WEXFORD COUNTY — Newly released court documents outline a detailed timeline of the disappearance and death of 38-week pregnant Rebecca Kay Park.
The affidavit reveals shifting statements, deleted phone data and admissions from both defendants as investigators worked to reconstruct what happened in the days leading up to Park’s death on Nov. 3, 2025.
Per the affidavit, Park was last seen on Nov. 3 after leaving the home of Cortney Marie Bartholomew, who claimed to deputies that Park had been picked up by someone in a dark sedan.
To note: An affidavit is a sworn written statement made under oath. Law enforcement officers, investigators or witnesses often use them to document facts as they understand them at that stage of an investigation.
Affidavits commonly support search-warrant requests, arrest-warrant requests and charging documents. Courts rely on them to determine whether probable cause exists to take a particular action.
They are not proof of guilt. An affidavit reflects allegations, observations or evidence as interpreted by investigators. It is not a judicial finding of fact, nor is it sufficient to prove guilt. Guilt can only be established in court through due process, including evidence presented at trial or a plea.
Investigators later reported that Cortney changed the details several times, including whether she saw the vehicle and who contacted her about Park’s whereabouts.
Deputies began piecing together the days prior to Park’s disappearance, beginning Nov. 1 when Cortney said she picked up Park to spend time together. On Nov. 2, Cortney claimed to deputies she drove Park and her boyfriend home from the hospital after Park was evaluated for labor.
She later said Park whispered that Richard Falor had been “acting like a real big a— mom,” expressing fear.
On Nov. 3, Cortney said she picked Park up again, reporting that Park appeared tired and stressed. She claimed to deputies she gave Park an envelope with $2,000 cash and that Park had been texting on multiple phones before deleting something.
When investigators questioned the deleted data, Cortney reportedly said, “I didn’t know what it was or which phone it might have been on.”
When Park was reported missing the next day, deputies contacted Cortney and began a series of interviews that investigators said produced conflicting accounts. Cortney initially denied knowing Park’s location and later stated she had tried to call her.
Digital records showed data deleted from Cortney’s phone on Nov. 3, Per the affidavit.
As the search expanded, investigators interviewed Bradly Alan Bartholomew, who also changed several statements over multiple interviews. He said he had been present on Nov. 3 but denied involvement in Park’s disappearance.
When confronted with phone evidence linking him to the area where Park’s phone was later recovered, he said Cortney claimed to him to retrieve it.
The affidavit said deputies found Park’s phone on a two-track near South 21 ½ Road.
Cortney initially said she lost it while using the restroom, later stating Bradly found it. Records placed both their devices in the same area that evening.
Through additional interviews, deputies noted comments from Cortney describing complex conflicts among Park, Falor and family members. Investigators said she reported fears Park might lose custody of her children and stated she had tried to help her.
At one point, she said, “I would never hurt her. She’s my daughter.” In a later interview, she reportedly admitted she was present when Park was killed.
Search efforts continued until Nov. 25 when Park’s body was found covered with leaves in a wooded area west of South 21 ½ Road in Boon.
A later 911 call placed by Cortney stated that she had found a body that “looks gutted,” according to the affidavit.
After the discovery, investigators conducted additional interviews in which both defendants provided new accounts.
Cortney said she confronted Bradly and that he claimed to her, “I slit her f―ing throat. The b— deserved it.”
She claimed to investigators she had asked about her grandson and Bradly responded that the child was dead, saying, “I stuck him in a cooler, stuck him in a trash bag, threw him in the trash.”
Bradly later claimed to investigators that it was Cortney who stabbed Park in the vehicle. He said she “grabbed the knife and started stabbing at her,” and that he jumped out of the truck as she swung.
He said he watched as Cortney cut the baby from Park and placed the baby on a towel. He said the baby “never took a breath.”
He claimed to investigators that he tried CPR for about 15 minutes but was unsuccessful.
Cortney denied stabbing Park in earlier interviews but eventually claimed to detectives she cut Park’s abdomen to remove the baby. When asked whether Park would have survived the wounds she administered, she said, “No, probably not.”
Both defendants provided information about disposing of evidence, including a cooler investigators believe held the baby, razors, a debit card and clothing.
Cortney said Bradly burned seat covers and cleaned the truck, though Bradly denied cleaning the floor, telling detectives, “There will be blood on the floor of the truck.”
Phone data, vehicle movement and statements from both defendants placed them repeatedly near the location where Park’s body and phone were located. Investigators reported that their descriptions of the wooded area were consistent with the site.
Throughout the investigation, the affidavit said both defendants attempted to shift responsibility to one another.
At one point, Bradly said, “I’m sure Cortney stabbed her,” while Cortney said Bradly claimed to her he would “make your life hell” if she said anything.
Detectives noted in the affidavit that each defendant eventually admitted being present at critical moments and providing assistance before and after Park’s death. Search warrants, recovered vehicles and phone extractions were used to corroborate the timeline.
The affidavit concludes that the collected evidence supports charges including homicide, torture, conspiracy and the assault of a pregnant individual.
Both Cortney and Bradly Bartholomew were taken into custody following the interviews and search warrant executions.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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