5. The Delivery

Summary

Murder on Songbird Road - Episode 5: "The Delivery"

Introduction

In Episode 5, titled "The Delivery," of the true-crime series Murder on Songbird Road, hosts Lauren Bright Pacheco and criminal defense attorney Bob Motta delve deeper into the harrowing case of Julia Beverly—the woman convicted for the stabbing death of an 11-year-old girl in Southern Illinois. This episode focuses on the tumultuous period surrounding Beverly’s pregnancy, her experiences in custody, the birth of her son, and the subsequent separation from her newborn child. Through firsthand accounts and investigative reporting, the episode raises critical questions about the integrity of the initial investigation and the possibility of wrongful conviction.

Background of the Case

Julia Beverly, an 11-year-old girl’s stewardess and fiancée of her father, was arrested and convicted for her daughter's murder—a case that sparked significant controversy and community upheaval. The prosecution's case hinged on timelines and testimonies that many believe were flawed or coerced.

Arrest and Initial Treatment

Following her arrest, Julia Beverly was held in Williamson County custody awaiting trial. Almost immediately, her treatment raised red flags. Renee Hightower, Julia’s mother, recounts the dire conditions and lack of basic care provided to Julia during her detention.

Renee Hightower (04:09): "She found out she was pregnant in jail. I was happy for her, but I was hurting for her because I knew the situation."

Beverly’s bond was initially set at $2 million, a figure that seemed excessive given the lack of prior offenses and the presumption of innocence. Efforts to reduce her bond were repeatedly denied by Judge Green, citing fears of flight risk and unmanageable custody situations at home.

Renee Hightower (05:23): "He said my mother was on an oxygen machine and she was not capable of running away if Julie ever attacked her."

Additionally, Beverly faced constant verbal degradation from correctional officers, with allegations of being labeled a "child killer" within the facilities—a claim that Beverly and her supporters argue further demonized her unjustly.

Pregnancy and Custody Battle

While incarcerated, Julia Beverly discovered she was pregnant, a revelation that added another layer of complexity and urgency to her situation. Hightower sought legal avenues to allow Julia to transfer to a home-based pregnancy arrangement, hoping to provide her daughter with a supportive environment during the latter stages of her pregnancy. However, repeated requests were denied, with the court maintaining stringent custody and visitation restrictions.

Birth and Separation from Son

On July 28, 2021, Julia Beverly gave birth to her son, Thomas, under distressing circumstances. She was abruptly awakened in her cell by a county jail nurse, Marilyn Reynolds, and accompanied by a corrections officer and a police lieutenant, only to be informed that her newborn would be immediately removed from her custody.

Julia Beverly (15:10): "When we arrived at the hospital, Marilyn and the corrections officer Stucker stayed in the room with me. Nurses started my intake, and at that time they asked if I had planned to bottle or breastfeed. I said I wanted to breastfeed while I stayed in the hospital room."

Despite her desire to nurse and bond with Thomas, Beverly was denied prolonged contact, leading to an immediate and forced separation. Her fiancée, Mike Beasley, took the infant home before any DNA results were available, raising suspicions about the legitimacy of custody decisions.

Family's Struggles and Lack of Communication

The separation from Thomas was not just a personal tragedy for Beverly but also had profound effects on her family. Renee Hightower struggled to gain access to her grandchildren, facing systemic obstacles and unresponsive authorities. The family's attempts to maintain contact and secure visitation rights were met with consistent refusals, exacerbating the emotional trauma endured by both Julia and her relatives.

Renee Hightower (22:34): "And what does that mean? Meaning she's not in a suicidal outfit. So I guess she's all right."

Investigative Irregularities and Potential Racial Bias

A significant revelation in the episode is the misclassification of Julia Beverly’s race in the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) files. Despite being of mixed heritage, Beverly was erroneously listed as African American, while her children were correctly identified as white. This discrepancy not only highlights potential bureaucratic negligence but also hints at possible racial biases that may have influenced the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.

Renee Hightower (23:25): "Wow."

Lauren Bright Pacheco underscores the lack of transparency and accountability within Williamson County, noting multiple resignations and scandals involving key officials such as former Sheriff Benny Vick and State’s Attorney Brendan Zanotti, who was implicated in fraud charges.

Legal Perspectives on Reproductive Rights

The episode brings to light the stringent reproductive rights laws in Illinois, particularly concerning incarcerated individuals. Emily Worth from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) explains that the Reproductive Health Act ensures bodily autonomy for pregnant inmates, mandating adequate prenatal care and the right to make informed decisions regarding childbirth and postnatal care.

Emily Worth (32:05): "It's about having bodily autonomy when it comes to making those decisions."

Despite these protections, Beverly’s experience starkly contrasts with the legal standards, as she was denied her rights during labor and delivery, leading to unnecessary distress and separation from her newborn.

Current Status and Ongoing Efforts

As of March 2024, efforts to exonerate Julia Beverly continue amidst mounting evidence suggesting investigative oversights and potential wrongful conviction. The lack of forensic examination of key evidence, such as Jade Beasley’s (the victim) electronic devices, remains a critical point of contention. Lauren reveals that unlike Julia’s phone, all devices belonging to the victim were not subjected to forensic scrutiny, potentially overlooking exculpatory evidence.

Bob Motta (48:32): "I still, as I sit here today, cannot believe that all of Jade's devices were not forensically examined. I cannot believe that's true at this point."

The episode also touches on the psychological and emotional toll on Beverly and her family, emphasizing the broader implications of corruption and misconduct within the local law enforcement.

