Thomas "Tommy" Holman Baer (pictured left) was a very good person. He was always interested in serving his Church, his friends, and his community. He was always glad to see his friends, and made a special effort to welcome and greet them whenever he saw them. He was an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, and member of The Order of the Arrow. He was also a member of The Knights of Columbus.  Tom was a member of many organizations, most of his joy was found in good friendships and company.  It did not matter to Tom whether or not you were a member of a club or other group.  If you were a friend, you were very important to him. 

Tom made the most of his life, even though he did not know that he would be on earth for such a short time.  In life, Tom was respected, and his death is very much regretted.  He is sadly missed by his brothers in The Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity.  Before being murdered, Tom was very interested in stage and drama.  He made a brief appearance in a movie filmed in Tennessee.  Perhaps Tom would have a successful career as a movie actor.  We will never know now.

Tom's parents, Thomas S. and Margaret D. Baer (pictured right), have been actively working to make college campuses safer with and organization called Security On Campus.  There is now a law that requires colleges to publish campus crime statistics so that students can make decisions regarding their own safety.

On the evening of August 20, 1988, Jeffrey R. Underwood tried to participate in an impromptu party at the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity house at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He had been drinking at a bar across the street and at one visit to the fraternity house was given a glass of beer by one of the members. He went back to the bar and then later returned to the fraternity house. He became loud and abusive to some of the young women visiting at the house.

Upon discovering he was not a student or an invited guest, the fraternity business manager asked him to leave. He became belligerent and pulled a knife, threatening two of the members including the fraternity business manager. Fearing for their safety, the fraternity members disarmed Jeff. As Jeff tried to stab the business manager, he was hit on the arm with a metal table leg. Jeff retrieved the knife and ran back to the bar. The police were immediately called. A policewoman responded and questioned Jeff at a bar across the street from the fraternity house and released him. Jeff then left the bar and went back to the fraternity house.

Tommy had arrived at the house following the altercation. He asked about the commotion and was told of the prior incident. He was instructed by an alumnus what he should do and was asked to stand by the back door and not let anyone in. Tom had picked up a baseball bat and was using it as a barrier across the door. Jeff Underwood reappeared at the door and wanted in.

Shortly after midnight on Sunday, August 21, 1988 words were spoken and Jeff lunged at Tom, stabbing him in the upper chest. Tom was holding the baseball bat parallel to the ground at about shoulder level and with his arms extended. Tom said "he's got a knife, I've been stabbed." Tom then leaned or fell toward Jeff and they both fell to the ground. Tom stopped breathing before any medical help arrived. He died with his head in the arms of one of his fraternity brothers. This case led to changes in campus security procedures not only at UT but across the state and country.

Jeffrey Underwood was subsequently convicted of second degree murder and two separate counts of aggravated assault. The separate violent crimes. He was sentenced to 15 years on the second degree murder charge and 3 years on each assault charge, the sentences to be served concurrently. Later, he was convicted of drug related charges for trying to smuggle drugs into the county jail while awaiting trial on the murder charge. He was sentenced to two years on the drug charge to be added to the 15 year sentence.

Tommy's parents had to undertake a massive grassroots effort operated out of their living room to keep their son's murderer in prison for five years that he came up for parole. "My son got a death sentence," said Thomas "he lost fifty years of his life" criticizing the less than eight years his murderer will have served in prison.

Jeffrey Underwood had his sixth parole hearing on October 9, 1996 and was released from prison on October 23rd. "This sets a horrible example that you can murder someone, spend a very few years in prison and then get out to go on with your own life" said campus safety advocate S. Daniel Carter.