BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — In the case of Genesis Mata, the 8-year-old girl allegedly tortured and killed by her father and stepmother in August, Judge John Brownlee has held Ray Mata Jr. and Graciela Bustamonte to answer on all counts.
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The couple faces seven felony charges, including murder, child cruelty, and torture.
A trial date has not yet been set, but both are due back in court on Nov. 10, 2025.
A death investigation is underway after a body was discovered inside the La Quinta Inn in central Bakersfield, according to the Bakersfield Police Department. This is a photo of the crime scene on August 2, 2025. PHOTO: KBAK/KBFX
If convicted, they are eligible for a death penalty sentence.