Murder...or abortion?
Pregnant Mom Murdered; Fetus Stolen From Her Womb
Amber Alert Issued For Missing Fetus
POSTED: 7:05 am EST December 17, 2004
UPDATED: 7:56 am EST December 17, 2004
SKIDMORE, Mo. -- A 23-year-old woman who was eight months pregnant was killed Thursday and the fetus was taken from her body, authorities said.
Sheriff's deputies were investigating the afternoon killing of the woman and they were searching for the baby, who they believed could have survived.
Nodaway County Sheriff Bill Espey said, "Someone was wanting a baby awful bad."
The sheriff issued an Amber Alert for the missing fetus. Police are searching for an 8-month-old white, female fetus. It also suggested that things to look for in the case included "bloody clothing or towels, possible health issues with the fetus and a freshly cut umbilical cord."
Bobbi Jo Stinnett was killed around 3 p.m. Central, and "the unborn child was removed from her body by the person or persons who committed the crime."
Stinett was found inside her home by her mother, who called police at 3:38 p.m., authorities said. Paramedics tried to revive her; she was later pronounced dead at St. Francis Hospital in Maryville, Mo.
Espey said it appeared the victim was apparently killed no more than an hour before she was found.
Strangulation was being looked at as a possible cause of death; an autopsy was to be conducted by the Jackson County medical examiner.
There were no visible signs of a struggle on the victim and no indication of forced entry into her small white home, Espey said.
Espey offered piecemeal information about the victim. She was white, worked at Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing in Maryville, was married a little more than a year and was pregnant with her first child.
The husband has been ruled out as a suspect because he was at work at the time. Neighbors describe the couple as "quiet."
Stinnett was a dog breeder and reportedly sold Jack Russell terrier dogs over the Internet. One neighbor said he saw a red two-door vehicle outside the home and assumed it was someone picking up a dog. Police are now searching for a red vehicle and have only a vague description of the suspect -- someone with blonde hair. Police believe more than one person was involved in the crime.
There are very few leads. Police were at the scene all night long searching for and collecting evidence.
Skidmore is about 100 miles northwest of Kansas City, Mo.