If you’ve ever sat through the 95 minutes of raw, unfiltered grief that is the documentary Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, you probably didn't walk away the same person. It’s a heavy watch. Honestly, it’s the kind of story that sticks to your ribs and makes you want to reach through the screen to help. Many people, years after seeing Kurt Kuenne’s heartbreaking tribute, find themselves wondering the same thing: Are David and Kate Bagby still living?
The short answer is yes. As of early 2026, David and Kate Bagby are still living in California.
They’ve spent the last two decades doing the impossible—surviving the murder of their only son, Andrew, and the subsequent murder of their grandson, Zachary. But they didn’t just survive. They became some of the most effective, albeit reluctant, legislative activists in Canadian history.
The Current Status of David and Kate Bagby
You won’t find the Bagbys on social media much. They aren't "influencers" in the modern sense. They’re private people who were thrust into a very public nightmare. After the dust settled on their legal battles in Canada, they eventually returned to their home in Sunnyvale, California.
Reports from close family friends and community members in the San Jose area confirm they are still active. They still get together with Andrew’s old medical school friends to celebrate milestone birthdays. In fact, a few years back, the group gathered to mark what would have been Andrew’s 50th birthday.
It's kind of beautiful, actually. This group of doctors, who were just kids when the tragedy happened, have stayed loyal to the parents of the friend they lost. That kind of longevity in friendship says a lot about the type of person Andrew was—and the type of people David and Kate are.
Life After the Documentary
For a long time, the Bagbys’ lives were defined by a "dance with the devil," which is actually the title of David’s 2007 memoir. They moved to Newfoundland, lived in the same town as their son’s killer (Shirley Turner), and played a terrifying game of "nice" just to get visitation rights with their grandson.
Once Zachary was killed in that horrific murder-suicide in 2003, their mission shifted. They weren't just grieving grandparents anymore; they were a force of nature.
- The Bail Reform: They fought for Bill C-464, also known as "Zachary’s Bill."
- The Goal: To ensure that someone accused of a serious crime couldn't be released on bail if they posed a risk to their own children.
- The Result: It passed unanimously. Canada changed its laws because these two people refused to shut up.
Nowadays, they lead a much quieter life. They’ve reached their late 70s and early 80s, focusing on the scholarship fund they set up at Excela Health Latrobe Hospital in Andrew’s name. It’s a legacy of love that has funded dozens of medical students.
Dealing With the "Dear Zachary" Legacy
It’s gotta be weird, right? Knowing that millions of people have watched the worst moments of your life on Netflix or YouTube.
David has mentioned in past interviews that while the film is hard to watch, they are grateful for it. It kept Andrew and Zachary alive in the public consciousness. But don't expect them to be out there doing the true crime convention circuit. They’ve done their time in the spotlight.
They’ve lived through a level of trauma that would break most people. Twice. First with Andrew in 2001, then with Zachary in 2003. The fact that they are still standing, still married (celebrating over 55 years now), and still functional is nothing short of a miracle.
Why Their Story Still Matters in 2026
We live in an era of "disposable" true crime. We watch a documentary, feel sad for an hour, and then scroll to the next thing. The Bagbys don't have that luxury.
Their story is a case study in how the legal system can fail the most vulnerable people when "procedural rights" are prioritized over common sense. Shirley Turner was a known flight risk and a primary suspect in a first-degree murder case, yet she was allowed to keep her child.
The Bagbys’ continued presence in the world serves as a reminder that change is possible. If you’re looking for a way to honor their journey, the best thing you can do isn't just to wonder how they’re doing—it’s to look at the systems in your own community.
Actionable Next Steps
If the Bagbys' story moved you, there are a few concrete ways to honor the legacy they've worked so hard to build:
- Support the Andrew Bagby Scholarship: Most of their efforts go toward the scholarship fund at Excela Health in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. This helps future doctors who embody Andrew’s spirit of "family-first" medicine.
- Read "Dance with the Devil": If you only know the story from the movie, read David’s book. It’s raw, it’s angry, and it gives a much deeper look into the legal failures in Newfoundland.
- Advocate for Victim’s Rights: Check your local laws regarding bail for violent offenders. The "Zachary’s Bill" movement showed that one or two dedicated people can actually change the "unchangeable" system.
David and Kate Bagby are still here. They are proof that while you can't ever truly "get over" a loss like theirs, you can eventually find a way to carry it.