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Matt Baker 9-1-1 call (MP3)
Inquest documents (PDFs) —
- Part 1
- Part 2
- Part 3
Liveblog: Erin Quinn's comprehensive real-time trial coverage
- Jury selection
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
- Day 4
- Day 5: Verdict
- Day 6: Sentencing
Q&A: Matt Baker's in-depth Dec. 2007 interview with Tommy Witherspoon of the Tribune-Herald

The Matt Baker trial

Former minister Baker receives 65-year sentence for murdering wife

Linda and Jim Dulin, the parents of murder victim Kari Baker, leave 19th District Court on Thursday afternoon after ex-minister Matt Baker was given a 65-year sentence in the 2006 murder of their daug

Matt Baker, whom prosecutors called an evil minister with no conscience, was sentenced to 65 years in prison Thursday in the April 2006 drugging and suffocation death of his wife. A 19th State District Court jury of seven women and five men deliberated about two hours before determining punishment ...

Verdict caps emotional journey for Baker's wife's family and friends

Kari Baker

Linda Dulin chatted with friends and family members Thursday afternoon in the McLennan County Courthouse snack room while she waited to find out how the jury was going to punish her son-in-law, Matt Baker. She appeared weary from her long, emotional journey, but she still couldn’t help ...

Matt Baker found guilty of murdering his wife

Matt Baker is escorted out of the 19th State District Court by two McLennan County sheriff’s deputies after being convicted of murdering his 31-year-old wife, Kari, in April 2006.

Matt Baker, dubbed by prosecutors as the “murdering minister,” was convicted Wednesday in the April 2006 drugging and suffocation death of his wife. Jurors in 19th State District Court deliberated more than six hours before finding the former Baptist minister guilty of the murder ...

Mistress testifies that Matt Baker told her how he killed his wife

Matt Baker walks to the McLennan County Courthouse on Tuesday.

As Baptist minister Matt Baker was plotting the death of his wife in 2006, according to his mistress, Vanessa Bulls, he sent her the lyrics to a song called “Dirty Little Secret.” Bulls kept her and Baker’s alleged secret until Wednesday, when the Harker Heights middle school ...

Bulls' testimony in Matt Baker trial could open her open to prosecution, legal scholars say, but punishment, if any, wouldn't be severe

Vanessa Bulls leaves 19th District Court for a lunch break Tuesday during the murder trial of Matt Baker. Behind her is McLennan County deputy Ken Fleischhauer.

Vanessa Bulls may have opened herself up to potential criminal prosecution by testifying that she repeatedly lied to law enforcement officials looking into the death of Kari Baker. But she likely isn’t on the hook for as much as people might imagine, legal scholars said. Bulls was granted ...

Baker told friends "black cloud" was lifted after wife died, according to testimony

Days after the death of his 31-year-old wife, Kari, Matt Baker was gelling his hair and dressing nicer, shopping for engagement rings with his mistress, and telling people that his daughters were “happier” because their mother was dead and the “black cloud” in their Hewitt ...

Friend testifies Baker focused on mistress soon after wife's death

In the months after Kari Baker’s death in April 2006, her husband, Matt Baker, focused on moving forward with his mistress, Vanessa Bulls, according to testimony Thursday in his murder trial. Two weeks after Kari Baker’s death, all of the pictures in the Baker home of Kari and ...

Social worker testifies that Baker's wife wasn't suicidal

Five days before her death, Kari Baker wrote in her Bible, asking the Lord to protect her from harm. She wrote that she was filled with so much worry that she can’t “get a hold” of it and lamented, “I can’t figure out what’s going on with Matt.” Her ...

Jury selected for Baker murder trial; opening arguments today

Prosecutors and defense attorneys for Matt Baker had a relatively easy time Tuesday selecting a jury for the former minister’s murder trial, despite their concerns that widespread publicity about the case would taint the process. Judge Ralph Strother of Waco’s 19th State District ...

