“How close was he to getting away with murder? Really close.”

In the early hours of April 8th, 2006, Pastor Matt Baker makes a frantic 911 call to Waco police—he's just found his wife, Kari, unresponsive in their bed. As police race to the scene, they also call in Linda Dulin, Kari's mother, to take care of the couple's two young daughters. Though the cops don't see anything suspicious, Linda slowly realizes that Kari's husband, Pastor Matt, in spite of his Baptist faith and proclaimed innocence, hides many sins, including a damning search history, secret phone calls, and a past as a predator. Without Linda, the truth might’ve stayed buried - but the Texas mother is determined to uncover what really happened to her daughter, and get justice for her & her granddaughters.

Credits:

Written, directed & edited by Matthew Rice

Researched by Manon Lafosse

Voiceover by William Akana

Produced by Alexandra Salois & Salim Sader

Sources:

“Dirty Little Secret.” 20/20: ABC, 2025 (Disney Media Distribution)“The Preacher’s Hidden Life.” 20/20 on ID: ABC, 2011. (Discovery Studio, Tom Jennings Productions & Peacock Productions / Investigation Discovery)“Twist of Faith.” True Crime with Aphrodite Jones: Discovery Communications LLC, 2011. (Discovery Studios / Investigation Discovery). “The Mask of God.” Prosecuting Evil with Kelly Siegler: Magical Elves LP, Wolf Reality LLC., Top Alternative Studio LLC, 2023. (Magical Elves Productions, Green Lake Productions, Wolf Films, Universal Television Alternative / Oxygen True Crime)“The Preacher, His Mistress & Murder.” It Takes A Killer: Bellum Entertainment, 2016. (Bellum South LLC / Sky Vision, Oxygen).“The Preacher’s Wife.” 48 Hours Mystery: CBS News, 2010. (CBS News Productions / CBS ).“Dirty Little Secrets.” 48 Hours Mystery: CBS News, 2010. (CBS News Productions/ CBS).“TX. v. Baker.” Court TV, 2010. Skip Hollingsworth, “The Valley of the Shadow of Death.” Texas Monthly, March 2008.Kathryn Casey, “Deadly Little Secrets: The Minister, His Mistress, and a Heartless Texas Murder,” HarperCollins, 2012.Matt Baker v. State of Texas, 10th Court of Appeals in 19th District Court McLennan County, Texas, June 11 2008.Susan Shafer & Crawford Long, “The Murdering Minister.” The Texas Prosecutor Journal, March-April 2010.