SB County DA Joyce Dudley reacts to Matthew Taylor Coleman case

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley and the people in her department are now working closely with federal prosecutors and other agencies on the Matthew Taylor Coleman case. 

Coleman admitted taking his 10-month-old girl and 2-year-old boy to Mexico, killing them with a spear fishing gun. 

“This is a very dynamic case, the investigation is still continuing and will continue and as long as there is local involvement and engagement with questions,” said Dudley. “I am going to be involved and my office is going to be involved.”

Dudley checked her records, Coleman had no prior criminal record here.

Her office is known for its advocacy to help crime victims, but in this case, no prior history.

“We have any record of either one of them as either perpetrators or victims,” said the district attorney.

In her 32 years with the department, Dudley has seen a lot, cases of infants murdered, other horrific crimes. 

But she said the dynamic this time is different.

This crime was a hit for her and the entire community. 

“My emotional reaction, which is the emotional reaction of everybody- there is nothing about this case that doesn’t break all of our hearts,” said Dudley. 

The district attorney’s message is simply to be kind to each other in these tough times, now more than ever.

“I just wish I could do- I could’ve done something to prevent this crime, which is I am sure how everybody feels,” said Dudley.