BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — The father charged in connection with the torture and death of his 8-year-old daughter, Genesis Mata, is scheduled to go to trial later this year.
PREVIOUS REPORTING: Judge finds Ray Mata Jr. competent to stand trial in Genesis Mata’s death
Ray Mata Jr. and his co-defendant and stepmother, Graciela Bustamonte, were given a September 21 trial date during a hearing today. Both have pleaded not guilty.
Mata Jr. was found competent to stand trial in late April. He is due to appear in court on Sept. 10 for a readiness hearing.
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
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Genesis was found dead last August in a La Quinta motel bathtub on Riverside Drive.