The Bakersfield 3: A Story of Murder and Motherhood- A complete timeline of events
The Bakersfield 3: A Story of Murder and Motherhood is a true crime story that took place in Bakersfield, California, in 2018. It revolves around the tragic deaths of three young adults: Micah Holsonbake, Baylee Despot, and James Kulstad. Holsonbake and Despot went missing within a month of each other, and Kulstad was killed with a gunshot.
Their mothers, Cheryl Holsonbake, Jane Parrent, and Diane Byrne, came together, determined to find out what happened to their children. Their investigation revealed a complex web of crime involving kidnapping, murder, and conspiracy.
The case of Bakersfield 3 is featured in a three-part true crime docuseries titled The Bakersfield 3: A Tale of Murder and Motherhood. It premiered on Investigation Discovery (ID) and is also available on the streaming platform Max. The series began airing on Sunday, May 11, 2025, at 8 pm Eastern Time.
Timeline of the most important events in the The Bakersfield 3: A Story of Murder and Motherhood case
March 23, 2018:
According to ABC News Bakersfield, Micah Holsonbake is missing. He was last seen around Kern Medical in Bakersfield.
March 31, 2018:
James Kulstad was shot and killed in his car in Southwest Bakersfield, as per ABC News Bakersfield.
April 25, 2018:
As per ABC News Bakersfield, Baylee Despot is also missing. She was last seen in Bakersfield and remains unaccounted for.
August 2018:
A severed arm is found in the Kern River near Hart Park. As per ABC News Bakersfield, DNA analysis verified that the arm belonged to Micah Holsonbake.
December 2018:
Bakersfield Police report has since officially classified the case of Holsonbake as a homicide, according to ABC News Bakersfield.
2019:
As reported by ABC News Bakersfield, Matthew Queen, suspected ex-boyfriend of Baylee Despot, was arrested following a two-hour standoff on suspicion of kidnapping and firearms charges.
May 2020:
The Kern County District Attorney's Office reports that, following a two-year investigation, Matthew Queen has been accused of torturing and killing Micah Holsonbake. At the same time, District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer announced that missing Baylee Despot is also charged in the death of Holsonbake.
It is revealed that Queen and Despot reportedly kidnapped, bound, and tortured Holsonbake before his murder. Another man, Matthew Vandecasteele, is charged with reportedly letting his garage be used to facilitate the crime. He subsequently agreed to testify against Queen in return for a plea agreement.
August 2021:
A skull, believed to belong to Holsonbake, is discovered in the Kern River near Pyles Boys Camp, as per ABC News Bakersfield, further supporting the homicide investigation.
April 4, 2022:
The trial of Matthew Queen began in Bakersfield, California. As per ABC News Bakersfield, he was charged with first-degree murder, torture, and kidnapping for Holsonbake's murder.
June 2022:
According to reports, Matthew Queen was convicted of second-degree murder, kidnapping, and other charges related to Holsonbake's murder.
September 2022:
Matthew Queen is sentenced to 30 years to life plus 56 years for his involvement in Micah Holsonbake's murder and the associated crimes, according to reports.
Current Status:
As reported by ABC News Bakersfield, Baylee Despot remains missing and is still a defendant in the murder trial. Officials are still looking for her. James Kulstad's murder, which was initially attributed to the Bakersfield 3, is now determined to be an unrelated case by law officials.
Important Developments
According to the reports from ABC News Bakersfield, the mothers of the Bakersfield 3 created a nonprofit called Bakersfield 3 Charity. They donated $17,000 to the Kern County Sheriff's Office for sonar search technology, helping maintain public visibility on the cases.
The case featured in The Bakersfield 3: A Story of Murder and Motherhood began with the disappearance and killing of three friends in 2018. In the following years, the mothers' quest for justice brought significant developments such as the recovery of Holsonbake's remains, the arrest and sentencing of Matthew Queen, and the ongoing search for Baylee Despot.
