"What's running through my heart? It hurts, it hurts terribly, and it's a little hard to take," said neighbor Lillian Rossi.
Investigators say Henry Werner, a homeless man fatally stabbed Baker and his 80-year-old friend Clarence Wispelwey at about 7:30 Monday morning at the Richfield Shopping Center on Clifton Avenue. Police arrested the 61-year-old Werner at the scene. Prosecutors charged him with Murder.
Scott Ficacci has known Werner for 15 years.
"If he wasn't on his meds, if you even said 'hi' to him, he would just lose it. He would go nuts," said Ficacci, "something must have antagonized him or something."
Relatives of Clarence Wispelwey did not want to speak publicly, other than to thank everyone for their prayers and support.
Doctors at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Paterson are treating the 80-year-old for a slash across his abdomen and a stab wound to his arm.
Jessica Newby used some paper towels to administer first aid moments after the attack.
"I'm like, 'just hold them and put pressure', and then I noticed he was stabbed in the left arm, so I made sure that was covered as well," says Newby.
Neighbors tell Eyewitness News that Baker was about to become a grandfather.
Werner will have his first court appearance later this week.
