THE HARVESTING OF THE MANISTEE: THE BETRAYAL OF REBECCA KAY PARK
The rural stretches of Wexford County, Michigan, are characterized by the dense timber of the Manistee National Forest and a landscape where isolation is often a way of life. In November 2025, this quiet northern community became the backdrop for a crime described by veteran prosecutors as "evil personified." At the center of this darkness was 22-year-old Rebecca Kay Park, a woman in the final days of her pregnancy, who vanished into the cold Michigan night and was later found the victim of a calculated fetal abduction. The details that emerged in the following weeks would reveal a conspiracy involving the woman who gave birth to her and that woman's husband—individuals who had only been in Rebecca’s life for the last four years.
The events began on the night of November 3, 2025, in Boon Township. Rebecca Park, a resident of Cedar Creek Township, was visiting her biological mother, Cortney Bartholomew, at a residence on South 21 1/2 Road. Park was 38 to 39 weeks pregnant, just over a week away from her November 18 due date. Just before midnight, Cortney Bartholomew reported that Park stepped out of the home and entered the passenger seat of a dark-colored sedan. Her fiancé, Richard Falor, would later state that Park supposedly told Cortney she had something to do and was being picked up by a friend. She had reportedly received a $2,000 family inheritance earlier that day, a sum that led some to initially believe she might have left of her own volition to start a new life.
However, the reality was far more sinister. According to court records, the dark-colored sedan was not a friend’s vehicle but a tool of a premeditated plan. Investigators now believe that Cortney and her husband, Bradly Bartholomew, lured Rebecca to the home specifically to facilitate her abduction. The following morning, November 4, Rebecca’s phone was found discarded along a nearby two-track road, and her sister, Kimberly Park, officially reported her missing to the Wexford County Sheriff’s Office.
The search for Rebecca Park gripped the region for twenty-one days. Volunteers and law enforcement officers combed the Manistee National Forest, facing the onset of early winter weather. During this period, Cortney Bartholomew engaged in a series of deceptive acts designed to mask her involvement. She posted a video on social media attempting to establish an alibi and sent misleading texts to her sister. One text message, dated October 15, claimed she had given birth to a son who was in the NICU, despite having had a hysterectomy years prior. On the night Rebecca disappeared, Cortney texted her sister again, claiming her "son" had passed away. These messages revealed a motive driven by a desperate desire to possess a child, a common precursor in cases of fetal abduction.
THE LEGACY OF THE ADOPTED DAUGHTER
Rebecca Kay Park was a woman whose life was defined by complex family ties and the resilience of a mother striving for her children. Rebecca and her siblings had been removed from Cortney Bartholomew’s care years earlier. She was received into foster care at the age of one and subsequently adopted and raised by Rod and Stephanie Park in a loving family environment in Manton. Rod and Stephanie were the only parents she had truly known for nearly her entire life. Despite this, Rebecca had recently reconnected with her biological family, though they had only been back in her life for approximately four years at the time of her death.
At 22, Rebecca was already a mother to two children who lived with her adoptive mother. She was known for a sweet disposition and was excitedly preparing for the birth of a son with her fiancé, Richard Falor. Her decision to return to Boon Township on the night of November 3 was framed as a family visit, a gesture of trust. The betrayal she faced was not merely an act of violence but a profound violation of trust by people who had only recently re-entered her life. Rebecca’s story is a tragic illustration of how the desire for reconciliation can be weaponized by those with predatory intent.
Victim Profile Data
| Data |
Detail |
| Full Name |
Rebecca Kay Park |
| Age at Death |
22 years |
| Residence |
Cedar Creek Township, Michigan |
| Family Status |
Engaged to Richard Falor; mother of two |
| Physical Description |
5'2", 140 lbs, white female |
| Last Known Sight |
South 21 1/2 Road, Boon Township |
TWENTY-ONE DAYS OF SILENCE IN THE TIMBER
The deep case expansion into the disappearance of Rebecca Park reveals a timeline of mounting desperation and calculated forensic evasion. When Rebecca failed to return home on the morning of November 4, the response from the biological family was one of deflection. Cortney Bartholomew told investigators that Rebecca had left with an "unidentified friend" in a dark sedan, a narrative supported by Rebecca's sister, Kimberly, who suggested her sister might be with an "older man" or a "pervert."
Investigators, however, were immediately concerned by the discovery of Rebecca's phone. It had been discarded along a two-track road near the Bartholomew property, across from where Cortney claimed to have found it lying in the brush. Forensic analysis of the device revealed that the last outgoing communications from Rebecca occurred on November 2, contradicting family claims that she had been using her phone regularly on the day she vanished.
