Suspect Arrested In Murder Investigation Posted Theories About Her Killing In Facebook Group

When Jennifer Bucholtz, a private investigator and admin of the "Unsolved Murder of Rebekah Gould" Facebook group, received a direct message from a man named William Miller about the case in January 2020, it didn't strike her as odd.

Miller had sent her a newspaper clipping from 2004, days after Gould was killed, that mentioned a neighbor had heard screams around the time Gould was murdered. It was a clipping that she had been sent plenty of times from members of the Facebook group, she told the audience at CrimeCon 2021 presented by Oxygen. But just 11 months later, Miller was arrested for Gould's murder.

Miller's participation in the Facebook group and more were discussed on Friday, June 4 at "How We Helped Find Rebekah Gould's Killer: A 16-Year Journey To Justice," a panel at CrimeCon 2021 featuring Bucholtz and George Jared, an award-winning investigative journalist. Rebekah Gould, 22, was reported missing on September 21, 2004. She had been staying with her boyfriend, Casey McCullough, in Izard County, Arkansas and was allegedly last seen when she dropped him off at work the morning of September 20. She was supposed to drive with her sister back to Fayetteville, where Gould was a student at Northwest Arkansas Community College, later that day but she never showed up.

Rebekah Gould and William Miller Photo: Facebook; Lane County Sheriff's Office

Days later, her body was discovered off a highway. She had been killed by two blows to the head, Jared said.

Police zeroed in on her boyfriend, McCullough, as a person of interest, as the crime seemingly took place at his home, according to Bucholtz and Jared. Gould's dog, car, cellphone, and other personal effects were all still at his home, and there were bloody sheets in the washing machine. However, McCullough was never formally identified as a suspect and years passed before any arrest in the case was made.

Bucholtz and Jared had teamed up to investigate the murder of Rebekah Gould, which was being formally handled by the Arkansas State Police. A part of their efforts was setting up the "Unsolved Murder Of Rebekah Gould" Facebook group in November 2019. Shortly after, Bucholtz said, in January 2020, she started receiving direct messages from William Miller, a 44-year-old Texas man, who had joined the Facebook group and was an active participant posting theories, even claiming at one point McCullough and Gould were in a love triangle, Jared told the audience.

At first, the DMs seemed like any other ones she received from group members — until she realized he was actually Casey McCullough's cousin, Bucholtz said. She considered the possibility Miller was sharing whatever she said with McCullough so she tried to be careful with her responses. Miller, though, repeatedly expressed sympathy for Gould's family and told her he wanted to get justice for Gould. He even sent Bucholtz the name of the neighbor who had reportedly heard screams around the time Gould was killed.

Then, in November 2020, Miller was arrested for her murder. He allegedly confessed to the killing, telling police he had asked Gould if he could come in to McCullough's home to use the phone and then beat her with a piano leg. Police have not released a motive, Arkansas Online reported in April 2021.

Miller has been charged with first-degree murder. His trial is scheduled for August 2021, according to the outlet.