Is there a new episode of 20/20 this week? Explained
ABC's 20/20 is set to air a new episode this Friday with a focus on the mysterious death of Kari Baker, the wife of a Texas church minister, Matt Baker. Kari, who was initially suspected to have died by su*cide, was found to have been suffocated to death.
The suspected reason for the murder by Matt Baker was an affair he was having with one of the churchgoers, Vanessa Bulls. The 20/20 episode titled Dirty Little Secret showcases the details of the horrific murder as it airs on ABC on March 21, 2025, at 9 p.m. EST. The official synopsis of the episode reads,
"Matt Baker was a charismatic minister of a small church in Hewitt, Texas, just outside Waco. To his congregation, it looked like he had it all. Married to Kari, a Sunday school teacher, the couple seemed to have a happy and loving marriage and two young daughters, but when Kari was found dead, the carefully crafted facade Matt created soon started to unravel."
What happened to Kari Baker? Details explored ahead of 20/20 episode
On April 7, 2006, Kari Baker was found dead in her bed due to what seemed to be an overdose of sleeping pills. The upcoming 20/20 episode will show that Kari had allegedly left behind a typed and unsigned su*cide note along with the bottle of Unisom and some leftover pills. However, her immediate family had doubts about the circumstances of her death.
According to CBS News, Kari's mother, Linda Dulin, along with her aunts, Kay Bailey and Nancy Lanham, and cousin Lindsey Pick, began their investigation. They referred to themselves as the Charlie's Angels. They began with tracing phone calls and found that Kari's phone had been active 10 days after her death.
It was their efforts that led to the discovery that Kari's cellphone was being used by Vanessa Bulls, an attendee at Kari's husband, Matt Baker's church. Further examination proved that Matt and Vanessa had 1700 minutes of talk time on their respective phones over 10 days. While Matt denied an affair, their phone calls were traced back to a time when Kari was alive.
Dulin got in touch with the former federal prosecutor, Bill Johnston, who reportedly shared with ABC7 News,
"What Charlie's Angels were bringing to us was invaluable. They were this group of strong women who were not going to just let this go. They brought a series of stories about Matt's conduct at different points in his life."
The 20/20 episode will cover the efforts of Charlie's Angels which led to Kari Baker's body being exhumed. An autopsy was conducted thereafter. The medical examiner found evidence of Ambien in her muscle tissue.
This was correlated to Matt's computer records at the youth center that had a search history containing keywords related to Ambien and overdose from sleeping pills. A discoloration around Kari's nose and lips indicated that she had been suffocated to death.
Where is Matt Baker now?
Matt Baker was found guilty in January 2010 of murdering his wife Kari Baker in 2006. He has been incarcerated for 65 years at the Michael Unit Men's Prison in Anderson County, per the Texas Department of Corrections. He will be eligible for parole in 2039.
Vanessa Bulls never confessed to having an affair with Matt Baker, but the prosecutors convinced her to testify. She offered shocking details as she revealed her knowledge of Matt's confession to killing Kari Baker.
Catch all the details of Kari Baker's murder in the upcoming 20/20 episode as it airs on ABC on Friday.