As the search passed the two-week mark, the focus shifted toward the Manistee National Forest. Search parties scoured hundreds of acres. On November 25, Rebecca's biological father located a body pushed down an embankment in the forest. He requested a volunteer searcher to verify the discovery, after which the volunteer alerted authorities. The remains were positively identified as Rebecca Kay Park.
The condition of the body was horrific: she had been stabbed multiple times in the neck and back, and her abdomen had been surgically opened. The autopsy confirmed the most harrowing detail of the case—Rebecca was no longer pregnant, but the baby was nowhere to be found.
Forensic Findings Table
| Category |
Observations |
| External Wounds |
Multiple stabs to neck and back; incised abdominal wounds |
| Internal State |
Placenta still attached to the uterus |
| Stomach Contents |
Blue-green chalky residue present |
| Discovery Site |
2.5 miles west of suspects' home, covered in leaves |
| Fetal Condition |
Infant removed; deceased; disposed of in dumpster |
The investigation quickly zeroed in on the Bartholomews. A probable cause affidavit revealed that Cortney allegedly confessed to the crime, detailing how she and Bradly took Rebecca into the woods. In a criminal complaint, Kimberly Park claimed that Cortney had Bradly Bartholomew strike Rebecca in the head, causing a seizure, before her body was taken away.
OFFICIAL DETERMINATIONS AND JUDICIAL ACTIONS
Law enforcement and the Michigan Department of Attorney General have confirmed a series of actions that underscore the premeditated nature of this crime. Attorney General Dana Nessel announced that Cortney and Bradly Bartholomew conducted extensive research before luring Rebecca to their home.
In a Wexford County courtroom, Prosecutor Johanna Carey described the sequence of events as "evil personified." Carey argued that the defendants should remain in jail without bond, stating, “These two individuals created a plan, conducted research. Mr. Bartholomew brought Rebecca to their home, they forced her into another vehicle and took her into the woods where they stabbed her, forced her to lie on the ground while they cut her baby out, and ultimately caused her death and the death of the baby. They then left Rebecca in the woods."
The defendants were arraigned on eight felony counts each, including first-degree murder, felony murder, and torture. Bradly Bartholomew, a convicted sex offender who had previously served 11 years for criminal sexual conduct, was charged as a fourth-time habitual offender. During the hearing, the judge denied bond for both, agreeing with the prosecution that the defendants posed a supreme danger to society.
Suspect Charge Matrix
| Charge |
Cortney Bartholomew |
Bradly Bartholomew |
| First-Degree Murder |
Yes (Count 1) |
Yes (Count 1) |
| Felony Murder |
Yes (Count 2) |
Yes (Count 2) |
| Torture |
Yes (Count 3) |
Yes (Count 3) |
| Fetal Homicide/Assault |
Yes (Count 5) |
Yes (Count 5) |
| Unlawful Imprisonment |
Yes (Count 7) |
Yes (Count 7) |
| Habitual Offender |
N/A |
Yes (4th Offense) |
While the primary suspects face the weight of the murder charges, other family members were caught in the investigative net. Rebecca’s sister, Kimberly Park, and her fiancé, Richard Falor, were arrested in the days following the body’s recovery. Kimberly was charged with tampering with evidence and lying to a police officer. Falor was charged with delivery of methamphetamine. Both were released on house arrest after their bonds were reduced to $5,000. Investigators confirmed that while Falor had been in "complicated" relationships with several women in the circle, he was not believed to be involved in the murder.
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
- What was the origin and intent of the blue-green chalky residue found in Rebecca's stomach?
- Was any specific medical or surgical equipment found during the search of the Bartholomew home?
- Where is the exact location of the dumpster used to dispose of the infant's remains?
- Did any third party assist in the "dark-colored sedan" sighting reported by Cortney Bartholomew?
- To what extent was Kimberly Park aware of the planning phase of the crime?
- Will federal charges be pursued since the body was found in a National Forest?
KEY INDIVIDUALS & RELATIONSHIPS
- REBECCA KAY PARK – VICTIM – 22-year-old expectant mother found murdered in the Manistee National Forest.
- CORTNEY BARTHOLOMEW – BIOLOGICAL MOTHER – Charged with first-degree murder; allegedly performed fetal abduction. Re-entered Rebecca's life four years ago.
- BRADLY BARTHOLOMEW – HUSBAND OF CORTNEY – Convicted sex offender; charged with first-degree murder and disposing of infant.
- KIMBERLY PARK – SISTER – Charged with tampering with evidence and lying to investigators.
- RICHARD FALOR – FIANCÉ – Father of Rebecca’s unborn child; arrested on drug charges.
- STEPHANIE PARK – ADOPTIVE MOTHER – Raised Rebecca and her siblings since age one; currently caring for Rebecca’s surviving children.
- JOHANNA CAREY – PROSECUTOR – Wexford County Prosecutor leading the case; described it as "premeditated torture and murder."
This case file is current as of 01/13/2026
