1999-2010

Friday, January 22, 2010

Preacher love triangle murder: 65 years


The final scene in a quintessential tabloid murder story was played out when Matt Baker, the Baptist preacher from Waco, Texas, was sentenced to 65 years in prison for murdering his wife by drugging her and smothering her with a pillow while their two daughters slept in a nearby bedroom.

The "murdering minister" was having an affair with the daughter of the choirmaster when he handcuffed with wife Kari to the bed and given her capsules of Ambien he told her were "sex enhancement pills." The death in 2006 was originally ruled as suicide by sleeping pills, but after cops learned of the affair they exhumed the body and took a second look.

The jury returned the sentence yesterday after deliberating about two hours after an eight day trial. The guilty verdict took them about seven hours. Baker is 37. He must serve thirty years before he's considered for parole.

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