If you’ve ever seen the documentary Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, you know it isn't just a movie. It’s a scar. It is arguably the most emotionally devastating piece of true crime ever filmed. By the time the credits roll, most people are left in a state of shock, wondering how any human being survives that kind of successive, crushing loss. Naturally, the question that lingers for years afterward is: where are David and Kate Bagby now? It's been a long time since the film’s release. The events that took Andrew and Zachary Bagby away from this world feel like a lifetime ago, yet for David and Kate, the clock moves differently.
Surviving the Unthinkable
To understand where they are today, you have to remember where they’ve been. Their son, Andrew Bagby, was murdered in 2001 by Shirley Turner. Then, in 2003, while Turner was out on bail in Canada, she took the life of their grandson, Zachary, in a murder-suicide.
Honestly, it’s a miracle they stayed on this planet. David has admitted in the past—and in his raw, angry memoir Dance with the Devil—that they contemplated ending it all. They didn't, though. Instead, they stayed to fight.
For a long time, "now" meant activism. They lived in Gilroy, California, but their hearts and energy were often in Canada, pushing for "Zachary's Bill" (Bill C-464). They won that fight. In late 2010, the Canadian government changed the law, allowing courts to refuse bail to those accused of serious crimes if there is a risk to their children. It was a massive victory. A bitter one, but a victory nonetheless.
Where the Bagbys Are Today
So, what about 2026?
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David and Kate Bagby have largely stepped out of the public eye. They aren't on TikTok. They aren't doing the "true crime convention" circuit. They’ve chosen a life of quiet, dignified privacy in Northern California.
They are still married—having celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary a few years back. That’s a feat for any couple, let alone two people who have been through a literal hell. They still live in the San Jose area, specifically in the Gilroy/Morgan Hill region.
The Andrew Bagby Scholarship
They haven't stopped honoring Andrew. One of the most concrete ways they stay connected to his memory is through the Andrew Bagby Memorial Scholarship.
- It’s based at Excela Health Latrobe Hospital in Pennsylvania.
- The scholarship helps medical students who embody Andrew's spirit.
- Over 50 students have benefited from it so far.
- David and Kate often meet the recipients, seeing a bit of their son's passion for medicine live on in new doctors.
It’s a legacy that actually does something. It isn't just a plaque on a wall; it’s putting doctors into the world who care the way Andrew did.
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Dealing with the Trauma
You don't "get over" what happened to them. You just carry it. Friends of the couple, including filmmaker Kurt Kuenne, have occasionally shared that the Bagbys still gather with Andrew’s old friends. They celebrate the birthdays he never had. Last fall, for instance, Andrew would have been 50.
Think about that. 50.
They still have Andrew’s old car. Kate once said she’d never part with it because she knows he touched the steering wheel and the gear shift. It’s those small, physical anchors that keep a person grounded when the grief starts to pull them under again.
The Reality of Their Activism
While they aren't campaigning in the streets anymore, their impact on Canadian law remains their biggest public footprint. Before they started, the idea of "judicial interim release" (bail) in Canada was heavily weighted toward the accused. Because of David’s relentless, sometimes "un-PC" anger and Kate’s steadfastness, they forced a change.
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They proved that two parents from California could actually move the needle on international law. It’s rare. It’s basically unheard of.
Common Misconceptions
People often ask if they ever moved back to the UK (where Kate is originally from) or if they stayed in Newfoundland. No. They returned to California years ago. They needed to be home.
Another big one: "Are they still angry?"
If you read David’s book, you know he was fueled by a very specific, white-hot rage against the Canadian justice system. While time has likely softened the edges of that rage into a duller ache, David has never been one to sugarcoat things. He’s a "tell it like it is" guy. They didn't find "closure"—a word most grieving parents hate—but they found a way to function.
What We Can Learn from the Bagbys
Their story isn't just about tragedy; it’s about the endurance of the human spirit. If you’re looking for a takeaway from where they are now, it’s this:
- Grief doesn't have an expiration date. It’s okay to still be sad twenty years later.
- Action is a survival mechanism. Turning pain into a scholarship or a law can literally save your life.
- Community matters. The fact that Andrew's friends still check in on David and Kate decades later is the only reason they are still standing.
If you want to honor their journey, the best thing you can do is support the Andrew Bagby Memorial Scholarship or simply advocate for better child protection laws in your own community. David and Kate Bagby have done enough heavy lifting for ten lifetimes. They deserve their quiet now.
Next Steps for Readers:
- Watch the Documentary: If you haven't seen Dear Zachary, watch it on a day when you have plenty of tissues and no immediate plans.
- Read the Book: Pick up a copy of Dance with the Devil by David Bagby for a much deeper, more personal look at their struggle with the Canadian legal system.
- Donate: Consider a contribution to the Andrew Bagby Scholarship Fund at Excela Health to help keep the legacy of a talented young doctor alive.