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Investigations, Rebecca Beard, Texas Cold Cases, True Crime

Rebecca Beard Part 2: Early Police Reports Reveal the First Days of the Investigation

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Featured image for “Rebecca Beard Part 2: Early Police Reports Reveal the First Days of the Investigation,” highlighting conflicting timelines involving Arch Aplin, police reports, an investigative synopsis, Rebecca Beard’s 1986 planner, and Paul Taylor’s former home.
Early police records reveal conflicting timelines in the Rebecca Beard investigation. This graphic compares witness statements, investigative documents, and Rebecca’s personal planner to examine how the investigation evolved during its first days. Reporting by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose.

Rebecca Beard Part 2: Early Police Reports Show How the Investigation Evolved

Rebecca Beard disappeared during the early morning hours of March 2, 1986, after spending the previous evening at the Excalibur Club in Freeport, Texas. During the first days of the investigation, detectives worked to reconstruct her final hours by interviewing friends, coworkers, club patrons, and anyone who may have seen her before she vanished.

The earliest police reports provide a snapshot of where the investigation began. At that stage, detectives had not narrowed their focus to one individual. Instead, they documented numerous interviews, followed multiple leads, and worked to establish Rebecca’s last known movements.

Nearly four decades later, those reports remain important because they show how the investigation developed over time.

Detectives Worked to Build Rebecca Beard’s Timeline

Present-day view of the former Excalibur Club building in Freeport, Texas, showing the storefront with boarded windows and the location where Rebecca Beard was last reported seen before her disappearance in 1986.
The former Excalibur Club in Freeport, Texas, as it appears today. Investigators interviewed witnesses who were at the nightclub as they worked to reconstruct Rebecca Beard’s movements during the early days of the 1986 investigation.

One of the first priorities involved determining Rebecca’s movements after she left the Excalibur Club.

Investigators interviewed witnesses who had been with Rebecca that evening or reported seeing her during the early morning hours. Detectives compared those statements in an effort to establish a reliable timeline.

The reports also reference a gold Chevrolet Camaro Z-28. Detectives attempted to identify the vehicle, determine who owned it, and learn whether it played a role in Rebecca’s disappearance.

Those early efforts demonstrate how investigators attempted to preserve every possible lead.

Arch “Beaver” Aplin Was Among the First Witnesses Interviewed

Arch “Beaver” Aplin III speaks during the Buc-ee’s grand opening in Goodyear, Arizona, wearing a white cowboy hat, glasses, and a gray sport coat.
Arch “Beaver” Aplin III at the Buc-ee’s grand opening in Goodyear, Arizona. This image was captured by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose. Aplin was interviewed by investigators on March 5, 1986, during the early stages of the Rebecca Beard investigation.

After Rebecca Beard disappeared, investigators interviewed Arch “Beaver” Aplin on March 5, 1986.

According to the police report, Aplin told detectives the last time he saw Rebecca was the weekend of February 14, when they had dinner together in Galveston. He also said he had called her several times afterward but never reached her.

At that point in the investigation, detectives documented Aplin’s account as one of many witness statements they were using to reconstruct Rebecca’s final movements.

Later Records Raised New Timeline Questions

Investigative synopsis from the Rebecca Beard case showing the section summarizing Tina’s witness statement, including references to Kevin King, Arch “Beaver” Aplin, Bill Russell, Jack Hamilton, and other individuals reportedly at the Excalibur Club on the night Rebecca Beard disappeared.
This investigative synopsis includes a summary of Tina’s witness statement. According to the document, Tina reported seeing Kevin King leave the Excalibur Club with Rebecca Beard before he returned without her. The synopsis also lists Arch “Beaver” Aplin, Bill Russell, and Jack Hamilton as being at the club that night, raising additional questions about the investigation’s timeline.

This is where the investigation becomes more complicated.

A later investigative synopsis documents witness Tina’s account of the night Rebecca disappeared.

According to that synopsis, Tina told investigators Kevin King walked out of the Excalibur Club with Rebecca about 30 minutes before closing and returned approximately two minutes later without her.

The same synopsis also lists Kevin King, Bill Russell, Arch “Beaver” Aplin and Jack Hamilton as being at Excalibur that night.

