The body of Jodie Jakubaszek, a 25-year-old financial employee, was found behind a dumpster under the Belt Parkway, near the Coney Island neighborhood in Brooklyn, on 4/6/1997, after she was reported missing earlier that day.

Jodie lay face down and without shoes. Police noted her feet were not dirty, suggesting she had not walked there. Tire marks were found near the body.

Upon turning the body, forensic examiners realized Jodie was five to seven months pregnant. They searched for bullet wounds, stab wounds, and ligature marks, but found nothing obvious.

Her family stated Jodie was pregnant with a girl and was preparing to leave New York City to return to Rochester to live with relatives.

Jodie Jakubaszek. Photo: Oxy

Past and present partners sharing a home

Initially, investigators focused on Marvin Fulford, Jodie’s on-again, off-again boyfriend and the father of her unborn child. He had called to report her missing.

During their relationship, Jodie had helped Marvin establish himself, obtain an X-ray technician degree, and purchase a building in Brooklyn. He was currently living with his new girlfriend, Deborah Pretlow, and renting an apartment in the building to Jodie.

During questioning, Marvin told police that despite no longer being a couple, he maintained a good relationship with Jodie. He claimed he went to work, then to a strip club in the Bronx with friends during Jodie’s disappearance. Police later verified Marvin’s alibi.

Meanwhile, investigators questioned Deborah: "Anyone would think a woman would be somewhat upset if her boyfriend had a child with his ex-girlfriend, who was living right upstairs." However, Deborah's calm demeanor gave investigators no suspicious indications.

An order reveals the suspect

According to examiners, Jodie was murdered on the evening of June 3, but the autopsy could not determine the cause of death. A toxicology report was pending.

Transaction records showed Jodie’s bank card was used 6 times at an ATM in Brooklyn, but unsuccessfully. Surveillance video captured blurry images of two women attempting to withdraw cash with the card. Police sought to identify these two individuals.

6 days after the murder, toxicology results revealed a high concentration of a compound found in cleaning solution in Jodie’s blood.

Jodie’s credit history showed someone used her card to place an order for 130 USD worth of sex toys. The person who placed the order was Leandra Adams, who had no criminal record and lived in the same Brooklyn neighborhood as the victim.

On June 11, during questioning, Leandra admitted to being one of the two women captured by surveillance cameras trying to withdraw money with Jodie’s card. She explained that her friend, Tamika Camacho, found the card at a ticket booth at the Fulton St subway station. Leandra insisted she was not involved in Jodie’s death.

When Tamika was summoned for questioning, Leandra began to change her statement, revealing the names of others involved. Besides Tamika, Leandra named Tamika’s friend Ria Clarke, and a third name that astonished investigators: Deborah Pretlow.

The horrific jealous confrontation

Tamika told police that on the evening of June 3, all four women went to the subway station because Deborah wanted to talk to Jodie, believing Jodie was interfering with her relationship with Marvin. Leandra added that Deborah wanted her friends to accompany her because she knew Jodie would not talk to her alone.

The four women got into Deborah’s car and drove to Fulton Street, waiting for Jodie to get off the train. Deborah knew her "rival" got off the train at the same time every day to go home. According to Leandra, Deborah pointed Jodie out to the others, and then the group invited the victim into the car.

The others drove, while Deborah sat in the back seat talking to Jodie. The victim was driven around Brooklyn as Deborah repeatedly yelled, "Leave my boyfriend alone." Leandra stated Jodie replied: "I’m leaving soon, I’m going back to Rochester with my family. You don’t need to worry about that."

As the group drove to Coney Island, Deborah told her friends to "get out and walk around." Leandra told police she refused to leave because she "wanted to see what she would do." According to the police interrogation tape, Leandra recounted that Deborah began taping Jodie’s face, then took a syringe and injected the victim with a cleaning solution.

According to Leandra’s testimony, Deborah then used several plastic bags to seal Jodie’s face. Investigators concluded Deborah seemed to have intended to kill Jodie beforehand, but were unsure if the three other women in the car knew her intentions.

When questioned, Deborah admitted being in the car and acknowledged Jodie was murdered, but continuously blamed Leandra and Tamika as the direct attackers with the intent of robbery.

Detectives did not believe this statement, as they believed Deborah had the motive for the victim’s disappearance.

No woman mentioned Ria Clarke’s involvement in the kidnapping and murder. Ria was not charged with any crime.

Three testimonies against the defendant

Leandra, Tamika, and Deborah were charged with kidnapping, robbery, and second-degree murder. As the prosecutor’s office prepared for trial, Deborah suddenly denied all previous statements, even claiming she was not in the car on the day of the murder.

Leandra and Tamika accepted plea bargains for manslaughter and agreed to testify against Deborah. Prosecutors also persuaded Ria to testify.

To strengthen the case, investigators confirmed tire marks found near Jodie’s body matched the tire tread on Deborah’s car. This indicated the car was at the scene. Additionally, fabric fibers from Jodie’s clothes were found inside the car.

At Deborah’s trial, Ria’s testimony provided many gruesome and specific details. She stated Jodie repeatedly pleaded with those in the car, "Please don’t harm me and my baby."

Despite being prosecuted for second-degree murder, Deborah was ultimately convicted by the jury of first-degree manslaughter and kidnapping. On 1/6/1999, Deborah was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum parole period of 25 years.

Following the trial, Audrey Miles, a colleague of Jodie, found it "senseless" that so many lives were ruined by "jealousy over one man."

Many years later, Deborah confessed to being fully responsible for what happened, calling it a terrible choice. In 2023, Deborah was released after serving 26 years.

Tue Anh (according to Oxygen, Nydailynews)