Courtesy KBAK
BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) — The father of a slain Bakersfield girl will undergo a competency exam to see if he’s fit for trial.
Ray Mata, Jr., 31, is accused of torturing and murdering Genesis Mata, 8, at a guest room at La Quinta Inn on Riverside Drive in August 2025.
Mata and the girl’s stepmother, Graciela Bustamonte, 27, allegedly burned the girl with hot water and slammed her hand in a door so hard her fingernails fell off.
Trial was suspended Friday after Mata was granted a competency exam.
He and Bustamonte face charges including murder, torture, and aggravated mayhem. They both return to court April 16, 2026.
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