My friend Travis Baze #345757 is currently incarcerated at Stafford Creek Corrections Center. He is serving a sentence for first-degree felony murder. He was convicted as an accomplice to the crime in 2012. Travis grew up in Shelton, Washington, which is also where the crime was committed.

From a young age, Travis struggled with drug addiction. Those struggles ultimately led to his incarceration. On March 26, 2012, Travis helped set up a fake drug deal during which his codefendant hit the victim in the head with a baseball bat. Unfortunately, the victim died three days later from that injury. Travis drove his codefendant to and from the crime scene with knowledge that his codefendant intended to inflict bodily harm on the victim. Travis was sentenced to 26 years in prison. His codefendant, who was the principal in the crime, was sentenced to only 21 years.

Since his incarceration, Travis has taken many steps toward rehabilitation. He has completed numerous self-help classes, including a chemical dependency course. He has also maintained consistent employment throughout his incarceration and has earned many certificates of proficiency across various job classes.

Beyond that, Travis is committed to helping others. He recently completed the course and examination from the Washington State Department of Health to become a certified peer support counselor. He is currently employed as a mentor in Stafford Creek’s Skill Builders Unit, which serves incarcerated individuals impacted by mental health issues or learning disabilities. Travis also helps facilitate self-help courses and guitar instruction classes. He is attending Grays Harbor Community College, working toward his AA degree, where he holds a 4.0 GPA.

Music has also been an important part of Travis’s growth. Through a music program, he has written, developed, and recorded many songs.

You can listen to Travis’s songs here: Link

I share this to emphasize that Travis is not letting his past decisions define who he is today. Knowing Travis on a personal level, I can say that he is truly committed to sobriety, redemption, and rehabilitation. I believe he will one day have a positive impact on the world.

 Stream “Save Me”, a cover song he performed along Taylor Tom here: https://ditto.fm/save-me-taylor-tom

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