BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) — A preliminary hearing for a couple accused in the death of an 8-year-old Bakersfield girl is confirmed for Tuesday, October 28. Prosecutors say Genesis Mata was tortured and killed inside a guest room at the La Quinta Inn on Riverside Drive in August. Graciela Bustomente, 28, and the child’s father Ray…… Read More
BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) — Three people tied to an EBT fraud ring in Kern County accepted a plea deal Friday. Prosecutors say Norbert Karaba, 35, faces up to five years in prison. Two others, Giorgio Marcelo, 29, and Nicholae Bud, 51, each face three years. Investigators say in April they found skimmers, cloned cards, and…… Read More
BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) — A 43-year-old man is behind bars after a suspected burglary in northwest Bakersfield. Police say Roque Cruz entered a home in the 10000 block of Panther Falls Avenue at around 6 p.m. Wednesday. Officers found the person who called 911 outside the home, who told them someone was inside. BPD says…… Read More
BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) — A woman and her son are dead in an apparent murder suicide in Delano. Police found both victims October 19, 2025, during a welfare check in the 1300 block of 7th Avenue. The victims are said to have suffered at least one gunshot each, but investigators haven’t determined who fired the…… Read More
BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) — Caltrans cleared a homeless encampment Tuesday near Highway 99 and Ming Avenue in Bakersfield. Crews collected about three cubic yards of debris during the cleanup. Outreach teams offered help and services to the people who camped out there. The 2025 Bakersfield-Kern Regional Homeless Count found a total of 2,606 homeless people…… Read More
Federal agents say a massive fraud ring that targeted the elderly has ties to Bakersfield. Officials say Bakersfield residents Felix Alejandro, 39, and Alejandro Cuarenta, 32, are among more than twenty people indicted in a $36 million wire fraud and money laundering scheme. Detectives say the group tricked victims into paying fake fees linked to…… Read More
California Republicans are launching an effort to require voters to show ID before casting their ballots. Assemblymember Carl DeMaio of San Diego is raising funds for the initiative through his organization Reform California. The campaign requires 875,000 signatures in order to show up on the ballot in 2026. DeMaio tells NBC Bay Area voter ID…… Read More
An Arvin man is heading to prison for sexually abusing a young family member. Prosecutors say Jeffrey Ruiz, 44, admitted to molesting an 11-year-old relative in June. Ruiz was sentenced Monday to three years in state prison and must register as a sex offender. Detectives believe there may be more victims. Anyone with any information…… Read More
Police in McFarland say a man opened fire during a neighborhood dispute, then led officers on a short chase. Investigators say Fernando Ciscneros, 38, shot a man in the 300 block of San Pedro Street early Sunday morning. The victim escaped after being struck in the arm. Officers say Cisneros took off in his truck…… Read More
A crackdown on drivers along Highway 58 east of Bakersfield has landed a person behind bars. One arrest was made and nearly 40 citations were issued while the California Highway Patrol monitored the highway between Bakersfield and Tehachapi early Tuesday morning. The CHP Mojave Area partnered with the CHP Bakersfield to focus on speeding vehicles…… Read More
