SerpApi.Org
An Indianapolis woman will spend 10 years in prison for shooting at a repairman after he charged her $70 to fix a dryer. The incident occurred on March 18, 2024, when a technician named Nate Baird arrived at 45-year-old Reba Wilson’s home to fix her dryer. After being charged $70, Wilson shot at Baird, while he escaped. She was later arrested.
On July 20, 2026, Wilson pleaded guilty to felony unlawful firearm possession and intimidation. Following a plea deal, charges of criminal confinement, criminal recklessness, and pointing a firearm were dismissed. She has since been sentenced to 10 years in the Indiana Department of Correction.
What Happened During the Dryer Repair Visit
The incident occurred when the repairman Baird arrived at the residence. After inspecting the condition of the dryer, Baird informed Wilson that it would cost her $70 to get it fixed. However, Wilson refused to pay and argued that the dryer was still under warranty. Baird refused to work for free and tried to leave, which prompted Wilson to pull out a gun, threaten Baird and ask him to fix the dryer.
“She said, ‘I don’t want to pay that.’ I said, ‘Well, I don’t work for free.’ So, I went to leave, and she pointed a gun at me right in the front of her house and forced me to stay there and said, ‘You’re going to fix my dryer,” Baird said in a conversation with WTHR.
How The Repairman Escaped the Shooting
Following the threat, Baird pretended to fix the dryer and proceeded to run out the back door. He claims not to have looked back as he ran, but he heard Wilson shout, “I’ll pop a cap in your a–,” as he heard a gunshot. After escaping the scene, Baird alerted authorities, which led to Wilson’s arrest.
After the arrest, officers found a spent shell casing on top of the dryer and a Smith & Wesson SD50 VE handgun hidden beneath Wilson’s couch. Investigators also discovered that Wilson was classified as a serious violent felon under Indiana law because of a 2008 felony escape conviction, which permanently prohibited her from possessing a firearm.
As news of the sentencing spread online, users commented on the case, “Dangerous person who thinks she can get away with anything. She got what she deserved,” one user wrote. Another added, “Pathetic and just sad. This lady would as soon kill someone as to pay for a service!” Another user argued for a longer prison sentence, writing, “Should have gotten 30 years. A danger to the community.”
