“Dirty Little Secret”: 20/20 Reports on Kari Baker Homicide March 21 2025

This Friday, March 21, 2025, 20/20 presents a compelling two-hour episode investigating the shocking murder of Kari Baker, a Texas minister’s wife whose 2006 death was initially ruled a suicide. Veteran journalist John Quiñones reports on the case, revealing the tragic unraveling of a seemingly perfect marriage and the relentless fight for justice by Kari’s family.

The case, which remained closed for over a year, took a dramatic turn when Kari’s parents refused to accept the official narrative. Their persistence led to an exhumation, new evidence, and ultimately, the conviction of Matt Baker, a former Baptist pastor, for the calculated murder of his wife. This feature explores the details of the case, the evidence against Baker, and the twists that finally exposed the truth.

A Picture-Perfect Family with a Hidden Darkness

Matt and Kari Baker appeared to be a model couple. They met while students at Baylor University, quickly fell in love, and married within three months. Matt later became a pastor, and Kari dedicated herself to teaching. Together, they had two daughters, Kensi and Kassidy.

However, tragedy first struck the family in 1999 when their youngest daughter, Kassidy, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Though she initially recovered, Kassidy died suddenly at home one morning in March. Her death devastated Kari, who struggled with grief but remained committed to her faith and family. Friends and family noticed, however, that Matt seemed emotionally detached, even as Kari mourned deeply.

In April 2006, the Bakers’ lives took another tragic turn—this time, it was Kari who was found dead.

The Suspicious Circumstances of Kari Baker’s Death

On the night of April 7, 2006, Matt Baker called 911, reporting that he had returned home to find his wife unconscious in their bedroom. He claimed she had taken her own life by overdosing on sleeping pills. A typed suicide note was conveniently placed on a dresser beside an empty pill bottle.

Emergency responders pronounced Kari dead at the scene. Despite inconsistencies in Matt’s story—such as discrepancies about what Kari was wearing and how he allegedly “dressed” her while calling 911—authorities ruled her death a suicide without ordering an autopsy.

At first, Kari’s parents, Jim and Linda Dulin, were devastated but accepting of the suicide ruling. However, as they processed the events, they found troubling inconsistencies. Matt pushed for an immediate funeral, refusing to allow time for questioning. The Dulins later discovered that Matt had been contacting a younger woman from his church, Vanessa Bulls, repeatedly in the days following Kari’s death.

A Family’s Relentless Pursuit of the Truth

Unconvinced that Kari had taken her own life, her parents began their own investigation. They uncovered a disturbing pattern of behavior in Matt’s past—multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, an obsession with pornography, and questionable internet searches about overdosing on sleeping pills.

Linda Dulin found a shocking phone record: after Kari’s death, Matt had made 180 calls to Vanessa Bulls, sometimes calling her 17 times in a single day. Digging deeper, the Dulins hired former prosecutor Bill Johnston, along with two ex-law enforcement officers, to investigate the case. Their findings were disturbing:

• Matt had searched online for ways to overdose on Ambien.
• He had previously attempted to spike Kari’s drink with crushed pills, but she had refused to drink it.
• He had openly discussed plans to “get rid of” Kari with Vanessa Bulls before her death.

These findings prompted a wrongful death lawsuit against Matt Baker in July 2006. Soon after, the justice of the peace reversed his initial ruling and ordered Kari’s body exhumed for autopsy. However, because she had been embalmed, forensic experts could not determine an exact cause of death, leaving the case in limbo.

The Breakthrough Confession That Changed Everything

The case might have stalled indefinitely if not for one crucial witness: Vanessa Bulls. When first questioned, she denied any involvement or knowledge of Kari’s death. However, as the investigation intensified, prosecutors subpoenaed her to testify before a grand jury. Under oath, Bulls finally revealed the truth—Matt Baker had confessed to her that he killed his wife.

She testified that Baker had given Kari sleeping pills disguised as sexual stimulants, waited for her to become unconscious, and then smothered her with a pillow. Bulls also revealed that Baker had written the “suicide note” himself and staged the scene before calling 911.

Her confession led to Matt Baker’s arrest for murder in 2009.

The Trial That Exposed a Murderous Pastor

Matt Baker’s trial in 2010 was one of the most closely watched in Texas. Prosecutors presented a mountain of circumstantial evidence, including:

• Internet searches proving Baker had researched overdoses and ways to obtain Ambien.
• The phone records showing his obsessive contact with Vanessa Bulls.
• The “suicide note,” which forensic analysis suggested was typed by Baker, not Kari.
• Vanessa Bulls’ testimony that Baker had planned the murder in advance.

The jury deliberated for seven and a half hours before convicting Baker of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to 65 years in prison.

During sentencing, the prosecution introduced further evidence of Baker’s predatory behavior, including testimony from women who accused him of inappropriate advances dating back to his college years.

Justice for Kari Baker

The conviction brought a sense of closure to Kari’s family, who had spent years fighting to prove that she had been murdered. Matt Baker, once a respected minister, was exposed as a manipulative predator who used his position of trust to deceive and exploit those around him.

Kari’s daughters, Kensi and Kassidy, were raised by their maternal grandparents, who ensured that they grew up knowing the truth about their mother’s death.

In the years following the trial, the case became the subject of true crime books, documentaries, and television specials, including the 20/20 episode airing this Friday. The investigation highlights the importance of persistence in seeking justice and serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked power and deception.

Conclusion

Kari Baker’s case is a chilling example of how a seemingly devoted husband and father can hide a sinister double life. If not for the relentless efforts of her family, Matt Baker might have gotten away with murder.

The 20/20 special on March 21, 2025, will provide an in-depth look at the case, featuring exclusive interviews with Kari’s mother, investigators, and legal experts who helped bring Baker to justice.

For those seeking answers, it’s a reminder that justice is sometimes delayed but never forgotten.

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