which was apparent by the bookmarked and clearly well-used Bible inscribed with his name which sat in his family room. His son said that Baker had previously spoken of looking forward to seeing his wife, who died of cancer six years ago.
He spoke of his father as "quick witted and mentally sharp."

Referring to a rocking chair and table filled with books as his father's "makeshift library." He said his father and sister would read novels and then switch with each other when they were finished.

A neighborhood child who had just heard of Baker's death stood with two of his friends outside of the home Wednesday and through tears and gasps for breath said, "He was my friend."

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