When compared with Aplin’s March 5 statement that he had not seen Rebecca since February 14, the two records appear to present different timelines.

The investigative records reviewed for this series do not explain how detectives reconciled those accounts.

Arch “Beaver” Aplin Remained in Contact With Investigators

Graphic featuring Arch “Beaver” Aplin III alongside the headline “Arch Aplin Remained in Contact With Investigators” over a background of original Rebecca Beard police records and the former Excalibur Club.
This graphic highlights original police records documenting that Arch “Beaver” Aplin remained in contact with investigators after Rebecca Beard disappeared. The records show detectives continued communicating with Aplin as they worked to reconstruct Rebecca’s final known movements during the 1986 investigation.

The early investigative records also document repeated contact between detectives and Arch “Beaver” Aplin, who had been at the Excalibur Club around the time Rebecca Beard disappeared.

Rather than disappearing from the investigation after giving an initial statement, the reports show Aplin continued communicating with law enforcement in the days and weeks that followed.

According to the investigative notes, Aplin contacted detectives seeking updates on the investigation and asked whether he could publicly offer a $10,000 reward for information leading to Rebecca’s whereabouts.

The records indicate detectives discussed the proposed reward with Aplin while continuing to investigate numerous leads.

Those contacts are significant because they demonstrate that investigators maintained communication with Aplin throughout the early stages of the case. The reports do not indicate that detectives viewed him as someone who had withdrawn from the investigation. Instead, the documented contacts suggest he remained interested in learning whether investigators had developed new information.

The investigative files also reflect that detectives continued interviewing numerous witnesses during this same period, including Rebecca’s friends, coworkers, and individuals believed to have seen her during the weekend she disappeared.

Another Witness Reported Seeing Rebecca Beard at a Surfside Beach Party

Graphic comparing Paula’s witness statement with images of the former Excalibur Club and Surfside Beach. The graphic highlights a police report stating Paula told investigators she saw Rebecca Beard at a Surfside beach party on March 2, 1986.
This graphic highlights Paula’s statement documented in the original police investigation. According to the police report, Paula told investigators she saw Rebecca Beard at a Surfside beach party on March 2, 1986. Her account added another reported timeline for detectives to evaluate as they worked to reconstruct Rebecca’s final known movements.

The original police investigation also documented a statement from another witness, Paula, who told investigators she saw Rebecca Beard at a Surfside beach party on the morning of March 2, 1986.

According to the police report, Paula said she recognized Becky and saw her with two males at the gathering. If her recollection was accurate, it could place Rebecca alive after the time she was believed to have left Excalibur, adding another timeline investigators had to evaluate.

Paula’s account does not prove what happened to Rebecca. However, it is one of several witness statements included in the original case file. When viewed alongside other reported sightings and witness interviews, it illustrates the challenges investigators faced while trying to reconstruct Rebecca’s final known movements.

More than 40 years later, these differing witness accounts continue to raise questions about Rebecca Beard’s disappearance and whether every lead documented in the original investigation was fully reconciled.

The Investigation Was Still Taking Shape

Reading the reports chronologically shows detectives working through dozens of leads while trying to establish Rebecca’s final movements.

Several witnesses interviewed in March 1986 told investigators they did not know Paul Taylor or had never heard Rebecca mention his name. At the same time, detectives continued following information involving several other individuals connected to the case.

These reports should be viewed as a snapshot of the investigation during its earliest weeks. Criminal investigations often evolve as detectives conduct additional interviews, gather new evidence, and revisit earlier leads.

The progression of the Rebecca Beard investigation reflects that process.

Coming in Part 3

The earliest police reports reveal how detectives began piecing together Rebecca Beard’s final known movements through witness interviews, follow-up leads, and investigative records. As the investigation continued, additional witness statements and investigative summaries documented new information and raised further questions.

In Part 3, I examine those later records, including additional witness statements, documented timeline discrepancies, and what they may reveal about the Rebecca Beard investigation nearly four decades later.

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Rebecca Beard Case: Why Wasn’t Paul Taylor’s Home Investigated After John Cone’s Report?

