The Baby Snatcher: Did She Deserve It or Was She a Victim Herself?

In 2004, a crime shocked the small town of Skidmore, Missouri, and the nation. Bobbie Jo Stinnett, a pregnant woman, was brutally murdered, and her baby was taken from her womb. This article explores the details of the crime, the investigation, and the subsequent trial of Lisa Montgomery, the woman convicted of this heinous act.

The Victim: Bobbie Jo Stinnett

Bobbie Jo Stinnett grew up in Graham, Missouri, and was known for her kindness and love for horses and dogs. She and her husband, Zebulon "Zeb" Stinnett, were high school sweethearts and had graduated from Nodaway-Holt High School in 2000. At the age of 23, Bobbie Jo was eight months pregnant with their first child. The couple lived in Skidmore, a tiny farming town with a population of around 250 people.

Bobbie Jo worked at the Kawasaki Manufacturing Plant in nearby Maryville and ran a dog breeding business, Happy Haven Farms, with Zeb from their home. On December 15, 2004, she met a woman named Darlene Fisher in an online chat room for rat terrier enthusiasts called Ratter Chatter. Darlene was interested in buying a terrier puppy from their most recent litter, and Bobbie Jo gave her address, coordinating a time to meet the next day.

The Crime Scene

On December 16, 2004, Bobbie Jo's mother, Becky Harper, stopped by her daughter's house to check on her. She found Bobbie Jo lying on the dining room floor in a pool of her own blood. Bobbie Jo was dead, and her unborn baby was missing. Becky immediately called the police, describing her daughter's wounds as looking as if her stomach had exploded. Paramedics were unsuccessful in their attempts to revive Bobbie Jo, and she was pronounced dead at St. Francis Hospital in Maryville.

An Amber Alert was issued for a red Toyota Corolla seen in Bobbie Jo's driveway, hoping to enlist the public's help. Initially, the alert was denied because it had never been used for an unborn child, but Congressman Sam Graves intervened, and the alert request was granted.

The Investigation

Back at the crime scene, investigators found no sign of forced entry, indicating that Bobbie Jo likely knew her attacker. Evidence showed a gruesome and violent struggle had taken place. Bobbie Jo had been strangled from behind, fell unconscious, and then her stomach was cut open. Blood on her feet indicated she regained consciousness at some point after her stomach was cut. There was enough blood on the floor to come up between her toes and soak into her toenails. Blondish-brown hair was found in her closed fist, indicating she had put up a fight against her attacker.

The Breakthrough

The Ratter Chatter forum was abuzz with news of Bobbie Jo's murder. One member recalled that a woman named Darlene had contacted Bobbie Jo about buying a puppy the day before the murder. This lead helped police track Darlene's IP address to a home in Melvern, Kansas, belonging to Lisa and Kevin Montgomery.

Bobbie Jo and Lisa had met earlier that year through dog show events and had ongoing interactions in the Ratter Chatter chat room. Lisa had confided to Bobbie Jo that she was also pregnant, leading the two women to bond over their pregnancies and love of dogs.

The Arrest

On December 17, 2004, police arrived at the Montgomery residence in Melvern. They noticed a car matching the description of the one listed in the Amber Alert. Inside, they found Lisa Montgomery holding a baby named Abigail. The baby had a cut over her eye. Lisa told the police she had delivered the baby at a nearby birthing center in Topeka, but her story quickly fell apart during questioning.

Lisa eventually confessed to driving 130 miles to Skidmore on December 16, strangling Bobbie Jo, and using a kitchen knife to cut the baby out of Bobbie Jo's womb. Lisa was charged with kidnapping resulting in death. The baby was safely recovered and returned to Zeb, who renamed her Victoria Jo.

The Perpetrator: Lisa Montgomery

Lisa Montgomery's life was marred by abuse and trauma. Born on February 27, 1968, in Melvern, Kansas, her mother, Judy, was an alcoholic, which caused Lisa to be born with permanent brain damage. Her father was often absent due to his military service. Lisa and her half-sister, Diane, were raised in a home where physical, emotional, and sexual abuse were common.

At the age of 14, Lisa's mother discovered the abuse but blamed Lisa, believing she had seduced her stepfather. Judy then trafficked Lisa, allowing men to abuse her in exchange for work on the house. Lisa turned to alcohol to escape the abuse.

Lisa married her stepbrother, Carl Bowman, at 18, hoping to escape the chaotic home. However, the relationship was violent. They had four children together, but Lisa's mental health continued to deteriorate. She claimed to be pregnant several times, despite having her tubes tied after the birth of her last child.

In 1998, Lisa left Carl and married Kevin Montgomery in 2000. During their marriage, Lisa claimed to be pregnant three more times, the last time being in 2004, with a due date of January 16, 2005.

The Trial

Lisa's trial began in October 2007. Her defense team argued that she suffered from depression, borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and phantom pregnancy, a condition where a woman believes she is pregnant despite not being so. However, the prosecution's forensic psychiatrist dismissed these diagnoses as "voodoo science."

Lisa was convicted of murder on October 22, 2007, and received a death sentence on October 26. Her appeals team argued that her mental illnesses and traumatic history were not adequately presented during the trial. Despite their efforts, Lisa's execution was scheduled for December 8, 2020. It was delayed due to her attorney contracting COVID-19 but was eventually carried out on January 13, 2021.

Conclusion

The case of Lisa Montgomery is a tragic tale of severe abuse, mental illness, and a heinous crime. While some argue that Lisa was as much a victim as she was a perpetrator, the brutal nature of her crime left a lasting impact on Bobbie Jo Stinnett's family and community. Lisa's story raises important questions about the treatment of mental illness and trauma in the criminal justice system and the balance between justice and compassion.

The complexities and strange occurrences surrounding this case make it one of the most perplexing in recent history.