Conclusion

"The Delivery" serves as a poignant exploration of Julia Beverly's plight, highlighting systemic failures, potential racial biases, and the devastating impact of wrongful conviction. By shedding light on the intricacies of Beverly's treatment in custody and the legal battles surrounding her pregnancy and motherhood, the episode underscores the urgent need for justice and accountability. As the investigation continues, Murder on Songbird Road leaves listeners questioning the integrity of the original case and pondering whether an innocent woman remains wrongfully convicted.

Notable Quotes

• Renee Hightower (05:01): "She wanted to nurture this baby as best she could in the situation she was in, but it was rough."
• Lauren Bright Pacheco (09:55): "I have yet to receive a response."
• Renee Hightower (22:00): "Very. Yeah. Because I knew this is going to be heart wrenching for her not being able to be with her baby..."
• Emily Worth (32:31): "Reproductive rights in the context of incarceration should mean the same thing as reproductive rights in any context..."

Final Thoughts

Episode 5, "The Delivery," is a compelling installment that not only revisits the tragic case of Julia Beverly but also critiques the systemic injustices within the criminal justice system. By intertwining personal narratives with legal analysis, Lauren Bright Pacheco and Bob Motta provide a comprehensive examination of the case, urging listeners to consider the broader implications of justice, human rights, and institutional accountability.

Transcript

[Narrator]

He was a boy Scout leader, a husband, a father. But he was leading a double life. He was a monster hiding in plain sight. Journey inside the mind of one of history's most notorious killers, btk, through the voices of the people who know him best. Listen to Monster BTK on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Nancy Grace]

Beautiful young women full of life and dreams, murdered or vanished without a trace. Their families left with nothing but heartbreak, questions and memories. I'm Nancy Grace. This week on Crime Stories, we uncover the truth behind these unsolved cases. We work to bring justice and answers to grieving families. Please don't miss Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Listen on the iHeartRadio app at Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarke]

Welcome to the Criminalia Podcast. I'm Maria Tremarke.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together, we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Maria Tremarke]

Each season we explore a new theme. From poisoners to art thieves.

[Holly Fry]

We uncover the secrets of history's most interesting figures, from legal injustices to body snatching.

[Maria Tremarke]

And tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in cocktails and mocktails inspired by each story.

[Holly Fry]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

It was big news.

[Holly Fry]

I mean, white girl gets murdered, found in a cemetery. Big, big news.

[Unknown Host]

A long investigation stalls until someone changes their story.

[Unknown Witness]

I, like, saw one thing that happened.

[Unknown Host]

An arrest, trial and conviction soon follow.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

He did not kill her.

[Unknown Host]

There's no way is the real killer right behind bars or still walking free. Did you kill her? Listen to the real Killer, Season 3 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Murder on Songbird Road is a production of I Heart Podcasts. Previously on Murder on Songbird Road. We're gonna head over to Hucks now, but there are three Hucks in the general vicinity. Which one did she go to?

[Renee Hightower]

It's going to be the one on Deyoung Street.

[Unknown Investigator]

All right, so it took us 9 minutes, 15 seconds to get here, catching that light, which we knew she caught the light as well.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

The prosecution contends it would have taken Beverly six to seven minutes to make the drive. She would have known because you manage a gas station, that would probably be the worst possible place if you wanted anonymity. So samples weren't collected from Beverly's car until the evening of the murder after it had been moved by someone on the scene. And not Beverly. Then they go to the dump and find three unrelated items.

[Unknown Investigator]

When knives are introduced of any kind.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

In a juror's mind, the damage is done. In the victim impact statement.

[Unknown Investigator]

Darkness, the light.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Oh, that's what I wrote down.

[Unknown Investigator]

Yeah.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

I want you to get into whether.

[Unknown Investigator]

Or not she's a fucking witch. It could be a motive as to why this girl was railroaded.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Yeah.

[Unknown Investigator]

You know what I'm saying? I mean, that kind of shit is frowned upon down here.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

I'm Lauren Bright, Pacheco, and this is Murder on Songbird Road. Within weeks of her arrest, while being held in Williamson county custody awaiting trial, Julia Beverly made a shocking but not entirely unexpected discovery. Here's Renee Hightower.

[Renee Hightower]

She found out she was pregnant in jail. I was happy for her, but I was hurting for her because I knew the situation. I knew they wanted another child.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Beverly and her now estranged former fiance, Mike Beasley, had been trying for a third child together, hoping for a son.

[Renee Hightower]

Julie has issues with her cervix and she wanted a boy with him. So they were trying one last time when all this happened.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

For Beverly, the pregnancy was a light in a sea of darkness.

[Renee Hightower]

She wanted to nurture this baby as best she could in the situation she was in, but it was. It was rough. It was rough.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

The best possible blessing at the worst possible time.

[Renee Hightower]

Yes, exactly.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Upon learning her daughter was pregnant, Hightower immediately began to petition the courts for a home based pregnancy. While awaiting trial, we went to get.

[Renee Hightower]

Her a bond reduction so she can come home with her pregnancy and be around people that care about her, people that love her and people she loves and see her children.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Because her bond was set for $2 million.

[Renee Hightower]

Yes. Yes. $2 million bond. And we went in for a reduction and Judge Green denied it. So her attorney said that she was going to try again at a later time. And his response was, I know you will. So we tried again when she was around eight months pregnant, and he denied it again. She even suggested wearing an ankle monitor. She wasn't going to go anywhere. If she did, they would immediately know that. And he denied it again. He gave two different reasons for each time we went. One was he was afraid that she was a flight risk. And the second one was my mother wouldn't be able to defend herself if anything were to happen because my mother was living here as well. He said my mother was on an oxygen machine and she was not capable of running away if Julie ever attacked her. That my mother wouldn't be able to defend herself if Julie got out of control.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Am I Wrong in remembering that there was also some issue that your house was too close to a school.

