Friday, March 21, 2008
Matt Baker, the former Central Texas Baptist minister who was arrested on a murder charge in the 2006 death of his wife, is again a defendant in a civil lawsuit filed by his wife’s parents.
James and Linda Dulin, the parents of Kari Lynn Baker, refiled their wrongful death lawsuit against their former son-in-law Thursday, alleging that he killed the 31-year-old teacher at the Bakers’ Hewitt home and tried to make it appear a suicide.
The Dulins dismissed their lawsuit in October, a few weeks after Baker surrendered to Kerrville authorities on the murder warrant filed by Hewitt police. After his release from the McLennan County Jail, Baker went back to Kerrville, where he is living with his parents and two daughters.
The suit, like the first one, was filed in Waco’s 19th State District Court by the Dulins’ attorney, Bill Johnston. The suit seeks unspecified damages for the Dulins and their two granddaughters, Kensi and Grace.
“We refiled the suit to preserve our right to pursue the civil case, not wanting to interfere with any criminal investigation,” Johnston said. “But since there hasn’t been an indictment yet, we have to do what we have to do to preserve our right to pursue it civilly.”
Matt Baker, 36, told Hewitt police that he found his wife’s body in their locked bedroom on April 7, 2006. There was an unsigned, typewritten note beside the bed, convincing authorities initially that she died by sleeping pill overdose.
The Dulins faced a two-year limit to file their lawsuit, which would have expired April 7. Kerrville attorney Guy James Gray, who represents Baker against the criminal allegations, said Thursday he is unsure if he will represent Baker in the civil lawsuit.
A police affidavit to support Baker’s Sept. 21 arrest in Kerrville, where he was working as a substitute teacher at Tivy High School, alleges he slipped his wife crushed sleeping pills, then suffocated her after she lost consciousness.
The Dulins and other family members say they never believed Kari committed suicide. They convinced Hewitt police to reopen the investigation into her death and obtained an order to have their daughter’s body exhumed for autopsy.
Much of the information contained in the police affidavit to support Matt Baker’s arrest was uncovered by Johnston’s civil litigation team, including allegations Baker had a mistress and visited Web sites pertaining to sleeping pills and drug overdoses.
Justice of the Peace Billy Martin, who initially ruled Baker’s death a suicide, without ordering an autopsy or going to their home, has since changed his ruling to “undetermined,” the same finding issued by medical examiners after the autopsy.
McLennan County District Attorney John Segrest and his top assistant, Crawford Long, declined comment Thursday about the progress of the criminal case.
twitherspoon@wacotrib.com
757-5737
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Comments
By JMM
Mar 25, 2008 10:49 AM | Link to this
Responding to ABC's comment I cut and pasted below:
Matt has put the girls names, pictures and videos in the public eye over and over. As far as the Dulins are concerned, you can't help but mention the fact that there are two daughters in this matter. But what has been "used" for sympathy gain in poorly thought out maneuvers is video of the girls going with their grandparents to pick up Matt from jail and videotaped interviews talking to the girls about what's going on. I don't know how that can be constrewed as what's best for the girls. And don't you think they suffer pain from the horrible things said about their mother in public by Matt and his attorney....especially when they are lies?
And if Mr. Gray has any proof of their allegations, he didn't include them in the motion/writ he filed last week. Oh, there's "evidence-type" stuff in there like he was trying, but it does not show any evidence whatsoever of any abortion/s. I don't think he's stupid at all. I think he's hoping everyone that reads his motion/writ is. But it's not working out that way.
to JMM, yes, I do pray for the little girls. They have had to go through pain these last two years that no person, especially young children, should have to go through. But, the pain has been given by grandparents that continue to say bad things about their dad, and to put their names in the Waco paper. And about Mr. Gray has entered the Writ into evidence, and from that you must be assuming he does NOT have the facts to back up his claims? Think again. He is too smart to make that mistake.
By Lane
Mar 24, 2008 8:36 PM | Link to this
To: no way
Well, aren't you Ms. Christian? Smearing Kari in order to take up for a pervert. And how do you know who the one is who signed as "One of Matt's Victims"? Are you psychic too?
By Apalled
Mar 24, 2008 8:02 PM | Link to this
to huh:
You need two things:
a clue
the ability to think clearly and logically
Even more appalled
By no way
Mar 24, 2008 8:01 PM | Link to this
To "one of the victims" you need to go back and read the story that "you" or your "alto ego" gave to the different media sorces. Either you were wrong when you first tried to tell your story, or wrong now. Can't be both ways. Yes, MB did leave a couple of churches because of the behavior of his wife, and nothing to do with "victims". I know, I was in one of the churches!!
By huh?
Mar 24, 2008 7:46 PM | Link to this
To Appalled; Why would Mr. Baker have told the police? If he had, then they would have been even quicker to assume she took her own life. And how does anyone know that he did not tell his first lawyers? Maybe he loved Kari and his daughters enough that he did not want to ever have to share such sad news. If so, he is to be commended, not blasted. He is probably doing what his attorney recommends?? And about the 'girl-friend' get with it, they never was, nor are they now a 'pair'. Read the newspapers.
By One of Matt's Victims
Mar 24, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this
Well, here is a fact for all of you out there. Matt has been living a "double life" since 1991 when he assaulted me in the old training room of the Baylor Stadium; a time when he was majoring in Youth Ministry and Recreation. He admitted it to Baylor personnel and apologized to me in front of the same personnel. And I was promised by the University that he would be punished. He got by then and he continues to get by now. I find it very interesting that his story continues to change as he tells it. He has been caught in many lies with all of this but unfortunately not yet in court. So, is Matt the most unlucky person on the planet?? Why does he keep losing jobs b/c he gets accused of sexual misconduct? Maybe something to the stories?? Just another part of his life y'all might want to chew on for a bit.
By Appalled
Mar 24, 2008 3:12 PM | Link to this
Baker's a scumbag. If this were true, he would have told the police. At the very least, he would have shared this with the lawyers he had in the first go-around. Shame on him. He didn't love his wife and he can't love his daughters. I hope the gal he was dating has gotten wiser and hit the road.
Apalled
By null
Mar 22, 2008 5:26 PM | Link to this
to: JH
What planet are you from???? Facts???
The article even states
The application alleges, without proof, that she could have had more than one abortion.
Get with the program. If these terrible accusations were true, Baker would have brought them forward two years ago. Don't you think he would have wanted all of the information out there to clear his name???
You know what I think? I don't think you knew Kari. She didn't have this secret life for which FACTS have been provided. However, Mr. Baker ceertainly. AND evidence of such has been produced.
Have some kool-aid.
By Lane
Mar 22, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this
I know one thing--you people who say that there is NO proof--you don't know what all they have on this guy--just because he hasn't been indicted yet does not mean it will not happen. That just proves how much you DON'T know about the legal system. I agree that a lot of people are drinking cheap shot Matt Baker kool-aid.
By jh
Mar 22, 2008 3:54 PM | Link to this
As I think back to some comments Kari made while I was with her, I don't know what to believe. Now, some of the comments make more sense, that maybe she really was living a double life and had a deep, deep depression that was not visible to all. But many things make more sense hearing these latest facts. I commend Matt and his attorney on not releasing the facts until the proper time. I do not see this as Matt trying to make his wife look bad, but his attorney seeing it as the proper thing to do to show the possibilities in Kari because of her past.
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