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Historic black-and-white photograph of Paul Taylor’s former Clute home, featured in an article examining why investigators did not immediately secure or process the property after John Cone reported an alleged confession in the Rebecca Beard case.
The former Clute home where Paul Taylor lived became a focus of later investigative records after John Cone reported that Taylor allegedly confessed to killing Rebecca Beard. The article examines why available records do not document an immediate crime scene search or forensic processing of the property following that report.

Rebecca Beard Case: Why Wasn’t Paul Taylor’s Home Investigated After John Cone’s Report?

Reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose

Police records raise new questions

Nearly 40 years after Rebecca “Becky” Beard disappeared, police records raise a question that remains unanswered.

If Sheriff Joe King received details of an alleged confession from John Cone shortly after Becky vanished, why don’t the records reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose document an immediate search or forensic examination of Paul Taylor’s home?

The question stands out because later investigative summaries describe a series of events that, if accurate, pointed investigators toward Taylor’s residence within days of Becky’s disappearance.

John Cone said Taylor admitted killing Becky

Investigative synopsis from the Rebecca Beard case stating that John Cone told investigators Paul Taylor admitted killing Rebecca Beard, contacted Brazoria County Sheriff Joe King, and asked that both his identity and the account remain confidential.
This investigative synopsis states that John Cone reported an alleged confession by Paul Taylor to Sheriff Joe King shortly after Rebecca Beard disappeared. According to the document, Cone asked King to keep both the information and his identity confidential. The synopsis also states King later advised Freeport Police that Taylor should be investigated, raising questions about what investigative steps followed.

According to a later investigative synopsis, John Cone told investigators that Paul Taylor admitted Becky died inside his Clute home.

Cone’s statement says Taylor claimed he picked Becky up after she left a club, took her to his residence, and that she died after a gun discharged during a struggle.

Taylor allegedly told Cone he cleaned the residence, removed the bed and carpet because they contained blood, and discarded them in dumpsters.

Cone also said he entered Taylor’s home himself and noticed the bed and carpet were gone.

According to the records, Cone then contacted Brazoria County Sheriff Joe King and reported what Taylor allegedly told him.

Cone reportedly offered Sheriff Joe King a key

Investigative document summarizing John Cone’s statement in the Rebecca Beard case. The document states that Paul Taylor allegedly confessed to Cone, that Cone reported the information to Sheriff Joe King, and that Cone offered the sheriff a key to Taylor’s home after noticing the bed and carpet were missing.
This investigative document summarizes John Cone’s account, including his claim that Paul Taylor allegedly confessed to killing Rebecca Beard. According to the document, Cone said he entered Taylor’s home, noticed the bed and carpet were missing, and later offered Sheriff Joe King a key to the residence. The document raises questions about what investigative steps followed after that information reached law enforcement.

One detail stands out in Cone’s statement.

Cone said he offered Sheriff Joe King a key to Taylor’s residence.

He also asked the sheriff to keep both the conversation and his identity confidential.

The investigative synopsis later states that King agreed to keep the information confidential.

According to that same synopsis, Sheriff King informed Freeport Police Chief Charles Bankston on March 14, 1986, that Paul Taylor needed to be investigated but did not relate the details Cone had provided.

Taylor was interviewed that day. The synopsis states investigators learned only that Taylor knew Becky.

Where is the documented crime scene investigation?

The records reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose do not document that investigators immediately searched Paul Taylor’s residence or processed it as a possible crime scene.

The records also do not document officers collecting physical evidence, photographing the interior, looking for blood evidence, seizing the reportedly missing bed or carpet, or tracing the dumpsters where Taylor allegedly said he discarded evidence.

Those questions remain central to understanding the early investigation. The records reviewed for this report do not document that investigators immediately completed those investigative steps after John Cone reported what Taylor allegedly told him.

Those questions remain central to understanding the early investigation. The records reviewed for this report do not document that investigators immediately completed those investigative steps after John Cone reported what Taylor allegedly told him.

Another report raised similar concerns

The records contain another development one month later.

An April 16, 1986 report states the manager of Excaliber Club told investigators about another conversation involving Taylor.

According to the report, another witness claimed Taylor said he picked up a woman from the club, took her home, shot her, buried her body, cut up the mattress and discarded it in dumpsters.