[Renee Hightower]

They brought it up in court.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

What was the implication? That Julie was some kind of a threat to children in general?

[Renee Hightower]

Yes. Keep her away from children and elderly. We appealed it, and then the appellate court denied it as well and upheld the judge's decision.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Keep in mind that Julia Beverly had no priors. And this was while she was awaiting trial, when she was supposed to have been given the presumption of innocence. Renee Hightower had immediate concerns about how her daughter was being treated after she was taken into custody in Williamson county, before she even knew she was pregnant.

[Renee Hightower]

I was trying to get ahold of her, and the second or third day she was in there, I was calling and calling. When I finally did talk to her, her, she said that the correction officers were almost parading her charges to everyone in there saying that she was child killer. And not only that, they said that her father was a police officer trying to rile up people in jail to.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Do things to her, to harm her. What would you say were your major concerns after Julie was arrested?

[Renee Hightower]

She had told me after she was in there three weeks, 21 days, she hadn't taken a shower or got the opportunity to brush her teeth at all since the time she stepped in there. And for 21 days following, I called the sheriff, spoke to him directly, Benny Vic. And I voiced my complaints. And he said, well, inmates lie all the time. And I said, well, she has no reason to lie about taking a shower or brushing her teeth. So I said, do you keep those things on record? And he said, yeah. And he was going to look into it. And he never called me back. And then once I got off the phone with him, I called her attorney and I told her the same thing. And she was beside herself. And she said she's going to take care of it. Well, Julie called me the next day and said she finally got her shower and got a semi kind of toothbrush to brush your teeth.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Under what precaution or protocol did they justify not allowing her to brush her teeth or shower for 21 days?

[Renee Hightower]

I've never heard an answer yet. No one returned any calls to me. No one has answered that question. Not one person.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Who do those officers report directly to?

[Renee Hightower]

The sheriff, I believe, who's now retired. Yes, Benny Vick, your call has been.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Forwarded to an automated voice messaging system. Hi, my name is Lauren Bright Pacheco, and I am a journalist trying to get in touch with Mr. Vick. I've reached out to former Williamson County Sheriff Benny Vick, to no avail. Since March 18, 2024, I've also attempted to contact current Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Diederich, making Freedom of Information act request for documentation of orders that dictated Beverly's treatment while pregnant and during the delivery of her son while she was in custody of Williamson county awaiting trial. At the date of this recording, I had yet to receive a response.

[Renee Hightower]

She wasn't treated like she was an innocent human being at all. It's sickening right down to what they were giving her to eat. It took her a while to get the vitamins that she needed. That was another reasoning for house release because she had issues with iron. So in case she needed an iron infusion, she finally started taking the vitamins. But nutrition was not there because a lot of the food that they were giving her, this was during COVID These are the excuses. Covid. So a lot of the meals were lunch meat. This went on for at least three to four months. Lunch meat for lunch and dinner that's filled with nitrates. Yes. Eating too much of that and her being pregnant can get listeria. It's just like at every opportunity that came to them to degrade her or belittle her or even torture her, they did it. They took that opportunity and did whatever they could. There were no presumptions of innocence while we were awaiting trial. There was none of that.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

None of it especially, it would seem, when it came to Beverly's labor and delivery. We'll be right back with Murder on Songbird Road.

[Narrator]

He was a boy scout leader, a church deacon, a husband, a father.

[Renee Hightower]

He went to a local church. He was going to the grocery store with us. He was the guy next door.

[Narrator]

But he was leading a double life.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

He was certainly a peeping Tom looking through the windows, looking at people, fantasizing.

[Unknown Investigator]

About what he could do.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

He then began entering the houses.

[Renee Hightower]

He could get into their home, take.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Something and get out and not be caught.

[Renee Hightower]

He felt very powerful.

[Narrator]

He was a monster hiding in plain sight.

[Renee Hightower]

Someone killed four members of a family. It just didn't happen. Here.

[Narrator]

Journey inside the mind of one of history's most notorious killers. Btk through the voices of the people who know him best. Listen to Monster BTK on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Nancy Grace]

Beautiful young women full of life and dreams. Murdered or vanished without a trace. Their families left with nothing but heartbreak, questions, and memories. I'm Nancy Grace. This week on Crime Stories, we uncover the truth behind these unsolved cases. We work to bring justice and answers to grieving families. Please don't miss crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarke]

Welcome to the Criminalia Podcast. I'm Maria Tremarke.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Maria Tremarke]

Each season we explore a new theme, everything from poisoners and pirates to art thieves and snake oil products and those who made and sold them.

[Holly Fry]

We uncover the stories and secrets of some of history's most compelling criminal figures, including a man who built a submarine as a getaway vehicle. Yep, that's a fact.

[Maria Tremarke]

We also look at what kinds of societal forces were at play at the time of the crime, from legal injustices to the ethics of body snatching, to see what, if anything, might look different through today's perspective.

[Holly Fry]

And be sure to tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in custom made cocktails and mocktails inspired by the stories. There's one for every story we tell.

[Maria Tremarke]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

It was big news.

[Holly Fry]

I mean, white girl gets murdered, found in a cemetery. Big, big news.

[Unknown Host]

When a young woman is murdered, a desperate search for answers takes investigators to some unexpected places. He believed it could be part of a satanic culture.

[Renee Hightower]

I think there were many individuals present. I don't know who pulled the trigger.

[Unknown Host]

A long investigation stalls until someone changes their story.

