What of Elspeth Reeve?

This is all opinion.
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In an earlier post, I wrote that Elspeth Reeve/Elspeth Beauchamp's communications with Scott Beauchamp would be an interesting issue if the latter's stories were factually undermined.

For now, my sense on that issue is that it wouldn't be interesting except in terms of human interest.

From what I've seen of Reeve's writing--and I've surveyed a decent amount--she hews tight to proper journalistic standards with the possible exception of the story she wrote about the abortion protest in Washington (featuring personal acquaintances as sources?). I'd find it hard to believe that she had anything to do with Beauchamp's handling of fact, working for now on the assumption that Beauchamp's retraction is what it seems to be.

My best guess is that Beauchamp began to smell glory and tried to impress TNR (and Mrs. Beauchamp). I doubt TNR gave Elspeth Beauchamp any role in fact-checking hubby's stories. That would be beyond reckless.

Expect the fault to fall on Beauchamp for embellishing his stories with exaggeration and/or lies, and on the editorial staff at TNR for not having sufficient olfactory powers to flunk Beauchamp themselves on the sniff test.