What Became of the Bakersfield 3? Micah Holsonbake: A Tragic Case and the Conviction of Matthew Queen
Three friends from Bakersfield, California — Micah Holsonbake, Baylee Despot, and James Kulstad — disappeared or were killed in the spring of 2018, and the families are broken, the people are searching for justice at the grassroots level, and there are still no answers.
The threesome, who came to be known as the Bakersfield 3, had their stories featured in a true crime podcast and an Investigation Discovery docuseries.
This story centers on Micah Holsonbake’s unexplained death, Matthew Queen’s conviction, and the mothers of the Bakersfield 3 becoming powerful advocates for justice. We dig into the occurrences, the trial results, and the fallout that emerged, and tell the story of collective trauma with our trademark factual clarity and emotional sensitivity.
Life Of Micah Holsonbake Before The Tragedy
Micah Holsonbake was born in Bakersfield, California, on May 9, 1983. He had a happy disposition, great humor, and kindness. He graduated from high school and spent a term in the Navy, but he had to come home because of a tumor in his throat.
Micah, who went on to a successful career in banking that included an executive position at Wells Fargo, recovered. Though he had had an addiction and had other personal issues, he had been getting his life together when he vanished in March 2018 at the age of 34.
The Unearthing Of Micah’s Body
Months after Micah disappeared, his arm was found in the Kern River in August last year. But in 2021, his skull was found in Lake Ming. Those grim discoveries turned the missing persons case into a murder investigation. Officers followed his last known connections, which brought them to a man Micah had done business with in the gun trade — Matthew Queen.
Who Is Matthew Queen, And What Was His Role?
Micah had attempted to assist his small-time gun-dealing pal Matthew Queen. Some witnesses said Queen thought Micah had stolen a gun at a party. On March 23, 2018, Queen allegedly lured Micah to a garage under the pretext of having a conversation, testimony showed.
Once there, Queen and his then-girlfriend, Baylee Despot, purportedly bound and murdered Micah. Queen was connected to the crime through DNA evidence in the garage. In 2019, he was arrested and accused of murder, torture, and conspiracy.
The Horrifying Trial, And Queen’s Allegations
Section 3: The case against the Animals Something curious happened in 1999 After years in which the the events at Altamont had been mis-remembered almost as much as the Beatles had been deified, testimony in a trial in London set the records almost straight, the one that took place in a London court two years after the end of the millennium The trial of Phil and Wendy King and his father, Robert King and a friend, Corinne Jones, — they had been charged as the “Animals” heard testimony from Mike Mabb, the man who emerged from the “local mile” of traffic along with a third member of the crew, a Timothy Appelbee Queen’s trial began in April 2022.
He said Micah had threatened him with a gun and that Baylee had accidentally killed him by dropping a dumbbell on his head. Queen told the investigators that they dismembered Micah’s body and dumped it.
Witnesses confirmed those details. On May 5, 2022, Queen was found guilty of second-degree murder, not first-degree. In June 2022, he was sentenced to 30 years to life, plus 56 years, and is currently imprisoned at Corcoran State Prison.
What Happened To Baylee Despot And James Kulstads?
Baylee Despot disappeared in April 2018. She was also charged with murder, but she has not been located. A note and her belongings were found at a friend’s home weeks after she disappeared.
Her fate remains unknown. The third member of the Bakersfield 3, James Kulstad, was gunned down in the driveway of a house in South Bakersfield on April 8, 2018. His killer was never found.
The Mothers Who Refused To Give In
The women, Cheryl Holsonbake (Micah’s mom), Jane Parrent (Baylee’s mom), and Diane Byrne (James’ mom) bonded after their children’s deaths. They cooperated on leads, worked the cases independently, and pushed them out to the public. They created Bakersfield 3 Charity in 2019, assisting other families and raising money for searches. Tragically Diane died in April 2024, however Cheryl and Jane still fight for justice.
The Bakersfield 3: How They Became A National Story
The tragic tale made national headlines after it became the focus of the 2023 podcast The Bakersfield Three and the 2025 docuseries The Bakersfield 3: A Tale of Murder and Motherhood on Investigation Discovery.
3These tales reveal how the mothers’ commitment kept their cases alive. Scarboro’s determination — from scouring databases of DNA to appearing in courtrooms — helped expose the truth behind Micah’s killing and still seeks answers about Baylee and James’ cases.
The Community Response And Reward-Posts
The Kern Secret Witness Program has put up rewards based on tips: $10,000 apiece for details about Micah and James and $16,000 for tips leading to the capture of Baylee. Vigils have been held in Bakersfield, awareness has been raised there, and an outpouring of support for the mothers has been reported. This story is on; hopefully, someone will post some updates.
FAQs
Who are the Bakersfield 3?
They belong to three friends — Micah Holsonbake, Baylee Despot, and James Kulstad — who either vanished or turned up dead in 2018 in Bakersfield, California.
What happened to Micah Holsonbake?
Micah disappeared in March 2018. His body was recovered in the following months and years. He was killed, and Matthew Queen was charged with his murder.
Is Baylee Despot still missing?
Yes. The last time Baylee was seen was in April 2018. She was charged with Micah’s murder, but is also at large.
Where is James Kulstad now?
James was killed in a shooting in April 2018. His case remains unsolved.
Where is Matthew Queen now?
Queen is currently serving a 30-year-to-life sentence in a California state prison for second-degree murder as well as several other charges.
Final Words
The Bakersfield 3 is a case of pain, resilience, and hope. While Micah’s family is now satisfied with Queen’s conviction, many questions still linger in Baylee’s and James’ cases. The mothers’ voices have resonated, proving that love, grief, and sticking with something long-term can bring about real change. Their work reminds us all that even in tragedy, truth can come to light.
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