[Unknown Witness]

I like saw something that happened.

[Unknown Host]

An arrest, trial and conviction soon follow.

[Renee Hightower]

He just saw his body just kind of collapsing.

[Unknown Host]

Two decades later, a new team of lawyers says their client is innocent.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

He did not kill her.

[Unknown Host]

There's no way is the real killer rightly behind bars or still walking free. Are you capable of murder?

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

I definitely am not.

[Unknown Host]

Did you kill her? Listen to the real Killer, Season 3 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Now back to Murder on Songbird Road. In a six page letter, Julie Beverly shared the circumstances of her son's birth. While in custody of Williamson, I have asked her cousin Nikki to read excerpts of that letter.

[Unknown Witness]

July 28, 2021 was one of the best days of my life. And it turned into the hardest days. I gave birth to my fourth child, Thomas. It was hard birth because a few hours earlier I was told for the first time that he would be taken.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Beverly goes on to explain that she was awoken in her cell at 10pm By Williamson County Jail nurse Marilyn Reynolds, who was accompanied by a corrections officer and a police lieutenant. Beverly was informed she was being taken to the hospital to be induced.

[Unknown Witness]

When we arrived at the hospital, Marilyn and the corrections officer Stucker stayed in the room with me. Nurses started my intake, and at that time they asked if I had planned to bottle or breastfeed. I said I wanted to breastfeed while I stayed in the hospital room. Then Marilyn Reynolds tells me that the judge ordered Thomas would be taken as soon as the umbilical cord was cut. I wanted to scream at that moment. I said, no one told me this. Her reply was, well, your attorney. And the judge signed off on it.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Not only was Beverly not informed as to the plan to immediately seize her son, she was denied access to contacting her lawyers or family. Reynolds apparently ordered the phone removed from Beverly's hospital room.

[Unknown Witness]

All I could think is, I didn't want to be here. I wanted to keep him inside until he was ready to come out and I'm ready for him. I didn't want to hand him to anyone, and I wanted him to stay until the case was resolved so that I could take him home. I was not prepared, would never be prepared to give Thomas to anyone.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Beverly was forced to give birth with two Williams and county jail employees in her room.

[Unknown Witness]

My only support system was Marilyn and the corrections officer Stucker, two people I did not want with me.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

There was a person who showed Beverly kindness and compassion immediately after Thomas was born. Her OB GYN, Dr. Andrea Humphrey, by refusing to immediately cut the umbilical cord.

[Unknown Witness]

Hearing that first cry is always the most amazing feeling. He only cried for a few seconds once he was placed on my chest. He was calm. Then Dr. Humphrey did for me the most heartfelt, amazing thing. I will never be able to express how appreciative I am for her. She gave me the golden hour. It's an hour where the umbilical cord stays attached and the mother and child are able to bond. She gave me an hour when the courts and the corrections officers wanted to give me seconds.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Dr. Humphrey also made sure that photos of that hour were taken before Beverly's son was taken from her.

[Unknown Witness]

That hour was the best thing ever. I got to hold him and kiss him, breastfed him, and most important, tell him that I loved him and that I will forever love him.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

The pictures are heartbreaking. In them, Beverly's face clearly shows the strain of having just given birth and the emotional weight of balancing her love for her newborn son with their inevitable separation.

[Unknown Witness]

Then the dreaded moment came. Dr. Humphrey said it's time. It was like Thomas knew because he started crying. And of course, I immediately started crying. And I'm crying now, just reliving the moment. It broke my heart. I didn't want him to leave.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

When a hospital staff member came in to discuss the birth certificate, Julia Beverly endured additional heartbreak, and it involved the man she'd lived with for nearly eight years and already had two other children with Mike Beasley.

[Unknown Witness]

She said he didn't want to sign the birth certificate without a DNA test. It felt like a slap in the face. So he basically said he believed that I had cheated on him. I had never given him reason to believe that he was the love of my life and the only person I was with. So my name was the only one on the birth certificate.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Less than 24 hours after giving birth and still bleeding heavily, Beverly was shackled and returned to the Williamson county prison, her breasts painfully swollen with milk meant for the son she has not seen or held since. And then came another blow to Beverly.

[Unknown Witness]

I found out later that day that Mike took Thomas home before the DNA results came back. I don't know why he was able to take him when he wouldn't sign the birth certificate.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

As we'll further discuss, the circumstances surrounding Beverly's birth and the custody of her son are even more controversial than they are cruel. But alone in her cell, Beverly, stripped of her newborn, felt powerless and despondent.

[Unknown Witness]

I fell into a deep depression again. It was a rough couple of weeks.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

After that, Julia Beverly ended her letter with this.

[Unknown Witness]

It's hard going back to these moments.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Even before reading the letter, the way in which Beverly was forced to give birth and the way in which her son was taken was hard for her cousin Nikki to process.

[Unknown Witness]

It's horrific. It's inhumane. I can't even imagine. I was so worried for her leading up to the birth, just because I know having had three kids, everything it takes out of you and everything that you go through, it's all worth it in the end because they are you and they're a part of you. And for her to have to do that with nobody that cared for her, really, to be alone and have to do that and then have to leave without him, I just can't.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

It still is extremely upsetting, especially if, as Nikki vehemently believes, Julia Beverly was wrongfully accused and convicted. Back to Beverly's mother, Renee Hightower. How did you find out that your grandson was born?