The same report states Matt Cone checked Taylor’s residence and found the bed no longer had a mattress. Cotton stuffing reportedly remained on the floor.

Even then, the records reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose do not document that officers immediately processed the residence as a homicide scene.

Another inconsistency emerges

Side-by-side images from the Rebecca Beard investigation showing a police report documenting Beaver (Arch) Aplin’s statement, a later investigative summary, and Rebecca Beard’s personal planner. The documents appear to present different timelines about when Aplin last saw Rebecca.

These records compare early police reports, a later investigative summary, and Rebecca Beard’s personal planner. One report states Beaver (Arch) Aplin last saw Rebecca on February 14, while a later investigative summary lists him among witnesses who reportedly saw her at Excalibur on the night she disappeared. The differing timelines raise questions about how investigators reconciled those statements during the investigation.

While reviewing the early investigation, another issue surfaced.

Police reports appear to contain conflicting information about Beaver (Arch) Aplin’s timeline.

One report says Aplin told investigators he had not seen Becky since February 14, 1986.

A later investigative report identifies Aplin as one of several people reportedly present at Excaliber on the night Becky disappeared.

That apparent inconsistency raises another question.

Did investigators ever reconcile those differing accounts?

That question will be examined in Part 2 of this series.

Questions that remain

The records reviewed for this article leave several unanswered questions:

Why wasn’t Taylor’s residence immediately documented as a potential crime scene after John Cone reported an alleged confession?
Did Sheriff Joe King ever use the key Cone reportedly offered?
Were investigators ever able to locate the missing bed, carpet or mattress?
If those items were never recovered, how much potential evidence may have been lost?

Nearly four decades later, those questions remain central to understanding the early investigation into Rebecca Beard’s disappearance.

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Why I Traveled to Arizona to Interview Arch Aplin
Rebecca Beard family meeting with investigators

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Rebecca Beard Investigation: New Documents and Paul Taylor Jr.’s Interview Raise Unanswered Questions

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Rebecca Beard investigation thumbnail showing Linda Barnes, Paul Taylor Jr. and police evidence documents reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose.

Rebecca Beard Investigation: New Documents and Paul Taylor Jr.’s Interview Raise Unanswered Questions

Nearly 40 years after 22-year-old Rebecca “Becky” Beard disappeared after leaving a Freeport nightclub with Paul Taylor Jr., questions about the case remain.

Paul Taylor Jr. later pleaded guilty, but Becky’s body has never been officially recovered.

Now, Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose has reviewed court records, police photographs and a recorded interview between Taylor and Becky’s mother, Linda Barnes. Together, those records raise new questions about the evidence, the murder weapon and other details of the Rebecca Beard investigation.

Signed promotional photo of Rebecca “Becky” Beard inscribed, “To John, Love Always, Becky, 1985.”
A signed 1985 promotional photograph of Rebecca “Becky” Beard addressed “To John.” The image is among personal items reviewed during Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose’s ongoing Rebecca Beard investigation.

Linda Barnes Refused to Let the Case Go Cold

Rebecca disappeared after leaving the Excalibur nightclub with Paul Taylor Jr. in March 1986.

For years, Becky’s mother, Linda Barnes, refused to give up. She searched for answers, gathered records and pushed investigators to keep working the case.

Her persistence paid off. A Brazoria County grand jury indicted Paul Taylor Jr. in 1994—eight years after Becky’s disappearance.

Taylor later pleaded guilty, but Becky’s body has never been officially recovered.

Taylor Describes the Night Becky Disappeared

In a recorded interview with Linda Barnes, Taylor claimed Becky voluntarily left the nightclub with him and went to his home.

He said they argued after he failed to obtain cocaine.

Taylor claimed he tried to scare Becky with a firearm before shooting her.

He told Barnes he wrapped Becky in orange sheets secured with duct tape before disposing of her body.

He also claimed he threw the weapon into a bayou. However, a Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office evidence sheet reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose lists a Remington Model 1100 shotgun and a brown gun case as evidence in the case.

Because Taylor described the firearm only as “the weapon” during the interview, the apparent difference between his account and the evidence sheet raises additional questions.

