WEXFORD COUNTY — Northern Michigan is remembering Rebecca Park, the pregnant woman who was murdered while 38 weeks pregnant.
Investigators believe her unborn baby was also killed, but do not know where the remains are as of Dec. 5.
The biological mom, Cortney Bartholomew, and her husband, Bradly Bartholomew now sitting in jail, denied bond, charged with several charges, including Park’s murder.
Investigators allege that the two planned an attack on Park has shocked the community.
A candlelight vigil is being planned for Park on Dec. 6.
Park was not only about to give birth, but also a mother of two little ones.
Organizer of the vigil, Jodi Lewis, said she was asked by the family that adopted Park to organize a vigil for Park and Baby Richie’s honor.
Lewis helped organize a search party for Park last month.
Park was ultimately found last Tuesday by a search group. Lewis said the community in the Cadillac area is devastated at the news.
“It’s kind of a kick in the teeth that we had monsters like that in our community. They were in our grocery store. They were living in our neighborhood. How did we not know we had monsters in our community?” said Lewis.
Investigators said her biological mother, Courtney Bartholomew and her husband, Bradly Bartholomew, killed her and the baby.
She said the vigil will take place at 4 p.m. Dec. 6 at 21 ½ Road in Boon Township, near the spot where Park’s body was discovered.
Jodi Lewis said people all over Northern Michigan have reached out asking about the vigil, wanting to support this small community.
“I think this just touches people’s hearts. I mean, a lot of people, especially mothers, this just touches your heart horribly. This is just a horrible situation. Anybody who’s a mother or a grandmother, this just hurts your heart. And I think this is why this has touched so many people,” said Lewis.
Lewis said this candlelight vigil will give people an opportunity to grieve.
“We’re just getting everybody together to share good memories of Park. We’ve asked everybody to bring a picture if they want to share a picture of themselves with Rebecca. Bring bubbles, candles. Anything like that. Sparklers, whatever they would like to. And we’re just going to remember good times with her. And we’re going to honor Becca and baby Richie,” said Lewis.
Funeral services and a memorial are being planned to take place in the spring.
In Manton, where Park was living before she disappeared, the Manton community is working to support the two young boys Park left behind.
Martha Snyder owns the Cedar Creek Cafe in Manton.
She first met Park when she came to the restaurant back in September.
“She was soft spoken. She had a beautiful smile and a wonderful laugh. She did talk about her other children and how much she loved them. She was excited about the baby coming, and she was excited to be a mom again,” said Snyder.
Snyder said her death has crushed many in the Manton community.
“There hasn’t been one day since everybody found out what happened to her. That and someone, not just me, but a lot of my customers have sobbed right in my dining room and burst into tears. Full-grown men,” said Snyder.
Snyder and a customer of hers, Alycia Thompson, decided to put together a spaghetti fundraiser to raise money for Park’s two little ones, who are now without a mother.
“Becca’s mother, Stephanie, has a trust fund set up for her grandchildren. They’ll be able to use this money when they get out of high school and either purchase a home or go to college, or start an actual future for themselves,” said Snyder.
Thompson said as a mom with five kids, the youngest born just back in Oct. 11, she felt a connection to Park and was closely following the story of her disappearance.
“It’s always going to be sad when somebody, especially a young lady, goes missing or there’s some kind of tragedy, but there’s an added component when it’s a pregnancy. All of that was taken from her. Her already born children lost a sibling that never had a chance. And I think all of those things were so heavy,” said Thompson.
“The spaghetti dinner is set to take place Dec. 13 at Manton High School in the Ranger Room.
We’ll have a spaghetti dinner and a silent auction. We’re going to do a raffle for a big-ticket item and a bake sale. So we should have a lot of activity going on. I’m hoping that people can turn this tragedy into something positive,” said Snyder.
Snyder said the community is still trying to wrap its head around what unfolded this week.
“It’s unconscionable. Because not one human being could ever. It takes a monster to do this. They have to be monsters. They can’t be real. It can’t be,” said Snyder.
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