When Cecil Ray Baker first met the American Idol judges this season, he inspired them with his resilience after experiencing so much loss in his life. In his package, Cecil explained that when he was 11 years old, he lost his best friend to suicide. The following year, his brother committed suicide and almost a year to the day of that tragedy, he lost his uncle to suicide.
Cecil explained that music was “the light” in his dark life, as well as his one-and-a-half-year-old daughter. He wowed the judges with his audition and they called him the “Country Justin Bieber” due to his hair flips.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5zUXM2Qg1A
Cecil went on to Hollywood Week, where he advanced through several rounds of competition, even making it to the Top 24. He was eliminated after his rendition of “Paint Me A Birmingham” and “Freedom Was A Highway” duet with Jimmie Allen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ARwg4Y8MqU
Now, Cecil is making headlines again after being arrested on Saturday (April 17) in Rockdale, Texas for “burglary of habitation,” according to the Milam County Sheriff’s Office.
TMZ reports that police were called to the home of Mariah Lopez, Cecil’s ex-girlfriend and the mother of his child, earlier in the week because he had entered her home without permission and assaulted her.
Mariah claims that Cecil broke into the home by forcing entry into the locked back door and “struck her in the face with a palm heel.” Cecil’s sister witnessed the incident and corroborates Mariah’s story. A TikTok account appearing to belong to Mariah shows two videos with examples of Cecil’s abusive behavior. You can see them here and here.
Cecil fled to a nearby town, where he was arrested on Saturday and charged with burglary of habitation, which is a second-degree felony in the state of Texas. He was released on a $15,000 bond.