[Renee Hightower]

My friend, actually, she used to work at the hospital. So she called saying that she needed to check on Julia Beverly, she got through to the nurse's station up there. And they told her what time she came in. And she asked how she was doing. And then she called me and told me that she was there. So that's how I found out because I wasn't getting calls from Julie at all. And I was worried about her. And then when I called immediately after, they told me she wasn't there. And this was within 10, 15 minutes.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

So she's put back in solitary confinement basically when she gets back to the jail?

[Renee Hightower]

Pretty much, yeah.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

And she's not reaching out to you?

[Renee Hightower]

No.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

And you're probably concerned again.

[Renee Hightower]

Very. Yeah. Because I knew this is going to be heart wrenching for her not being able to be with her baby and the whole situation in its entirety. And she didn't call me. I sent a text and I didn't get a response from that. So I called the jail and I talked to an officer who was a woman, and I. I said, I know she had the baby. I'm just checking to see if she's all right. She's not calling me. And they said, I guess she's okay. She's not in a smock.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

And what does that mean?

[Renee Hightower]

Meaning she's not in a suicidal outfit. So I guess she's all right.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

It is of interest to add that I've been given portions of Beverly's DCFS case file by an anonymous source. For some reason, Beverly, who is half white, is listed as black on the reports. Yet all four of her children whose fathers are white are listed as white again. Marion, Illinois is 86% white. Here's Renee Hightower's reaction. I have the page. It's on page two of 15. Julia Beverly, adult female, black, African American. Jade Beasley, child female, white. I'm not going to use the kids names, but Mike and Julia's one year old child is listed as female and white, and Jaden is listed as white.

[Renee Hightower]

Wow.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

As is the eldest daughter that Julia and Mike share. White. All the kids are white and just Julie is black?

[Unknown Investigator]

Yep.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

How. How does that happen? Get me that view of Beverly as other. Seems to have also impacted the way her entire family was treated even before the trial. Particularly when Hightower was petitioning to have Beverly stay with her during the pregnancy.

[Renee Hightower]

The sad part about one of these things is when she was up for that hearing to the appellate court for her to be on house arrest just for the birth of her baby. And we were waiting on the results for that. And when those results came back, they were not given to Thee. They were not given to me. They were not given to Julie. Yet. Mike's family made a huge post on their Facebook, denied in all capital O's with exclamation points. And that's how we learned. That's how we learned.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

There seems to be huge lack of communication, but it seems to just be in one direction.

[Renee Hightower]

Yep.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

A quick aside. When this interview was taped In March of 2024, Thomas was nearly three years old. And so when did you first get the chance to meet Thomas?

[Renee Hightower]

I have yet to meet Thomas. I have not met him yet. I've seen the pictures that Julie got from the hospital, and that's all I have.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Brene Hightower had been denied access to Beverly's three youngest children, her grandchildren. Since the arrest, Mike is keeping three.

[Renee Hightower]

Of Julie's children from me.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

On what grounds?

[Renee Hightower]

He states that he's doing it for the protection of his children. And I'm not sure what that means.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

That's one half of their family.

[Renee Hightower]

Yeah. Yeah. And this is not something that was done later in this case. This was done immediately, immediately upon Julie's arrest. As soon as she was arrested, it was completely cut off. Even when Thomas was born, I reached out. Anything you need to help with the baby, let me know. I'll help any way I can. Everything goes unanswered.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

That's got to be so painful.

[Renee Hightower]

It is. It is. Very. And then I have Jaden here, who is missing out on three of his siblings, and he comes to see me every other weekend, yet he can't see his own siblings. And Mike has a direct line to Jaden where he doesn't have to go through me or anyone else. And he still doesn't maintain contact with him. And Jayden sends text messages all the time wanting to talk to the girls, and those go unanswered.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Hightower has had no choice but resort to petitioning the courts for access to her grandchildren.

[Renee Hightower]

There was always an excuse, like clockwork. Every two weeks, I would request to see them, and my requests would either go unanswered or it would be, it's not a good time, or I'll let you know. And this went on for a year and a half, and I finally looked into getting an attorney. I ended up filing for grandparent visitation. Never did. I think it would take years.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

You have reached the non emergency line.

[Renee Hightower]

For Williamson County Sheriff's Department. If this is an emergency, please hang.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Up and dial 91 1. Please listen carefully. By the fall of 2024, it's important to stress just how unresponsive Williamson county had been to my outreach for information pertine the case against Julie Beverly. This occurred on multiple levels across multiple branches.

[Renee Hightower]

For Williamson County Jail, please press one. Williamson County Jail.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Hi, may I please speak with Marilyn Reynolds? Just one minute. Record your message. Hi, Ms. Reynolds. My name is Lauren Bright Pacheco and I am a journalist who is looking into the Julia Beverly case. I'm calling because I believe that you were the attending nurse on duty when she gave birth to her son Thomas on 7 hours, 28 minutes and 21 second when she was in custody of Williamson county awaiting trial. I'm just calling because I'm trying to find out where the order to remove the infant immediately upon birth. Ms. Beverly contends that you gave the direction, but I cannot find any official order, so I'm hoping you can clear that up for me. And also who gave the order for members of the Department of Correction to be in the room while she was giving birth? Again, my name is Lauren Bright Pacheco. After many failed attempts, I finally did manage to get Williamson County Jail nurse Marilyn Reynolds on the phone. She refused to answer any of my questions as to whose orders she was working under and directed me back to the Williamson County Sheriff's Office for information. Sheriff Diederich ignored more than a dozen of my requests via phone and email for information and records pertaining to Julia Beverly's case. If you could give me a holler back, I am a. Thank you so much. Out of frustration, I contacted the Williamson County State's Attorney, Ted Hampson, who replaced the former Williamson County State's Attorney Brandon Zanati. Zanati Zanotti, having resigned under somewhat dubious circumstances. A former Southern Illinois state's attorney has pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge. Former Williamson County State's Attorney Brendan Zanotti pled guilty to a charge of false entry of bank records and involves Southern Trust bank branches in Marion, Vienna and Goreville. That charge carries with it the possibility of jail time and a fine. In March of 2024, I started reaching out to Justin Mays, the Williamson County Circuit Clerk. After several unresponsive weeks, he linked me with an assistant State's Attorney, Jerry Adams. On May 30, she forwarded as a quote, courtesy an amended temporary custody order signed by a judge claiming it provided the information I was seeking, even though there was no mention of birthing protocol or the immediate removal of beveling. When pressed as to who initiated those specific orders, she responded that Sheriff Benny Vick had retired before wishing me, quote, good luck. Months later, the Williamson County Circuit clerk who'd linked us. Justin Mays resigned after being caught up in the same real estate and banking scandal as former Williamson County State's Attorney Brandon Zanotti. Here is Renee Hightowers.

