Rev Matt Baker – The Sinister Minister Who Almost Got Away With Murder

Rev Matt Baker – The Sinister Minister Who Almost Got Away With Murder

Author: Robert Riggs May 31, 2022 Duration: 45:37

Matt Baker, the charismatic Baptist minister who almost got away with murdering his wife is among our most popular episodes.

On his way to the pulpit in Waco, Texas, Baker molested numerous young women.

An investigation of the Southern Baptist Convention, America’s largest Protestant denomination, revealed that church leaders covered up sexual assaults by hundreds of pastors like Matt Bakers for twenty years.

A seven-month investigation conducted by Guidepost Solutions released in May of 2022 found that sex-abusing pastors were often passed along to other churches with no notice or warnings.

Two top officials of the Southern Baptist Convention kept their private list of abusive pastors for ten years. And the list of 703 abusers may soon become public.

We expect Matt Baker to be on that list.

Former U.S. prosecutor Bill Johnston, the cohost of the True Crime Reporter® Podcast, unraveled a trail of sex abuse complaints about Matt Baker during his murder investigation.

Johnston and investigative reporter Robert Riggs update their original episode, The Minister Who Almost Got Away With Murder, published on October 18th, 2021.

Johnston reveals how his murder investigation discovered that Matt Baker’slong history of sexual abuse allegations had been swept under the rug for years. 

Riggs discusses the mindset of sexual predators based on his experience of reporting from inside the Texas prison system.


Link to Investigation of Sexual Abuse Allegations At Southern Baptist Convention


FOLLOW the True Crime Reporter® Podcast 

SIGN UP FOR my True Crime Newsletter

THANK YOU FOR THE FIVE-STAR REVIEWS ON APPLE Please leave one – it really helps.

TELL ME about a STORY OR SUBJECT  that you want to hear more about


Robert Riggs has spent decades as an investigative reporter, and in True Crime Reporter, he applies that relentless, document-driven approach to the stories that haunt us. This isn't just a retelling of grim headlines; it's a meticulous walk through active case files, historical injustices, and the societal undercurrents that allow crime to flourish. Each episode feels like you're sitting across from Riggs as he lays out his notes, connecting dots between evidence, witness accounts, and the often-overlooked details that change a narrative. You'll hear the tension in the pursuit of truth, the weight of unresolved questions, and the quiet impact on communities and families left in the wake of violence. The podcast moves beyond the sensational to examine the cultural and systemic factors at play, offering a sober, deeply researched perspective. Listen for long-form narratives that build like a detective's board, where every piece of audio, every interview, and every document serves a purpose. It’s for those who want to understand the 'why' and the 'how' as much as the 'who,' presented with the clarity and authority of a seasoned journalist who knows the terrain. This is a journey into real stories, handled with the care they demand, and it naturally becomes an essential listen for anyone fascinated by the intersection of human behavior, justice, and the news.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

True Crime Reporter
Podcast Episodes
History of the Texas Rangers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:08
The Bonnie and Clyde gang rode roughshod over the Central United States during the Depression in the 1930s until Texas Ranger Frank Hamer came out of retirement and ended their deadly robbery spree in an ambush. Clyde Ba…
After Hitmen Failed To Kill Her Husband She Pulled The Trigger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:39
This is a story about two botched murder attempts by hired hitmen. And what happened when 65-year-old Joyce Sturdivant took matters into her own hands? One of the most common forms of homicide is when one half of a coupl…
Real Stories Of The Texas Highway Patrol [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:58
The men and women of the Texas Highway Patrol work alone, often at night, on remote stretches of highway. They drive distinctive black and white cruisers and SUVs with bright gold emblems in the shape of Texas on the sid…
Inside The Making Of Hollywood’s Greatest Crime Movies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:36
Former NYPD Detective Randy Jurgensen walked a beat in Harlem all the way into Hollywood’s greatest crime dramas of all time. He is known as the cop who killed Sonny Corleone in The Godfather. Gene Hackman pats down NYPD…
Surrounded By Psychopaths With Author Thomas Erikson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:11
After listening to our episodes about serial killer Kenneth McDuff, you have no doubt that McDuff is what FBI profiler Roy Hazelwood described as a textbook psychopath. But it’s not only criminals that are psychopaths. C…
Best of True Crime Reporter® 2021 – Serial Killer Kenneth McDuff [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:23
In this “Best Of True Crime Reporter®”, we take you back to the first episode in our series about serial killer Kenneth Allen McDuff. It was a Webby Award Honoree for Best True Crime Podcast in 2021. McDuff is the only c…
The Devil Lovers- The Satanic Cult of Murder & Meth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:33
What is it about Waco, Texas? A whirlwind of bizarre events and violence seems to dump all sorts of strange creatures into Central Texas. Whether it is serial killers on the hunt for victims or the Branch Davidian Cult e…

«1...678910