Sam Parker Hasn't Appealed Murder Conviction

September 03, 2009 4:55 PM
Karen Zatkulak

As of Friday evening, Sam Parker's Attorney's Office says he still has not appealed his conviction. On Thursday, Judge Jon Wood gave Parker 30 days to file an appeal.

Friday, Newschannel 9 also travelled to Bartow County. That's where the jury in this case was picked. It was comprised of 6 men and 6 women. We tried to track them down to hear what lead them to the guilty verdict. We did speak with one on the phone who didn't want to comment.

One of the most high profile murder trials to unfold in our area reaches a conclusion with continuing drama unfolding. After deliberating for close to 24 hours over a four day period, the jury of six men and six women found Sam Parker guilty of malice murder. Judge Jon "Bo" Wood sentenced him to serve the rest of his natural life in prison. To this hour, Theresa Parker's body has never been found. Her mother, sisters, friends, co-workers and nieces have not heard from nor seen her in more than 29 months.

Throughout this trial, multiple witnesses said Parker, a former Marine and 26 year law enforcement veteran, said he could "kill someone and no one would ever find the body." In closing arguments Monday, the prosecution told the jury that's exactly what happened in this case. Evidently, the jury believed that.

This story of a former police officer in a marriage on the rocks to a beloved Walker County dispatcher captivated Walker County, north Georgia, our viewing audience and attracted national media attention.

The chapters of this saga began publicly in late March of 2007. But during this nearly three week long trial, details of private pain unfolded in excruciating detail. The domestic violence calls, her fear, confessions to her older sister, younger sister and nieces all reflected a marriage she wanted to leave.

But her window closed. The prosecution successfully convinced the jury that in the early morning hours of March 22, 2007 Parker somehow killed his wife and hid her body where no one could find it. For months on end, Walker County detectives physically searched and fielded hundreds of leads. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case. Shortly after, the Federal Bureau of Investigation entered this intricate case. The FBI sent its top crime scene investigation to examine the Parker garage. All along, investigators theorized Sam Parker used her 1999 Toyota Forerunner to dispose of her body. Forensically, that's where this case grew increasingly complex and complicated. Exhaustive searches and sweeps of her car turned up nothing of evidentiary value. No trace of blood or cleaning solution was ever found inside the car. However, the G.B.I. did find a trace of her blood about the size of a playing card on the rear bumper. Crime scene technicians also found his DNA on the opposite side of the same bumper.

In cross examination, the defense established that blood could have been there for an unknown amount of time. This jury also found Parker guilty of making false statements to the G.B.I, and violation of his oath of office as a peace officer. Judge Wood sentenced him to five years on each count to run concurrently with his life sentence for murder.

His defense attorneys were visibly disappointed and declined to comment. Judge Wood told Parker he has 30 days to appeal if he chooses. After the trial, one of the lead investigators told me we will continue to look for her body. He continued, after working calls with Sam Parker for 19 years and then this, "this is just sad."

Police, deputies and investigators provided a human shield for Theresa Parker's mother, Claire Careathers, her older sister, Hilda Wilson, and her nieces. None of them spoke. Most had tears falling from their eyes. As they walked to their cars, several of them turned to the horde of media covering this trial and waved.

http://www.newschannel9.com/articles/parker-984352-jury-sam.html

No matter how long it takes sometimes justice is served. Here the barsteward thought he'd got away with it.