[Renee Hightower]

Take For a long time, I've heard people complain about Williamson county, and I just chalked it up as, oh my God, well, if you do the right thing, you won't have nothing to complain about. I've thought a lot about that. And then when my ex husband became a police officer, I learned the other side of the law from a police officer's perspective. And I never thought about any of the corruption or the poor judgment and the poor behavior of some of these officers until this happened to Julie. I never seen this side until I was in it. I have not ever seen this level of corruption anywhere in my life, anywhere from the lying and the coverups. And it's just drip, drip, drip in the bucket. We've got full bucket and it's still going. It's unbelievable.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Because of the ongoing lack of response to my Freedom of Information act requests, I eventually contacted the Attorney General's Office of Illinois. But federal investigations, scandals, and retirements aside, why would Williamson county be so reluctant to provide transparency regarding Beverly's pregnancy, delivery and the immediate removal of her son while in their custody?

[Emily Worth]

My name is Emily Worth and I am a senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Illinois.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

According to the American Civil Liberties Union, Illinois state law is quite clear as to the reproductive rights of incarcerated individuals.

[Emily Worth]

Reproductive rights in the context of incarceration should mean the same thing as reproductive rights in any context, which is the right to make your own autonomous decisions about reproductive health care, whether that's contraception, abortion, prenatal care, care during labor and delivery. It's really about having bodily autonomy when it comes to making those decisions.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Can you give me just a general overview of reproductive rights while incarcerated in Illinois?

[Emily Worth]

Within Illinois, we have a state law called the Reproductive Health act that sets standards for everyone in the state to have basic reproductive rights. And the Reproductive Health act does apply to anyone who's in the custody of a county jail. So within the state of Illinois, the reproductive rights that you have do not vary from county to county. Everyone in Illinois is guaranteed the same reproductive rights by the Reproductive Health Act. We also have a number of additional specific laws here in Illinois that deal with particular issues related to pregnancy care while someone is incarcerated in prison or jail, relating to things like the use of solitary confinement, the use of restraints during pregnancy and postpartum, and other issues unique to Someone who is experiencing pregnancy or has recently given birth, what are.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Those rights specifically in terms of prenatal care?

[Emily Worth]

So someone who is pregnant while incarcerated in Illinois has the right to receive adequate prenatal care that ensures that they have a healthy pregnancy. They have the right to make their own decisions about whether to continue that pregnancy or to obtain an abortion. If they do continue the pregnancy, they have the right to make decisions about how they give birth, for example, whether or not to have an epidural, whether or not to have a C section, whether or not to be induced. They have those rights to make those decisions.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

In terms of the specific amount of time that an incarcerated person is allowed to stay with their newborn in Illinois, are there laws around that time frame or window?

[Emily Worth]

The current law is that someone who's incarcerated has a right to have their baby stay with them for 72 hours after giving birth, unless the doctor says that that isn't safe. That became the law on July 1st of 2021.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Got it. And so it's the doctors call, basically not a judge or a correctional facility nurse.

[Emily Worth]

That's correct. The law says that the determination is to be made by a medical professional. The law became effective July 1, 2021.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

A point of note, Julia Beverly's son Thomas was born July 28, 2021, nearly a full month after that law went into effect. We did talk about the 72 hour window that the incarcerated individual is entitled to spend with their newborn, but we didn't talk about the rights specifically during delivery and birth.

[Emily Worth]

So during labor and delivery, there should be no shackles whatsoever used on an incarcerated person. And any correctional staff that are at the hospital should be posted outside the delivery room.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Now, was that a change that was made at the same time that the 72 hours was?

[Emily Worth]

I believe that change was made earlier. That was the law even prior to 2021.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

What recourse does an individual, an individual Illinois specifically have if they believe their reproductive rights were violated while they were incarcerated?

[Emily Worth]

This Reproductive Health act includes a right of action, includes a right to sue the government if you believe that your reproductive rights have been violated.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Murder on Songbird Road will continue after this.

[Narrator]

He was a Boy Scout leader, a church deacon, a husband, a father.

[Renee Hightower]

He went to a local church. He was going to the grocery store with us. He was the guy next door, but.

[Narrator]

He was leading a double life.

[Unknown Witness]

He was certainly a peeping Tom, looking.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Through the windows, looking at people, fantasizing.

[Unknown Investigator]

About what he could do.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

He then began entering the houses.

[Renee Hightower]

He could get into their home, take.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Something and get out and not be caught.

[Renee Hightower]

He felt very powerful.

[Narrator]

He was a monster hiding in plain sight.

[Renee Hightower]

Someone killed four members of a family. It just didn't happen here.

