In the quiet farming community of Caldwell, Idaho, a grim discovery was made on June 19, 2017, that unraveled a story of deception and tragedy. Cheryl Baker, a 56-year-old recently retired art teacher from Ogden, Utah, was found deceased on a property she had recently purchased with her husband. Her death, caused by a single gunshot wound, was not an isolated incident but part of a triple homicide.
Concerns for Cheryl's welfare had been growing, as family members had been unable to reach
her after she and her husband, Gerald "Mike" Bullinger, began moving to their new Idaho home. A welfare check at the residence led law enforcement to a shed on the property where they found the bodies of three females. Through dental records, one of the victims was identified as Cheryl Baker. The other two victims were later identified as 48-year-old Nadja Medley and her 14-year-old daughter, Payton Medley. Each had also been killed by a single gunshot.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on Cheryl's husband, 60-year-old Gerald Michael "Mike" Bullinger, as the primary person of interest. It was soon discovered that Bullinger was living a double life. While married to Cheryl for nearly a decade, he was also in a long-term relationship with Nadja Medley. Friends of Nadja stated she and her daughter had moved to the Caldwell home with Bullinger, believing they were starting a new life with him. It is believed that neither Cheryl nor Nadja knew about the other.
A warrant was issued for Bullinger's arrest for failure to report the deaths, which was later upgraded to three counts of first-degree murder. A nationwide manhunt was launched for Bullinger, who was considered armed and dangerous. His car was eventually found abandoned in a remote campground in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming in July 2017. Despite extensive searches of the area, Bullinger has never been found. Law enforcement has considered the possibility that he may have taken his own life or succumbed to the elements, but as of today, he remains an active fugitive. The case continues to be an open investigation, leaving the families of Cheryl Baker, Nadja Medley, and Payton Medley without final answers.
