A woman who confessed to helping her husband rob and murder a Jacksonville store owner was sentenced to 30 years in prison Friday.

A retired Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detective on Tuesday pleaded guilty in the stabbing death of a businessman and the robbery of his wife in 1999.

A former Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detective indicted earlier this year on a count of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a businessman and the robbery of his wife in 1999 is expected to plead guilty at a hearing next week, according to court documents.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Duval County grand jury has returned indictments for first-degree murder in two Jacksonville cold cases. The first notable case involves William Baer, who is charged with murder in the 1999 stabbing death of businessman Saad Kawaf and the robbery of his wife at their home in Deerwood. RELATED: Documents: ’99 cold case victim was under FBI investigationAdBaer also is charged with kidnapping with a weapon, armed robbery, armed burglary, and aggravated battery. The second case involves Ronnie Hyde, who was arrested in March 2017 for the 1994 murder of Fred Laster, a 16-year-old boy. Investigators believe Laster was killed in Hyde’s Jacksonville Beach home.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than two decades after convenience store owner Saad Kawaf was killed, the former wife of a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detective at the time pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and four other violent crimes connected to his death. Police said Schafer and Baer robbed Kawaf and his wife because they had over $50,000 in cash in their Deerwood home. In court Friday, Schafer became emotional as she admitted to assisting in the murder and agreed to testify truthfully in future prosecutions. According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, DNA evidence collected from the attack later pointed to Baer and Schafer, who were married at the time of the attack. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office booking photo of William BaerBaer was with the Sheriff’s Office for 27 years, joining in 1975 and retiring in 2002.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The State Attorneys Office released documents Wednesday shedding new light on the investigation into a retired Jacksonville detective who is charged with murder in the 1999 stabbing death of a business owner. The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office says Saad Kawaf was stabbed to death in his garage at his Deerwood home. William Baer, a retired detective of the Sheriffs Office, is charged with second-degree murder and other charges to which hes pleaded not guilty. According to investigators, Baer was assigned to do surveillance at the bank where Kawaf was making the deposits, but on the day Baer sat on the bank, Kawaf didnt appear. Baer was with the Sheriffs Office for 27 years, joining in 1975 and retiring in 2002.

A retired Jacksonville Sheriffs Office detective accused in a cold case murder is scheduled to be in court Wednesday morning to enter a plea on charges of second-degree murder, armed robbery, armed burglary, armed kidnapping and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Baers ex-wife, Melissa Schafer, is also facing charges in the murder after the pair were arrested separately in early July. According to the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office, DNA evidence collected from the attack later pointed to Baer and Schafer. Baer was with the Sheriffs Office for 27 years, joining in 1975 and retiring in 2002. At the time of the murder, Baer had been an intelligence division detective and knew Kawaf through work, JSO said.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The State Attorneys Office on Wednesday filed additional charges against William Baer, a retired Jacksonville detective who was arrested earlier this month in the 1999 stabbing death of business owner Saad Kawaf. William Baer, 64, is now charged with second-degree murder, armed robbery, armed burglary, armed kidnapping and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Baers attorneys filed a bond motion in which they listed a variety of long-term health issues. As of Wednesday, there was no ruling yet on the bond motion. At the time of the Kawafs death, Baer was actively investigating Kawaf for an unspecified crime, according to police.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Attorneys for William Baer, a retired Jacksonville detective accused of murder, have asked a judge to set a bond for their client, contending his life is in danger at the Duval County jail due to COVID-19. Baer is charged with murder and armed robbery in the 1999 stabbing death of Saad Kawaf. Saad Kawaf (Courtesy of Jacksonville Sheriff's Office)Lawyers for Baer, now 64, filed a bond motion in which they listed a variety of long-term health issues. Lawyers cited Baers 27-years of service to JSO and his longstanding membership at North Baptist Church in the bond motion, and assured the judge he is not a flight risk. At the time of the murder, Baer was actively investigating Kawaf for an unspecified crime, according to police.

Waldon was convicted of killing Safar, a Northside business owner. Before Waldons 2002 trial, all other defendants reached plea agreements with federal prosecutors, and most of them testified against Waldon. Also testifying was Jacksonville Sheriffs Office Detective William Baer, who retired right before the trial. Here are the similarities: Both Waldon and Baer are former Jacksonville officers accused of killing store owners. Reep said though Baer is facing a murder charge, that doesnt mean he lied while testifying against Waldon in federal court.