[Narrator]

Journey inside the mind of one of history's most notorious killers, btk through the voices of the people, people who know him best. Listen to Monster BTK on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Nancy Grace]

Beautiful young women full of life and dreams, murdered or vanished without a trace. Their families left with nothing but heartbreak, questions and memories. I'm Nancy Grace. This week on Crime Stories, we uncover the truth behind these unsolved cases. We work to bring justice and answers to grieving families. Please don't miss Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarke]

Welcome to the Criminalia podcast. I'm Maria Tremarke.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Maria Tremarke]

Each season we explore a new theme. Everything from poisoners and pirates to art thieves and snake oil products and those who made and sold them.

[Holly Fry]

We uncover the stories and secrets of some of history's most compelling criminal figures, including a man who built a submarine as a getaway vehicle. Yep, that's a fact.

[Maria Tremarke]

We also look at what kinds of societal forces were at play at the time of the crime, from legal injustices to the ethics of body snatching, to see what, if anything, might look different through today's perspective.

[Holly Fry]

And be sure to tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in custom made cocktails and mocktails inspired by the stories. There's one for every story we tell.

[Maria Tremarke]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

It was big news.

[Holly Fry]

I mean, white girl gets murdered, found in a cemetery. Big, big news.

[Unknown Host]

When a young woman is murdered, a desperate search for answers takes investigators to some unexpected places. He believed it could be part of a satanic cult.

[Renee Hightower]

I think there were many individuals present. I don't know who pulled the trigger.

[Unknown Host]

A long investigation stalls until someone changes their story.

[Unknown Witness]

I, like, saw one thing that happened.

[Unknown Host]

An arrest, trial and conviction soon follow.

[Renee Hightower]

He just saw his body just kind of collapsing.

[Unknown Host]

Two decades later, a new team of lawyers says their client is innocent.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

He did not kill her.

[Unknown Host]

There's no way is the real killer rightly behind bars or still walking free. Are you capable of murder?

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

I definitely am not.

[Unknown Host]

Did you kill her? Listen to the real killer. Season three on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Here again is Murder on Songbird Road. In April of 2024, I visited Beverly in the Illinois facility she was transferred to. After her sentencing, I flew into Chicago and drove a rental car two and a half hours south to Lincoln, Illinois. Afterwards, I connected with Bob Mota. It was really interesting, the difference between the women's facility and the men's facilities that I've been in. Yeah, I mean, right away it's sprawled out. So originally it was built as a home for women who didn't want to keep their children. And I guess they'd give birth and then give the children up for adoption. But there's nothing but just cornfields, basically just farmland and then this brick structure that's all sprawled out in little houses. You almost get the feeling that it's a religious retreat or some kind of school, even.

[Unknown Investigator]

If that's the vibe, we know, that's not what it is, that's for sure.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

I was the only visitor who signed up for the 4:30 to 8:30 time slot.

[Unknown Investigator]

Really.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

So once I went through, and of course they pat you down and you had to declare every piece of metal on your body. And then they led me through to another building where Julie was just sitting by herself. The first thing that I was taken aback by was her size.

[Renee Hightower]

She.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

She is so tiny.

[Unknown Investigator]

She's tiny.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Tiny. She's tiny.

[Unknown Investigator]

She really is.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

And also she was so pale. And I mention that because she doesn't look like her mugshot. That's the thing that she hears most often. People don't recognize her from her mugshot because the mugshot really almost looks like it's in black and white. It is a darker version of Julie, which I find interesting because of the layers that race plays in this case particularly. It's almost as if they wanted to magnify the half black side of her. So I don't know if there was some tampering at work in terms of that photo. But then I think about that press conference that Zanatti, the then state's attorney, when he held up the photo of Julie. Cause he announced the murder and her arrest during the same press conference and then held up this picture of Jade that's three years old at that point, but very, very vibrant. And you see the blonde hair and you see pink as her favorite color everywhere in that photo. And the juxtaposition with the dark, grainy GR of the black and white feel to Julie's mugshot is just jarring.

[Unknown Investigator]

Yeah. Well, I mean, in terms of the picture of Jade, it's completely a misrepresentation of what she looked like at the time that the crime occurred. I mean, she was a big kid. When I first laid eyes on a photograph of Jade, I never in a million years would have thought that she was 11 years old. No way.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Yeah, she looked older in her physicality. Also the size difference. I am closer to Jade's size, almost. Yeah, exactly. And I towered over Julie. Towered over her. And if she and I were to get into a physical interaction, my size would be such an advantage. I doubt Julie could pen me. I seriously doubt it. And there was something else we'll return to later in greater detail. That knife wielding masked man Beverly claims to have encountered. She placed his height at only 5, 6 or so. If he was an imaginary bogeyman Beverly had concocted to feign innocence, why wouldn't she have claimed he was more physically imposing? Why make up a man who's several inches shorter than the average American male? But back to issues with Beverly's birth, which I discussed with Bob and his wife Allison, who is also a criminal defense attorney. So Beverly was at the hospital when the jail nurse informed her that she would not be able to keep the baby at all. Right, but before that, give up her parental rights. I mean, she. No, no, no. There's a temporary order. I have a copy of that. It was temporary for Mike, but never did she waive her parental rights or custody.

[Unknown Investigator]

She's not getting visitation?

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

No. She's not seen any of her children since her arrest.

[Unknown Investigator]

She hasn't seen any of her kids since the arrest.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Someone's not bringing them or why Mike's not bringing them. Beverly's family. So her mother and siblings have had no access.

[Unknown Investigator]

Julie's mom, the grandmother, is not even seeing the kids at all?