Baker murder trial to remain in Waco, judge rules

Jury selection in the Matt Baker murder trial is set to begin this morning after the former Baptist minister lost an attempt Monday to get his trial transferred to another county. Judge Ralph Strother of Waco’s 19th State District Court denied a motion for change of venue from Baker’s ...

Prosecution takes aim at timeline in Matt Baker murder case

The timeline given to officials by former pastor Matt Baker about his wife’s death will be debated at Baker’s murder trial, scheduled for this week in Waco’s 19th State District Court. A key question is exactly how long Hewitt teacher Kari Baker had been dead when her husband ...

Matt Baker's attorneys request change of venue in murder trial

Citing this week’s news reports of their client’s alleged history of infidelity, attorneys for Matt Baker on Friday filed a request with a Waco court for a change of venue in his murder trial, set to begin Tuesday. Judge Ralph Strother of Waco’s 19th State District Court ...

Prosecutors allege former Central Texas pastor killed wife, made multiple advances toward other women

McLennan County prosecutors intend to show that former Central Texas Baptist minister Matt Baker not only killed his wife but was having an affair and made improper sexual advances toward at least a dozen other young women, including two of his wife’s cousins. Baker also removed a computer ...

Judge denies request by Matt Baker's attorneys to let them withdraw from case

A judge denied a request Wednesday by the attorneys representing Matt Baker in his murder trial to let them withdraw from the case because “a serious and material breach of confidence has developed” between them and Baker. Kerville attorneys Guy James Gray and Harold Danford did ...

Baker trial approaches: 97 witnesses subpoenaed; defense lawyer wants information about alleged girlfriend's deal to testify

McLennan County prosecutors issued 97 witness subpoenas this week in preparation for the Matt Baker murder trial, while Baker has gained a new lawyer who wants to know what the state promised Baker’s alleged girlfriend to get her to testify against him. Baker’s trial is set to ...

The liveblog: Erin Quinn's complete account

Jury selection: Matt Baker murder trial liveblog

4:22 p.m.-- I should have a better breakdown of the jury panel (occupations, ages) in a few moments. The jurors have been dismissed for the day. Again, testimony starts at 9:30 a.m. 4:17 p.m. -- Assistant District Attorney Susan Shafer reads the indictment to the jury panel, and Matt ...

Day 1: Matt Baker murder trial liveblog

5:18 p.m. -- Just talked to the folks from Tru TV. An "undetermined" amount of the Baker court proceedings will be shown on an "undetermined" date. So, uh, hope that helps :) The blog will pick up again at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow. 5:08 p.m. -- Strother dismisses the ...

Day 2: Matt Baker murder trial liveblog

4:41 p.m. -- Prosecutor Susan Shafer passes the witness, Waco Center for Youth IT specialist Keith Lowery, to Guy James Gray. There is more questioning here, but a lot of it is rehashed information. Strother dismisses the jury until 8:30 a.m. and wishes them "sweet dreams of domain names and ...

Day 3: Matt Baker murder trial liveblog

12:36 p.m. -- Apparently, a witness for the prosecution was not available to testify this afternoon. Strother dismissed the jurors until 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Monday is a national holiday. Outside of the presence of the jury, defense lawyer, Harold Danford says that he the defense had originally said ...

Day 4: Matt Baker murder trial liveblog

4:21 p.m. -- Vanessa Bulls is a seventh-grade language arts teacher at a junior high in Harker Heights in the Killeen school district. She also coaches track and volleyball. Again, the defense will present its side with testimony set to begin at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow. 3:30 p.m. ...

Day 5: Matt Baker murder trial liveblog

9:58 p.m. -- Just as a reminder, the punishment phase of the trial will begin at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow. Thank you for staying up to read the blog and for your kind comments. I'll be back tomorrow to blog the punishment phase. 9:55 p.m. -- I am being told now by people who were ...

Day 6: Matt Baker murder trial liveblog

6:53 p.m. -- One more thing, defense lawyer Guy James Gray told reporters that he "felt like an idiot" for initially believing Matt Baker's story. 6:49 p.m. --Thanks for following the blog and, again, for all of your nice comments. I will live-blog any upcoming proceedings ...