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Where is Miguel Bustamante Now? 2025 Update & Background

Ryan Gill

Miguel Bustamante once served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a cook—a detail that stood in stark contrast to the crime that would later define his life. Not much was publicly known about Bustamante before 2008. He was described by prosecutors as someone with limited financial means and no prior history of violent crime. At the time of the Clifford Lambert murder, Bustamante was living in San Francisco and sharing an apartment with Craig McCarthy, a bartender he had met through the city’s LGBTQ+ nightlife scene.

It was through this connection that Bustamante became entangled in a murderous conspiracy. McCarthy had been recruited by Kaushal Niroula and Daniel Garcia, who were plotting to defraud and ultimately kill retired Palm Springs art dealer Clifford Lambert. As the plan escalated, Bustamante was pulled into the scheme—recruited, according to prosecutors, to carry out the physical act of violence that would permanently silence Lambert and allow the conspirators to access his wealth.

The Murder of Clifford Lambert

The plot against Clifford Lambert came to a head on December 5, 2008. Under the false pretense of helping Lambert claim an inheritance, Niroula and Garcia arranged to meet him at his Palm Springs home. While the group drank cocktails, Niroula let Bustamante and McCarthy in through the kitchen. Lambert was stabbed multiple times and killed, his body then wrapped in a rug and loaded into the trunk of his Mercedes-Benz. The group drove his body to a remote area off the Templin Highway near Castaic, north of Los Angeles, and buried it in a shallow grave.

In the days that followed, Bustamante and the others participated in forging legal documents, draining Lambert’s bank accounts, and attempting to sell his home and art collection. The forged powers of attorney were notarized by David Replogle, a disbarred San Francisco attorney and co-conspirator. The conspirators also used Lambert’s identity to access his financial assets, ultimately stealing more than $185,000.

Arrest, Conviction, and Retrial

The conspiracy unraveled quickly. In January 2009, neighbors became suspicious when McCarthy returned to Lambert’s home with a moving truck. Police were contacted, and soon all key individuals involved—including Bustamante—were arrested.

Bustamante was first convicted in 2011 on charges including first-degree murder, conspiracy, and multiple counts of financial fraud. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors identified him as one of the two individuals who physically carried out Lambert’s killing.

But that conviction would not stand. In 2020, a judge overturned several of the convictions in the case after secret audio recordings revealed the original trial judge made biased and homophobic comments. These remarks, directed in part at co-defendants Niroula and Garcia, raised constitutional concerns about fairness. Bustamante’s case was retried in 2023.

In June 2023, he was once again convicted on nearly all charges. The retrial jury found that Bustamante had knowingly participated in the murder and the subsequent cover-up. Later that year, he was sentenced a second time to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Life in Prison and Public Response

As of 2025, Miguel Bustamante is serving his life sentence in the California state prison system. Now in his early 40s, Bustamante has expressed minimal public commentary about the case. During his trials, his defense attorneys attempted to portray him as a follower rather than a planner—someone swept up in a complex conspiracy, manipulated by more dominant personalities like Niroula and Garcia.

Despite this portrayal, prosecutors maintained that Bustamante had a clear role in the physical killing and the logistics that followed. His military background, though not previously associated with violence, added to the chilling nature of his calculated involvement.

Craig McCarthy, Bustamante’s former roommate and co-conspirator, pleaded guilty in 2010 and received a reduced sentence in exchange for his testimony. However, McCarthy later recanted parts of his statements, complicating the narrative further and raising questions about credibility, loyalty, and legal strategy.

The Legacy of the Case and Bustamante’s Role

The murder of Clifford Lambert became one of California’s most shocking true crime cases. It blended deceit, identity theft, and cold-blooded murder. Bustamante’s role was that of the muscle—a man brought in to ensure the scheme’s success through direct violence. His participation helped secure the conspirators access to Lambert’s estate, enabling the financial theft that followed.

The case has since been featured in books, podcasts, and national television programs, including Dateline NBC’s 2025 special The Prince, The Whiz Kid & The Millionaire. While not as flamboyant or attention-seeking as his co-defendants, Bustamante remains a central figure in the plot—a reminder that behind every mastermind is someone willing to carry out the orders.

Miguel Bustamante’s fall from military service to convicted killer reflects how greed and manipulation can corrupt even those with no prior record of violence. His sentence ensures that he will spend the rest of his life behind bars, paying for his role in a crime that shocked a community and devastated the lives of those who knew Clifford Lambert.

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