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

No.

[Renee Hightower]

She can pick the kids up and bring them to the mom, but I guess Dad's not letting her, right?

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

No, no, no. Not letting her. They have no access. She's never met Thomas. Julia had lost all access to the children she shares with Mike Beasley as well. Even as Mike's new girlfriend, a stranger to Beverly and her family, was on social media posting about them as if they were her own. Even though I'm waiting on more Freedom of Information act requests, I don't think that anyone involved had proper authority to remove Beverly's infant or hand him off to someone who had refused to sign the birth certificate. And I don't think that Beverly's treatment in Williamson County Is exactly an anomaly.

[Unknown Investigator]

100%.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

A simple Google search would reveal multiple suits brought by former detainees naming Williamson County Jail nurse Marilyn Reynolds as a defendant. Whose authority was she acting upon when she removed that baby immediately after birth? It would have had to have been with the oversight of the then sheriff vic, who was also named in tons of these other lawsuits in addition to the nurse.

[Unknown Investigator]

Yeah, that makes sense.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

There are also multiple suits naming former sheriff Benny Vick as a defendant, Many of which include Williamson County Jail nurse Marilyn Reynolds. And then you've got the tons of people who've retired or resigned since Beverly's arrest. The former sheriff, the former lead investigator, the former state's attorney. And it's kind of as if accountability left with them.

[Unknown Investigator]

Yeah, for sure.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

It was just another in the many troubling patterns that our investigation seemed to be unearthing. It is this vilification not only of Julie, but her entire family, Because Julie's entire family has been kept from the children, not just Julie, which is crazy.

[Unknown Investigator]

Yeah, it played itself out in the way that the trial was conducted. It played itself out in the way that the investigation, or lack thereof, was conducted. I mean, this was a classic case of tunnel vision.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

And, I mean, Beverly and her supporters do claim that only evidence that could incriminate her was presented or tested, From DNA to things like cell phones and electronics found at the crime scene.

[Unknown Investigator]

There's no doubt about it. I mean, as soon as we can get an appellate lawyer that's going to dig into the investigation that didn't take place with the things that they didn't do that are inexplicable in terms of devices that weren't looked at, DNA that wasn't tested. I still, as I sit here today, cannot believe that all of Jade's devices were not forensically examined. I cannot believe that that's true at this point.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

It was our understanding that while the phone belonging to Julia Beverly was searched and tracked, Build a timeline of her movements. None of Jade's electronics, not her cell phone, Chromebook, laptop, or gaming device, were subjected to a forensic search. Why is this important? Because if there was any activity on any of them after the 45 minute window during which the prosecution contends Beverly brutally murdered Jade Beasley, Beverly's innocence would be more than arguable. That could have been potentially exculpatory evidence. Because if it showed that Julie was at the gas station at the exact time Jade was texting. Agreed, but we needed access to the investigation reports and the trial transcripts to prove it.

[Unknown Investigator]

I want to get the transcripts. It's very frustrating not being able to get our hands on things.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

We can get the trial transcripts from Julie. I couldn't because I wasn't there on a legal visit, but you could. On the next Murder on Songbird Road, Mike Beasley's family shares their take on Julia Beverly. That is where we believe the jealousy came in and where we believe she snapped. Allegations of witchcraft are made going online.

[Unknown Witness]

And making such a tasteless coke because because of the way that she was murdered in trying to make that insinuation.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

Just to stir the pot. And I head to Salem, Massachusetts to confront the root of the accusations. The people down there associate witchcraft with something evil, so they're trying to associate evil with Julie. Murder on Songbird Road is a production of I Heart Podcasts. Our executive producers are Taylor Chicoin and Lauren Bright Pacheco. Research, writing and hosting by Lauren Bright Pacheco Investigative reporting by Bob Motta and Lauren Bright Pacheco Editing, sound design and original music by Evan Tyre and Taylor Chicoine. Additional music by Asher Kurtz Archival elements courtesy of WSIL News 3. Please like subscribe and leave us a review wherever you're listening. You can follow me on all platforms at LaurenBright Pacheco and email the show with thoughts, suggestions or tips@instimating murderheartmedia.com for more I Heart Podcasts, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your favorite shows. Thanks for listening.

[Narrator]

He was a Boy Scout leader, a husband, a father. But he was leading a double life. He was a monster hiding in plain sight. Journey inside the mind of one of history's most notorious killers, btk through the voices of the people who know him best. Listen to Monster BTK on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Nancy Grace]

Beautiful young women full of life and dreams, murdered or vanished without a trace. Their families left with nothing but heartbreak, questions and memories. I'm Nancy Grace. This week on Crime Stories, we uncover the truth behind these unsolved cases. We work to bring justice and answers to grieving families. Please don't miss Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarke]

Welcome to the Criminalia Podcast. I'm Maria Tremarke.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together, we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Maria Tremarke]

Each season we explore a new theme. From poisoners to art thieves, we uncover.

[Holly Fry]

The secrets of history's most interesting figures. From legal injustices to body snatching.

[Maria Tremarke]

And tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in cocktails and mocktails inspired by each story.

[Holly Fry]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

It was big news.

[Holly Fry]

I mean, white girl gets murdered, found in a cemetery. Big, big news.

[Unknown Host]

A long investigation st until someone changes their story.

[Unknown Witness]

I like saw something that happened.

[Unknown Host]

An arrest, trial and conviction soon follow.

[Lauren Bright Pacheco]

He did not kill her.

[Unknown Host]

There's no way is the Real Killer rightly behind bars or still walking free. Did you kill her? Listen to The Real Killer Season 3 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.