Blogs

Video After The Jump

BETHANY, Okla. -- Police in Bethany continue to investigate a weekend homicide in which a man is accused of fatally stabbing his wife of nearly 30 years.

Bethany Police Chief Phil Cole says since 58-year-old Reginald Bartlett's attack was not premeditated, he was booked on second degree murder charges.

Not even Barlett's own son saw this attack coming.

"I know he loved her and I know she loved him very much," Devin Bartlett said Monday, "and I will never understand what happened. I don't think anybody can."

Devin says he can't comprehend why his father would have murdered his stepmother, Cathy Bartlett, at their Bethany home on Saturday.

In fact, he says he's never seen his dad lose his temper.

"I will tell him that I don't understand what happened and I'm very angry and very hurt that it happened," Devin says. "But I also will tell him that his family will be here for him."

It was about 6:30 p.m. Saturday when Bethany Police say Reginald Bartlett call 911, saying he came home to find his wife dead following a burglary.

In that 911 call, police say Bartlett can be heard saying "Somebody broke in. They killed her. Oh God. I've been at the basketball game. Oh God. Please hurry."

Police found Cathy Bartlett dead in their home from numerous stab wounds.

After three hours of questioning, they say Reginald confessed to the killing.

A Bethany Police affidavit states "He (Bartlett) stated Cathy came into the computer room, where he had been looking at pornography, and began yelling at him about a bank statement and thought he was ordering pornography. Reginald stated Cathy had slapped him on the side of the head, at which time he 'snapped.' He added he grabbed a knife and began stabbing her."

Judy Thomas worked with Cathy for over 20 years at the Department of Human Services and never heard a single problem about their marriage.

"I just don't understand that kind of anger," Thomas says, "because he didn't seem mean to me. He didn't have a mean spirit. You know, some people you can see it? I've never ever saw that in him."

"I don't know that I could've done anything to have stopped whatever occurred from happening," Devin Bartlett says, "but that's one thing I'll never know the answer to."

Police say Bartlett, who was a water treatment plant supervisor for the city of Bethany, confessed to throwing their computer and the murder weapon into a nearby lake.

The couple would have celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary on January 31.

Charges are expected to be filed at the Oklahoma County Courthouse in the next week

Source:  KFOR