Baker City Man Charged in 2025 Shooting Trial Set for January 2027

A Baker City man accused in a March 2025 fatal shooting will likely not go to trial until January 2027, a timeline that prolongs a case that has kept neighbors and officials watching court dockets closely. Caleb James Mansuetti, 24, is charged with fatally shooting Brandon Allen Chase, 35, on March 20, 2025, and has been held in the Baker County Jail without bail since his arrest on March 24, 2025.

A Baker County grand jury indicted Mansuetti on March 27, 2025, on six counts, including second-degree murder. That charge is a Measure 11 offense and carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years if he is convicted. Mansuetti pleaded not guilty to all charges on Dec. 8, 2025, and has remained in custody pending further court action.

During a brief status check in Baker County Circuit Court on Jan. 22, 2026, Judge Thomas B. Powers set a jury trial to begin Jan. 12, 2027. The court allowed up to three weeks for the trial, setting a trial window through Feb. 5, 2027. The judge also set an interim status check for March 30, 2026, at 8 a.m. as the case moves through pretrial preparation.

Mansuetti is represented by two local attorneys, Kyra Rohner and William Thomson of Baker City. Rohner informed the court that the defense may request a settlement conference, possibly in the fall of 2026. District Attorney Greg Baxter told the court he is awaiting reports from the state crime lab and said that firming a trial date could help secure higher priority for forensic testing and related evidence processing.

In addition to second-degree murder, charges against Mansuetti include menacing, a Class A misdemeanor; pointing a firearm at another person, a misdemeanor; two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, Class C felonies; and felon in possession of a firearm, a Class C felony. Those charges and the Measure 11 designation make the case legally significant and likely to draw close attention in Baker County.

For local residents, the extended timetable affects more than courtroom calendars. The lack of bail and prolonged pretrial detention, limited forensic laboratory capacity, and the potential length of a Measure 11 sentence all shape community expectations about public safety and the administration of justice. The March 30 status check and any fall 2026 settlement conference will be the next opportunities for the public to learn how evidence review and case strategy are progressing.

What comes next: Baker County will return to the courthouse on March 30, 2026, and the scheduled January 12, 2027, trial period will be the decisive phase for resolving the case. The outcome and the speed of lab work will matter to families directly affected and to residents tracking local court efficiency and public-safety outcomes.