Baptist Preacher, Matt Baker, Could Face Life In Prison For Murdering His Wife, Kari Baker

Justice can be swift in Texas. Especially for perceived hypocrites. Take the example of former minister, Matt Baker. Baker, 38, has been convicted of drugging and suffocating to death his wife. Jurors may now be allowed to hear even more damaging evidence during the sentencing phase of trail, including testimony about alleged sexual advances toward other women. Rev. Baker faces up to life in prison. After his wife Kari's death, Baker allegedly faked her suicide note. Jurors deliberated more than seven hours before finding him guilty late Wednesday.



Now during the sentencing faze of trial, Prosecutors will attempt to introduce evidence that Baker made sexual advances toward at least a dozen women, including some underage girls, over the past 18 years. Such testimony did not come into evidence during the trial except for some vague comments from Baker's ex-mistress. Kari Baker's death was originally ruled a suicide, but authorities reopened the case after her parents shared evidence obtained from their wrongful death lawsuit against Baker.

How ironic is it that the former Baptist preacher, Matt Baker, would in essence stand trial for violating the Ten Commandments? In this case, because of perceived adultery, coveting of other's wives, and lying, was the preacher wrongfully convicted of murder? One suspects that there will be an appeal. Baker did not testify during the trial and perhaps he is saving his words for a plea of remorse when he faces his almighty maker. An alternative explanation is that his out of court statements simply had too much potential to impeach any in court testimony. We don't know for sure because a gag order on attorneys remains in effect until after sentencing.





The conviction seemed to revolve around the testimony of Vanessa Bulls, Baker's alleged girlfriend, She was granted immunity for her testimony. She testified that Baker told her he slipped his wife the prescription sleep aid Ambien, handcuffed her to the bed under the guise of spicing up their marriage, and smothered her with a pillow after she fell asleep. Baker then typed a suicide note and rubbed his wife's lifeless hand over it in case authorities tested for fingerprints.



The medical examiner who did the autopsy testified that signs of smothering were hard to detect and that he did not see any trauma to Kari's body. But another medical examiner who reviewed the autopsy results said he saw an abrasion on Kari's nose consistent with being smothered.



Baker's contradictory statements in his civil lawsuit deposition and in his television interviews may have what caused him to be convicted. The state (Shafer) argued, "She was in the way of the life that he had envisioned for himself, and he was a Baptist preacher and he couldn't divorce; he'd lose his job, and he'd have trouble getting another one." Defense attorney Guy James Gray said Baker was on trial for murder only because he had lied about having an affair. Gray said an autopsy report listed the cause of death as undetermined, and the partial palm print on the suicide note could have been Kari's because an expert ruled out Baker. Her body was exhumed for the autopsy three months after her death. Defense attorney Harold Danford said many prosecution witnesses were brought in "to make you mad at Matt." While Danford urged jurors not to vote with their emotions, one suspects that the tactic of the prosecution worked. Prosecutor Crawford Long said Ms. Bulls eventually told the truth about her affair ...



Regardless of the sentence, expect an appeal.