The Murder of Rebecca Park - Part Two: The Investigation | #469

Hannah Maguire (0:14)

We left you last week with the discovery of Rebecca's body behind the home of her biological mother, Cortney Bartholomew.

Suruthi Bala (0:23)

Before we get into the autopsy, let's listen to a police interview with Kimberly, Rebecca's sister, as she accuses Cortney and Bradley of her murder.

SPEAKER_3 (0:36)

What do you think happened to your sister?

Kimberly (0:39)

I was thinking Cortney was rather responsible.

SPEAKER_5 (0:42)

Why do you think that?

Kimberly (0:43)

Because of Cortney's comment that she wanted that baby no matter what.

SPEAKER_3 (0:49)

Okay.

Kimberly (0:50)

She was well convinced she was taking that baby regardless.

SPEAKER_3 (0:53)

Okay, so Cortney wanted to take Rebecca's baby.

Kimberly (0:58)

She was very much nervous in the house she was going to. But when I told Peace Corps the other day, that Cortney and Brad were responsible, I had a feeling she was nearby.

SPEAKER_3 (1:12)

You had a feeling she was nearby? Like, geographically nearby? Like, close to the location you were at?

Kimberly (1:18)

Close to Cortney and Brad's. House?

SPEAKER_3 (1:23)

Okay.

Kimberly (1:24)

Cortney called me while I was here saying that Becca got in a car with somebody.

Like, somebody was saying that my old man's paper, my baby daddy's PayPal card was found out there by my sister. Cortney's had my wallet this whole time.

SPEAKER_3 (1:39)

Who reported?

You reported to the police that your mom said that she hit your sister over the head? Did you make that report?

Kimberly (1:50)

I made the report, and that's what they told me that they did.

SPEAKER_6 (1:53)

Who told you that?

Kimberly (1:54)

Cortney and Brad, straight out.

SPEAKER_3 (1:56)

Cortney and Brad told you what? Tell me what they told you straight out.

Kimberly (2:01)

That they, they were the ones that hit her. They were the ones that, from what they said, murdered her, and they were taking the baby, and now they were just playing this game of how to get rid of his baby, get rid of her.

SPEAKER_3 (2:21)

When did they tell you that?

Kimberly (2:23)

The day after she disappeared. But they threatened me and my daughter to stay silent. Okay.

My doctor mom promised me that nothing was going to happen to my daughter, so I could tell.

SPEAKER_3 (2:36)

Okay, so you're telling me that Cortney and Brad confessed to you that they killed Rebecca.

Kimberly (2:47)

And Cortney has been saying for the last couple of months that she was taking this baby no matter what, no matter the measures.

SPEAKER_3 (2:56)

You're lying. I mean, we could start there.

Okay, that's not true. The murderer is going to kill Rebecca so the two of you can be together. Is that correct?

Kimberly (3:11)

I didn't know he was going to kill her.

SPEAKER_3 (3:13)

What do you think he was going to do to her?

Kimberly (3:17)

Leave her? I don't know.

SPEAKER_3 (3:21)

So this is your story. That's the only involvement you had was lying to the police and that you and Rich were going to be together, and he told you that he took care of it.

Kimberly (3:32)

That's the only thing he told me. Okay.

Hannah Maguire (3:37)

Now the autopsy report painted a grim picture of what had happened to this young mother. She had sustained six sharp force wounds to her back, two to her right upper arm, one to her left trapezius area, two to her neck, and two to her face.

One of these had pierced her lung and it had collapsed. There was also a long wound to Rebecca's abdomen. And hanging out of this wound were her stomach, placenta, and the baby's umbilical cord. Unsurprisingly, this incision had caused a massive hemorrhage, and Rebecca would likely have bled to death in minutes. But horrifyingly, the medical examiner stated that Rebecca Park had been alive while these abdominal cuts were made.

Suruthi Bala (4:32)

In Rebecca's stomach, there was also large quantities of a bluey-green chalky fluid. Immediately, people wondered if she'd been poisoned or given something to sedate her. Possibly. We haven't had the toxicology report yet, so we can't say for sure.

But it could also just have been stomach-settling antacid tablets or something like that. She was 39 weeks pregnant.

Hannah Maguire (5:03)

Speaking of which, where was Rebecca's baby? He may have been old enough to survive outside of the womb at 38 weeks, but there were no reports of any newborn babies being brought to hospitals anywhere in the area. Was there a chance, however slim, given the brutality of how he had been forced to enter the world, that this baby was still alive? And if so, who had taken him and why?