‘90 Day Fiance’ Barber Admits To GQ Barbershop Murder After 5 Years
A former “90 Day Fiance” barber who spent years on the run after a fatal shooting inside a Pennsylvania barbershop has admitted in open court that he carried out the killing, prosecutors announced.
Michael Anthony Baltimore, 47, pleaded guilty to Third Degree Murder and Aggravated Assault during a hearing before Cumberland County Common Pleas Judge Christylee Peck, according to the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office.
Baltimore admitted that on Saturday, May 22, 2021, he entered GQ Barbershop on North Hanover Street in Carlisle wearing camouflage clothing and a black face covering before opening fire inside the business, prosecutors said.
Kendell Jerome Cook, who was working in the shop at the time, recognized the masked gunman and shouted “Mike” seconds before being shot and killed, according to investigators.
After shooting Cook, Baltimore fired at Anthony Lamar White as he attempted to flee out the back of the barbershop, authorities said. White was seriously injured but survived the attack.
Baltimore entered his guilty plea as jury selection in the case was set to begin Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, prosecutors said.
Under the negotiated plea agreement, Baltimore will serve 15 to 30 years in state prison for the homicide and assault. The sentence will be served consecutive to a separate 4- to 10-year term he is currently serving for theft of a firearm, according to the district attorney’s office.
Family members of both Cook and White were present in court to hear Baltimore admit to the shooting. Prosecutors said their agreement with the plea deal was a key factor in resolving the case.
“This was a case filled with obstacles,” District Attorney Seán M. McCormack said in a statement. “Chief Deputy District Attorneys Judd and Robinson did a fantastic job bringing this case forward to the point that Michael Baltimore finally admitted in open court today that he committed these crimes.”
Background
Baltimore was wanted as the prime suspect in the fatal shooting and had been bumped up to the US Marshal’s Top 15 most wanted in June 2022, and he was arrested in Florida on Friday, January 13, 2023, after a violent bar incident, before being extradited to Pennsylvania, as reported by Daily Voice at the time.
He was previously convicted in a separate domestic violence case, but that verdict was later vacated due to improper contact between a juror and a prosecution witness, the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office announced in March.
The case stemmed from an alleged domestic assault in January and resulted in guilty verdicts on aggravated assault, simple assault, and flight to avoid apprehension following a trial that concluded Feb. 1. Prosecutors later conceded the conviction after learning a juror had interacted with a domestic violence expert witness outside of court, a disclosure that was not reported to the court until after the verdict.
District Attorney Seán M. McCormack said the failure to address the juror contact deprived Baltimore of a fair trial, requiring the charges to be dismissed with prejudice under Pennsylvania law. The dismissal was not related to the barbershop homicide or Baltimore’s arrest and extradition from Florida, prosecutors emphasized at the time.
About The Victims
Cook was a graduate of Steelton-Highspire High School and the owner of GQ Barbershop, which was featured in multiple TLC programs, according to his obituary.
He is survived by his fiancée, sons, daughter, brothers, and sister, according to his obituary and family posts shared on social media.
Funeral services for Cook were provided by Hayaat Foundation & Saabrin Mosque, as stated in his obituary.
A GoFundMe campaign was launched in the days following the shooting to assist Cook’s family and support White during his recovery. The fundraiser had raised $2,900 of its $10,000 goal as of January.