A Shotgun Appears on the Evidence List

A confidential pre-sentence investigation filed before Paul Taylor Jr.’s sentencing. The document was reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose as part of the ongoing Rebecca Beard investigation.
Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office evidence sheet listing a Remington Model 1100 shotgun in the Rebecca Beard investigation.
Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office evidence sheet listing a Remington Model 1100 shotgun in the Rebecca Beard investigation.
Handwritten court notes from Paul Taylor Jr.’s prosecution appear to reference additional time to identify possible remains in the Rebecca Beard investigation.

One document reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose is a Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office evidence sheet.

Among the listed evidence is a Remington Model 1100 shotgun and a brown gun case.

During his interview with Barnes, Taylor never identified the firearm by type. Instead, he repeatedly referred only to “the weapon.”

The records reviewed do not explain when the shotgun was recovered, where it was recovered or whether it was ultimately identified as the murder weapon.

Police Photographs Show Two Holes in the Bedroom Wall

Police crime scene photograph showing two holes in a bedroom wall inside Paul Taylor Jr.’s Clute home during the Rebecca Beard investigation.
A police crime scene photograph documents two holes in a bedroom wall inside Paul Taylor Jr.’s home. During his recorded interview with Linda Barnes, Taylor described firing a single fatal shot. The records reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose do not explain the presence of the second hole.

Crime scene photographs reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose document two holes in a bedroom wall inside Taylor’s home.

During the interview, Taylor described firing a single fatal shot.

The available records reviewed do not explain whether investigators determined how the two holes were created or whether either hole was connected to the homicide.

The records also do not explain whether ballistic testing linked the recovered shotgun to the wall damage.

The Tow Truck Driver Taylor Could Not Remember

One of the most revealing exchanges involves a tow truck driver.

Barnes confronted Taylor with information that a tow truck operator reportedly pulled his vehicle from a ditch after Becky’s disappearance.

Taylor repeatedly responded that he did not remember the incident.

Barnes described details including a neighbor who reportedly witnessed the vehicle in the ditch and the driver’s recollection of the call.

The conversation highlights a pattern throughout the interview. Taylor remembered specific details such as orange sheets, duct tape and burying Becky, yet repeatedly claimed he could not remember other significant events from that same period.

Court Notes Reference Possible Remains

Handwritten court notes reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose appear to show prosecutors requested additional time to determine whether recovered remains belonged to Rebecca Beard.

The handwriting is difficult to read in places, but the notes appear to reference delaying proceedings while investigators sought positive identification of possible remains.

The records reviewed do not explain what became of those reported remains or whether they were ultimately determined to belong to someone else.

A Confidential Court Record

Confidential pre-sentence investigation file from the Paul Taylor Jr. case reviewed during Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose’s Rebecca Beard investigation.
A confidential pre-sentence investigation file prepared before Paul Taylor Jr.‘s sentencing. The court record was reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose as part of the ongoing Rebecca Beard investigation and provides additional context to the case decades after Becky’s disappearance.

Also among the records is a pre-sentence investigation stamped:

“Confidential Judicial Document — Not Open to Public Inspection.”

The document was prepared before Taylor’s sentencing and demonstrates that confidential records existed during the criminal proceedings.

Questions That Still Remain

The records reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose answer some questions but leave many others unresolved.

Among them:

When was the Remington Model 1100 shotgun recovered?
Was it ever identified as the murder weapon?
Were the two holes in the bedroom wall forensically examined?
What became of the possible remains referenced in court notes?
Why do some details in Taylor’s interview differ from other investigative records?

Nearly four decades after Rebecca Beard disappeared, Linda Barnes’ determination continues to inspire efforts to better understand what happened to her daughter.

Editor’s Note

This report is based on court records, law enforcement documents, police photographs and a recorded interview reviewed by Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose. Where records are incomplete or unclear, this article presents unanswered questions rather than conclusions.

Related Rebecca Beard Coverage

Read Part One: 

Read Part Two: 

More Rebecca Beard coverage:
https://www.chopperrose.com/tag/rebecca-beard/

Recommended 

True Crime Books

If you’re interested in cold cases, unsolved mysteries, and investigative reporting, these books provide insight into how complex cases are investigated and solved

 I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
A bestselling investigation into the Golden State Killer case.

