Bethany Man Arrested In Wife's Fatal Stabbing

News9.com

BETHANY, Oklahoma -- Bethany Police arrested a man after he reported his wife had been fatally stabbed to death inside their home.

The incident happened at about 6:35 p.m. Saturday in the 7600 block of N.W. 25th Street, which is a few blocks north of Deaconess Hospital in Bethany.

Reginald Scott Bartlett, 58, told police he came home and found his wife, 57-year-old Cathy Bartlett, had been stabbed several times.

When police arrived they said it appeared the home may have been burglarized.

"There were a couple of drawers pulled out and things thrown on the ground," said Bethany Police Captain David Rogers. "We think that there's some things missing from the house."

Bartlett was taken to a local hospital Saturday night. Officers said he was very distraught over the incident, and they were concerned for his safety.

On Sunday morning, Bartlett was released from the hospital and was interviewed by police. After a subsequent investigation and interviews, Bartlett was arrested and booked into the Oklahoma County jail on a murder complaint.

Bartlett has worked for the city of Bethany as a supervisor at their water treatment plant for more 20 years.

Police said Bartlett was well known and well liked and was not the kind of person they thought was capable of such a heinous crime.

"In my 25 years of being an officer you always say you never know, and he is one I would have never guessed," said Bethany Police Lt. Phillip Wise.

Wise didn't say what Bartlett's motive was, only that it was highly unusual. He said those details will come out when court documents are made public Monday.