BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Horrific new details were revealed during the preliminary hearing of a woman accused of killing a pregnant woman, and cutting out her baby.
Detectives with the Kentucky State Police testified on Tuesday about the incidents that led up to the arrest of 33-year-old Kathy Coy.
It was a very emotional court hearing, with friends and family of murder victim, Jamie Stice, in attendance. They wore red, white and blue ribbons to honor the 21-year-old's memory.
Coy cried openly during parts of the court hearing.
Police said the Coy showed up at the hospital last Wednesday night, claiming to have given birth to the baby boy. But when doctors saw the baby surrounded by parts of reproductive organs, they knew she could not have given birth to the boy. They immediately called police.
Detectives interviewed Coy who told them that she had a miscarriage several months ago, but pretended to her husband and children that she was still pregnant.
Authorities said she even tried to recruit her 13-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son to take part in crime.
"At that point, her son advised that she asked him ‘would you help me commit a crime?' He said ‘what kind of crime', and she first said theft. He said ‘no, but I wouldn't tell on you.' She then asked him if he would help her commit murder, and he advised that he would not, and she dropped the subject, " said Winn.
Investigators said Coy initially told police that she bought a baby, but later admitted that she had befriended a pregnant woman named Jamie Stice, partially through Facebook. She even helped pay for baby supplies and helped with Stice's rent.
Last Wednesday morning, investigators said she picked up Stice to go shopping, and used a stun gun to subdue her before attacking and killing her with a drywall knife.
"The female organs had been cut out of someone that most likely would not have survived the incident. So I felt there was a sense of urgency at this point. There may be a small chance that somebody may have been still alive at this point, but very unlikely," said Kentucky State Police Detective Chad Winn.
Winn testified that after attacking Stice with the stun gun, Coy slit Stice's throat and wrists, then cut the baby out of her abdomen.
The detective said Coy took the baby to a friend's house, where the friend called EMS.
In a bizarre confession, Coy allegedly told police that her alter-ego ‘Ashley' killed Stice.
"After a while, she kept saying that Ashley came back with the baby, and detective Allen said ‘there is no Ashley, I believe you're Ashley.' And she smiled and said ‘you're right,'" Winn added.
Miraculously, the baby, named Isaiah, is doing okay. His family said he is still in the hospital but is in stable condition.
Defense attorney Jim Gibson objected to the hearing over concerns about Coy's competency. Warren County Commonwealth Attorney Chris Cohron said the case could qualify for the death penalty.
"Obviously the testimony heard today opens the door to a lot of questions, just due to the unusual nature of the offense," said Commonwealth Attorney Chris Cohron.
Warren County District Judge Sam Potter sent the case to the grand jury.
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(The Associated Press Contributed To This Report.)
Kathy Michelle Coy
Jamie Stice