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Breaking News, Investigations, Rebecca Beard, True Crime

Exclusive: I Traveled to Arizona to Ask Arch Aplin About Rebecca Beard

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Arch Aplin stands with his daughter during the grand opening ceremony for Arizona’s first Buc-ee’s location in Goodyear, Arizona.
Arch Aplin and Daughter at Arizona Buc-ee’s Opening

While thousands of people lined up for the grand opening of Arizona’s first Buc-ee’s, I traveled across the country for a different reason.

For months, Rebecca Beard’s family has been searching for answers in a case that remains one of the most talked-about unsolved mysteries along the Texas Gulf Coast. As part of my ongoing investigation, I wanted to ask Buc-ee’s founder Arch Aplin about his connection to Rebecca Beard and references to him in historical police records.

The challenge? Arch Aplin rarely gives interviews outside of Buc-ee’s business matters, and he has never publicly addressed Rebecca Beard on camera.

So I went to Arizona.

A Crowd Waiting For Buc-ee’s

Fans camp out overnight outside Arizona’s first Buc-ee’s location ahead of the grand opening in Goodyear, Arizona.
Some Buc-ee’s fans arrived hours before opening day, setting up chairs and waiting overnight to be among the first customers inside Arizona’s first Buc-ee’s.

Long before the doors opened, thousands of fans were already lined up outside the massive new Buc-ee’s location. Some had traveled hours for the grand opening.

Most reporters were focused on the store, the crowds, and the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

I was focused on a question that dates back nearly four decades.

Finally Getting The Chance To Ask

Arch Aplin responds to a question about Rebecca Beard during the Buc-ee’s Arizona grand opening in Goodyear, Arizona.
Buc-ee’s founder Arch Aplin speaks with Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose during the Arizona grand opening. During the exchange, Aplin briefly addressed a question about Rebecca Beard, calling the case “a sad thing” and saying his heart goes out to the family.

After waiting through the event and multiple appearances, I finally had the opportunity to ask Arch Aplin about Rebecca Beard.

At first, he appeared unable to hear my question over the noise and activity surrounding the grand opening. After repeating the question, he stopped and responded.

His answer was brief.

“It’s just a sad thing. I don’t know what to even say. My heart goes out to them.”

The comment marks one of the few known public responses from Aplin regarding Rebecca Beard and her family.

Why The Question Matters

Rebecca Beard disappeared in 1986. Decades later, questions continue to surround the circumstances of her death and what may have happened to her remains.

Members of Beard’s family have publicly stated they still want answers. In recent interviews with me, family members raised questions about individuals named in historical police records and expressed a desire to hear from people connected to the case.

That is why I asked the question.

The Response Is Now Public

Whether viewers believe the response answered anything or not, the moment is now part of the public record.

As a journalist, my job is not to decide what people should think. My job is to ask questions and let viewers hear the answers for themselves.

Watch the full video interview below and decide for yourself.

Read my exclusive interview with Rebecca Beard’s daughter Brittany Pipkin

 Read Part 2: No Body, No Weapon, Sealed Documents

Interested in true crime and cold cases?

Readers who follow the Rebecca Beard investigation may also be interested in these books on criminal investigations, missing persons cases, and unsolved mysteries:

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark

American Predator

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Exclusive: Rebecca Beard Family Wants Answers From Key Witnesses Named In Police Reports

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Brittany Pipkin poses in a police uniform during her law enforcement career. Pipkin, the daughter of Rebecca Beard, later used her investigative training to review records related to her mother’s unsolved murder case.
Rebecca Beard’s daughter, Brittany Pipkin, became a police officer and is now using those investigative skills in her search for answers about her mother’s 1986 murder. Photo courtesy of Brittany Pipkin.

Why Brittany Pipkin Questions the Original Investigation

Becky Beard’s 1986 planner with handwritten notes and calendar entries, reviewed by her daughter Brittany Pipkin during her search for answers in the decades-old case.
Becky Beard’s personal planner from 1986 remains an important piece of family history. Her daughter, Brittany Pipkin, has carefully reviewed the planner and other records while searching for answers about her mother’s disappearance and presumed murder.

BEAUMONT, Texas — More than four decades after Rebecca Beard disappeared and was later presumed murdered, her family says they are still searching for answers.

