Death by Fame Recap for G or Gent

This week’s Death by Fame on ID is titled G or Gent and follows the story of Baron ‘Dirty’ Colon.

Reality TV has been a huge part of television for a quarter of a television and in 2008, a new show was created called from G’s to Gents, which was a show where ‘gangsters’ were turned into gentlemen. The men lived in a mansion together and for eight episodes, these men were taught how to do things like set a table, eat properly etc. Each week, someone would be eliminated, and the winner would get $20,000.

The show aired on MTV, which was a very big deal at the time. The men on the show wanted their fifteen minutes of fame and were excited about being on television. However, many of them had criminal backgrounds, which would cause problems later on.

During season 2, a man named Baron Colon, aka Dirty was on the show. He represented the 305 (tree oh five!). He had a criminal background and a larger-than-life personality. This would cause a lot of interesting moments on the show.

While the show was airing, it was discovered that Baron had not one, but two baby mamas.  He also had shared his backstory on the show about being abandoned and literally thrown in the garbage as a baby. This resulted in his life taking a dark turn and he was on the show to live a better life for himself and his children.

Fernando Suco is a homicide detective who saw Baron on television in 2009, when he was about to retire. Pascale Achille also saw the story and they both thought there was something fishy about it….and that there was more to Baron than met the eye.

A 911 call is played from 2006 about gunshots being heard and a vehicle escaping. Fernando and several other policemen arrive to the scene and see a woman named Stephany Conception in distress. The place looked like a robbery gone wrong, and the body of Marcelo Vera was found in a gruesome scene. He was shot several times and drenched in blood.

Marcelo had been an art dealer, and it seemed like that was motive for the robbery. However, authorities could not figure out why he was a target and how anyone knew what he had in his home.

A Louis Vuitton purse, Marcelo’s wallet and other valuables and cash were found in the house, making the case even more baffling. Marcelo had also lived alone and had no family in the area.

Stephany claimed she worked for Marcelo and that he wanted a relationship. However, she claimed she was a lesbian and didn’t want to be with him. This did not stop her from using him to pay for beauty services and other luxuries. She claimed that when she was over that night, Marcelo made a move on her and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Stephany would then go on to have friends do a home invasion at Marcelo’s as revenge. One of those friends she called was none other than Baron.

The crime scene is investigated, and Stephany shares her knowledge of what happened and what she knew to the police. Neighbors are also interviewed and questioned, sharing what they know about the gunshots and the getaway car.

Stephany took a 15-year plea in exchange for testifying in the case. In addition to Baron, Crazy Dread and Big Killer were also involved.

Baron is questioned in the case and played dumb about what happened. He just claimed Stephany was an old high school friend he hadn’t seen in a while, and he had no idea who Crazy Dread and Big Killer even were. With lack of evidence, he is released.

Lack of fingerprints and DNA at the crime scene also made it impossible to connect anyone to the case.

Fernando recalls watching Baron on TV while director Raoul Germain recalls thinking Baron was a nice guy, having no idea he could be capable of murder.

Frenando points out that there was no public record of anything regarding Baron and the murder so there was no way anyone could have known.

On the show, Baron would often be drunk and sloppy, even pushing a fellow contestant into the pool. He ended up apologizing, which Raoul thought was a classy move.

Baron would be eliminated in the penultimate episode of the season, coming in fourth place. People thought he would move on to bigger and better things, but little did they know that he would end up being arrested for murder.

Eight months after the show, a heroin dealer named Randy was arrested. There was a 0.9-millimeter MAC on his person. It is entered into NIBIN and connected to Marcelo’s murder. Randy is now a key witness in the murder, but authorities need to find the connection between him and the murder.

Randy denied any involvement, so they ask Stephany, who is already serving her time for her part in the crime, to identify him in the lineup. This does not work, so Randy is eliminated as a suspect.

Baron is still suspected of being involved, but there is no proof. A man named Jerry Rios, who is a childhood friend of Baron’s is questioned. He is serving time for a firearms charge and denies any involvement. However, he names names, including Dread and Big Killer. Jerry is offered a deal that if he is wired up and talks to Baron (and gets him to confess) he can avoid deportation.

In June 2010, the plan is in action. Baron confesses to a botched robbery where someone was killed, giving details about how Stephany told him about Marcelo and their relationship. He then confesses to everything, including the murder and getting rid of the weapon.

Authorities now have enough evidence to arrest Baron, but he denies everything….even when he is confronted with the recording. He invokes his right to counsel and is arrested and charged with armed robbery and first-degree murder.

Stephany testified and is given fifteen years for her part in the crime, while Baron faced life in prison. He identified Big Killer as Brandon Owens and got a 30-year sentence.

Brandon was convicted of first-degree murder and armed burglary.

Crazy Dread was never identified.