Rebecca Beard Part 3: How Witness Statements Changed During the Investigation
By Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose
As I continued reviewing the original investigative file in the Rebecca Beard case, one pattern became impossible to ignore.
The earliest reports tell a very different story than the theory prosecutors ultimately presented years later.
During the first weeks of the investigation, detectives documented witnesses who said they did not know Paul Taylor or had never heard Becky mention him. At the same time, investigators pursued reports that Becky was seen after leaving the Excalibur Club, including at a Surfside beach party and an after-party.
Months later, investigators had assembled a very different timeline.
The records show how that evolution occurred.
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Early Witnesses Did Not Connect Becky to Paul Taylor
One of the strongest themes in the March 1986 reports is how often investigators documented witnesses saying they had no connection between Becky Beard and Paul Taylor.
Among those interviewed were:
Beaver Aplin, who investigators noted never mentioned Paul Taylor, and Taylor had never mentioned Becky.
Eric Timaeus, Becky’s friend, who said he did not know Paul Taylor and never recalled Becky mentioning his name.
Misty Wiley, who said she had never heard of Paul Taylor and Becky never mentioned him.
Linda Barnes (identified in some records as Linda Limke), who said she had never heard Becky mention Paul Taylor.
Mrs. Buchanan, who also said she did not know Taylor.
At this point in the investigation, detectives had not yet developed the theory that Paul Taylor was the last person with Becky.
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Several Witnesses Reported Becky Alive After Leaving Excalibur
The earliest reports also show investigators pursuing multiple leads suggesting Becky continued socializing after leaving the Excalibur Club in Freeport.
Paula’s Surfside Account
One witness, Paula, told investigators she saw Becky at a Surfside beach party during the morning hours after she disappeared.
That account suggested Becky may have left the club and traveled elsewhere.
Jack Hamilton’s Statement
On April 28, 1986, Jack Hamilton told investigators he saw Becky outside the Excalibur Club.
Hamilton said:
Becky appeared happy.
She was not intoxicated.
The two greeted each other and hugged.
He saw an unidentified white male walk out beside Becky who appeared to be with her.
He never saw Becky get into a vehicle.
Importantly, Hamilton did not identify the man as Paul Taylor.
Hamilton also told investigators he knew Matt Cone, a longtime friend.
Dancer Reported Seeing Becky at an After-Party
Another witness, Mel Scroggins, also described seeing Becky after she left Excalibur.
Scroggins told investigators he saw Becky around 12:30 a.m. at Excalibur before performing his dance routine.
He then reported seeing Becky again around 1:00 a.m. at an after-party.
According to Scroggins, Becky was accompanied by:
a white male,
approximately 5’11” to 6’0”,
slim build,
no glasses,
associated with a possible silver or gold Chevrolet.
Again, the man was not identified as Paul Taylor.
Scroggins said he never saw Becky after that.
When viewed together, these reports show detectives were actively investigating the possibility that Becky continued on to other locations after leaving Excalibur.
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John Cone’s Statement Became a Turning Point
Another major development came from John Cone.
Cone told investigators Paul Taylor admitted Becky died inside his Clute home after a gun discharged during an encounter.
However, Cone’s statement did not stop with the alleged confession.
He told investigators he personally:
entered Taylor’s home,
observed the mattress missing,
observed the carpet missing,
reported those observations to Sheriff Joe King, and
even offered the sheriff a key to the residence.
Those observations were based on what Cone said he personally witnessed, not simply what Taylor allegedly told him.
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Matt Cone Appears to Corroborate Parts of the Story
The records also repeatedly reference Matt Cone.
John Cone told investigators he discussed the situation with his brother, Matt Cone, and Corky Parker before going to Taylor’s house.
Jack Hamilton also identified Matt Cone as someone he knew.
If Matt Cone independently observed the missing mattress and carpet, that would provide additional corroboration of John’s observations.
Whether Matt entered the home himself or relied on John’s account remains an important question raised by the records.
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Beaver Aplin Continued Contacting Investigators
Police records show Beaver Aplin remained in regular contact with investigators after Rebecca Beard disappeared. The reports document Aplin requesting case updates, asking about posting a reward, and continuing to communicate with detectives as the investigation progressed.
Another interesting pattern involves Beaver Aplin.
The investigative file documents that:
Beaver was interviewed during the early stages of the case.
Investigators noted he did not connect Becky to Paul Taylor.
He later left messages for investigators.
Months later, he again contacted police requesting an update on Becky’s case.
Those records do not suggest wrongdoing.
However, they do show Beaver remained engaged with investigators long after Becky disappeared.
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The Investigation Evolved
As the investigation continued, the documentary record began shifting.
Later reports increasingly connected Becky to Paul Taylor.
Among them were statements from:
Willie Garcia,
Kevin King,
John Cone,
and other witnesses who later appeared on the prosecution’s witness list.
That witness list outlined how prosecutors intended to build their case, including testimony that Becky left with Taylor, statements that Taylor admitted killing her, and witnesses describing evidence allegedly observed inside Taylor’s home.
That later theory differs considerably from many of the earliest reports documenting possible Surfside sightings, after-party sightings, and witnesses who initially said they did not know Paul Taylor.
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Questions That Remain
Reading these records chronologically reveals an investigation that changed significantly over time.
The documents show detectives initially pursued multiple leads, including reports that Becky was seen after leaving Excalibur and accounts from witnesses who did not connect her to Paul Taylor.
As additional interviews were conducted, investigators documented statements that increasingly focused on Taylor and ultimately formed the basis of the prosecution’s case.
The records do not fully explain how every conflicting witness account was evaluated before investigators settled on the final timeline presented in court.
Nearly four decades later, those documents continue to provide important insight into how the Rebecca Beard investigation developed—and why reviewing the original records remains essential.
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Read More in This Series
Part 1: Rebecca Beard: John Cone’s Confession and the Early Investigation
Part 2: Rebecca Beard: Early Police Reports Reveal the First Days of the Investigation
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