The Murder of Rebecca Park
| Full Name | Rebecca Park |
| Age | 22 |
| Pregnant | Yes -- 38 Weeks |
| Location | Manton, Michigan |
| Raised By | Adoptive Mother Stephanie Park |
| Case Type | Family Violence -- Torture and Murder |
Rebecca Park
Rebecca Park was 22 years old, from Manton, Michigan, and 38 weeks pregnant at the time of her death. She was raised by her adoptive mother Stephanie Park, who described spending years trying to keep her daughter safe from her biological mother Cortney Bartholomew, whom Stephanie believed was dangerous.
After Rebecca turned 18 she began reconnecting with Cortney, despite warnings from her adoptive family. She was nearly full-term, just two weeks from her due date, the night she was last seen leaving Cortney's home in Boon Township on November 3, 2025.
Rebecca was a young mother preparing to welcome her baby into the world. She was loved. She was protected for years by a mother who saw the danger coming. In the end she could not be kept safe from it. We will say her name, and we will say her baby's name too.
What We Know
Rebecca Park was raised by her adoptive mother Stephanie Park, who spent years trying to protect her from her biological mother Cortney Bartholomew. After Rebecca turned 18 she began reconnecting with Cortney, whom she visited at her home in Boon Township, Wexford County, Michigan. On the night of November 3, 2025, Rebecca was seen leaving Cortney's home shortly before midnight. She was 38 weeks pregnant. She never came home.
According to prosecutors, Cortney and her husband Bradley Bartholomew lured Rebecca back inside the home after she left, forcibly restrained her, and placed her into a vehicle. They then drove her into the Manistee National Forest. Prosecutors allege the couple stabbed Rebecca multiple times and subjected her to injuries consistent with torture. Investigators said digital evidence showed the Bartholomews had researched the attack in advance, indicating premeditation.
Court documents later revealed that Cortney told investigators Rebecca was conscious during the assault, and that Bradley was holding a knife to her throat. Cortney said she performed the fetal extraction herself. Bradley later told investigators the infant did not survive. He told investigators where the baby had been placed. The baby has not been recovered.
Rebecca's remains were found in the Manistee National Forest on November 25, 2025, the day after Thanksgiving. The autopsy confirmed she had been stabbed to death and her unborn child had been removed from her body. She had initially been reported missing on November 3 after she failed to return home or make contact with family.
How It Unfolded
The Investigation
Detectives from the Wexford County Sheriff's Office, Michigan State Police, and state investigators worked for 22 days before locating Rebecca's remains. The investigation used phone records, digital forensics, witness interviews, and vehicle tracking data to reconstruct her final movements. Evidence collected at the Bartholomew home and at the scene in the forest supported the conclusion that Rebecca had been kidnapped, forcibly transported, and killed there. Digital evidence also revealed the Bartholomews had researched the attack in advance, indicating premeditation.
A critical break came when Bradley Bartholomew led investigators to the location where the crime occurred. He told them the infant did not survive and indicated where the baby had been placed after death. Despite extensive searching, the baby has not been recovered. The search for the infant remains an active and ongoing part of the case.
Rebecca's biological sister, Kimberly Park, was also arrested for repeatedly lying to police, providing a false timeline, and tampering with potential evidence. She initially told investigators Rebecca had voluntarily left the home unharmed, a claim that was later disproved by forensic and digital evidence. Her bond was reduced to $5,000 and she was placed on house arrest with GPS monitoring.
As of March 2026, the case remains in pre-trial proceedings. The defense has argued that the Michigan Attorney General's Office is withholding evidence and has requested competency hearings for both defendants. A preliminary examination is scheduled for May 2026. Both defendants remain held without bond.
The Accused
She Is Not Forgotten
Rebecca Park was 22 years old and two weeks from meeting her baby. She was loved by a mother who had spent years trying to protect her. She made her own choices as a young adult, as people do, and one of those choices was to try to have a relationship with the woman who gave birth to her. That is a human thing. That is an understandable thing. It should not have cost her her life.
Rebecca's baby has not been found. The search continues. Her adoptive mother Stephanie is fighting for justice. People who never met Rebecca have shown up to court hearings because, as one of them said, she does not have a voice anymore. We are her voice now.
We say Rebecca's name. We say her baby's name too, even though we do not yet know it. Two lives were taken in that forest. We will not forget either of them.
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