After reviewing decades of police reports, Rebecca’s daughter, Brittany Pipkin, believes there are questions that remain unanswered about several people whose names appear throughout the investigation.

Among them are businessman Arch Aplin and John Cohn.

Watch the Full Video Report

Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose sat down with Brittany Pipkin to discuss why she believes additional questions should be asked about individuals named in the original investigation.

Questions About Arch Aplin

Redacted police report pages reviewed by Rebecca Beard’s family, with highlighted sections referencing individuals connected to the investigation.
Redacted police report pages reviewed by Rebecca Beard’s family, with highlighted sections referencing individuals connected to the investigation.

According to police reports reviewed by the family, Arch Aplin’s name appears numerous times throughout the investigation.

Pipkin says she first became aware of Aplin while reviewing records connected to her mother’s case.

“When I was younger, I was a huge fan because I saw his name in all the police reports,” Pipkin said.

According to Pipkin, reports indicate Aplin had contact with Rebecca Beard before her disappearance and later communicated frequently with investigators.

Police records also reference reward money being offered during the investigation.

“He was contacting detectives almost daily,” Pipkin said. “He’s offering rewards.”

Despite that involvement, Pipkin says she has never had an opportunity to speak with Aplin directly.

“I’ve sent him a few emails,” she said. “He’s never reached out to talk to us.”

Pipkin says she would like the opportunity to ask questions about Rebecca’s final days and what information he may remember from that time period.

“I would love to ask him if he knows more than what was told to investigators,” she said.

Conflicting Accounts Raise Questions

Brittany Pipkin points to what she believes are inconsistencies within the case records. One document appears to list Arch Aplin as the last person known to have seen Becky Beard on February 14, 1986, while another references a witness statement involving Paul Taylor at the Excalibur Club around the time of her disappearance. Pipkin says the records raise questions she believes deserve further examination.

Questions Surrounding John Cohn

Police report excerpt referencing investigators contacting John Cone regarding information in the Rebecca Beard homicide investigation.
A police report indicates John Cone requested to speak with his attorney before providing a statement to investigators.
Signed photograph of Rebecca Beard with handwritten inscription provided by the Beard family.
A signed photograph of Rebecca Beard provided by her family. Family members believe the inscription may be connected to John Cohn.

Pipkin also wants to speak with John Cohn, whose name appears in investigative records.

According to police reports, Cohn reportedly contacted then-Brazoria County Sheriff E.J. “Joe” King shortly after Rebecca’s murder.

The reports indicate Cohn allegedly told authorities that his friend and co-owner of a home on Third Street in Clute was responsible for Rebecca’s death.

That individual, Paul Taylor Jr., would not be charged until approximately nine years later.

Taylor eventually pleaded guilty in connection with the case.

For Pipkin, the timeline raises questions.

“What did people know, and when did they know it?” she asked.

She believes additional information may still exist regarding what occurred in the days immediately following Rebecca’s disappearance.

“I think he knows a lot more than what has been stated,” Pipkin said.

The Family Says This Is About Finding The Truth

Pipkin emphasizes that the family’s goal is not to publicly accuse anyone.

Instead, she says they are seeking answers and hoping investigators continue pursuing leads that could help locate Rebecca’s remains.

“We’re not doing this to accuse anybody,” Pipkin said.

“We just want the truth. We want to bring her home.”

More than 40 years after Rebecca Beard vanished, the family says that goal has never changed.

They want a place to visit.

A place to leave flowers.

And finally, a place to lay Rebecca Beard to rest.

Related Coverage

Read Part One:

Read Part Two:

More Rebecca Beard coverage:
https://www.chopperrose.com/tag/rebecca-beard/

Editor’s Note

The individuals named in this story have not been charged with Rebecca Beard’s murder. Statements referenced in this article are drawn from interviews, court records and police reports reviewed by the family. Investigators have not publicly announced additional suspects in the case.

Recommended True Crime Books

If you’re interested in cold cases, unsolved mysteries, and investigative reporting, these books provide insight into how complex cases are investigated and solved:

📖 I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
A bestselling investigation into the Golden State Killer case.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Chopper Rose earns from qualifying purchases. If you purchase through the links below, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support independent investigative journalism and cold case reporting.