Post by gagal on Jun 29, 2007 12:48:46 GMT -5
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Attorney talks about fishing trip with Sam Parker. Theresa was last seen Wednesday night by her sister. The fishing trip was the next day on Thursday and had been planned the day before
Originally appeared in Walker County Messenger, 03/30/07
Eric Beavers
Two old friends with an open schedule went fishing on a Thursday afternoon, March 22. One caught a big bass and the other became a suspect -- in the public eye, at least -- as being responsible for a missing person.
Sam Parker, husband of missing 911 dispatcher Theresa Parker and a sargeant with the LaFayette Police Department, got a call from LaFayette attorney Bill Slack on the same Wednesday afternoon, March 21, when Theresa's family last saw her.
The Parkers are going through a divorce. Slack said he was not representing either of them in the divorce proceedings, but had represented Theresa and others in her family in the past.
Slack said he was supposed to be in court in Trenton that Thursday, but found out on the previous day that the hearing was cancelled, leaving him with a clear calendar.
“I thought, what am I going to do?” Slack said. “I've got a free day and the weather is good. I've got to go fishing.”
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"I'd like to think they've exhausted any probability that Sam was involved because there seems to be nothing to point to him physically, motive-wise, opportunity. Nothing. If Sam had anything to do with her disappearance it would be an absolute shock to me." -- LaFayette attorney Bill Slack, who went fishing with Sam Parker on Thursday, March 22
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Newest development: On Thursday the GBI confiscated Sam Parker's patrol car.
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After calling two other friends who couldn't go fishing with him, he caught up with Sam.
Sam picked Slack up that morning, with a small boat in the back of his truck ready to fish – and apparently with no knowledge of the missing person story that was unfolding, the story of his wife.
“We stop(ped) and (bought) bait, (it was) a perfectly normal little trip (to Chattooga County),” Slack said. "He (was) just as normal as he can be."
Slack said they talked about judges, court cases, new LaFayette Public Safety Director Tommy Freeman during the course of the day. They also talked about Theresa and their imminent divorce.
"His feelings were hurt by some of her behavior, but he wasn't angry," Slack said. "He was happy that their relationship was over."
During the trip, Sam wasn't acting like someone who caused harm to anyone, Slack said.
"There was nothing to indicate he was upset, or excited or angry or anything," he said.
The attorney said Sam had no motive harm to his wife. The death of Sam’s mother a year ago and his father within the last month had left him with no financial worries. The terms of divorce had been established, the property had been divided and the papers were reportedly ready to be filed any day.
"It was done," he said. "There was no more fussing or anything. It was all done. That part of his life was over."
Slack said he knew the couple had their problems, but didn't suspect violence was ever an issue.
"In the past, they had separated many times, but they always seemed to come back together" he said. "They could fuss a lot, but they never crossed a line into harming one another."
Slack talked about what he knew of Sam's willingness to comply with the police investigation.
"It's natural that Sam would be suspected," Slack said. "He understands that. It's part of his job and he has certainly cooperated fully with the GBI. He's answered every question. They have searched his house, his car, his father's house, his wife's car. They have sprayed him with chemicals to look for blood or other fluids and so forth. Nothing.
"He's turned over his bank records," Slack said. "He's turned over his phone records. They've examined the property with infrared cameras. They've done everything you can think of and there is nothing to tie him to her (disappearance). He doesn't know where she is and he certainly didn't harm her. He had no reason to harm her."
In Slack’s eyes, Sam's demeanor, coupled with his compliance with authorities, have cleared him.
"I'd like to think they've exhausted any probability that Sam was involved because there seems to be nothing to point to him physically, motive-wise, opportunity -- nothing," Slack said. "If Sam had anything to do with her disappearance it would be an absolute shock to me."
Authorities and the public must also consider that she might have just ran off, or left and committed suicide, or someone else is involved, he said.
The two men fished until about 2:30 p.m., loaded up the truck and headed to Armstrong's Barbecue in Summerville for lunch before going home.
Oh, and before leaving the water, Slack let the fish go. "I turned her loose. She needs to go make babies," he said.
Attorney talks about fishing trip with Sam Parker. Theresa was last seen Wednesday night by her sister. The fishing trip was the next day on Thursday and had been planned the day before
Originally appeared in Walker County Messenger, 03/30/07
Eric Beavers
Two old friends with an open schedule went fishing on a Thursday afternoon, March 22. One caught a big bass and the other became a suspect -- in the public eye, at least -- as being responsible for a missing person.
Sam Parker, husband of missing 911 dispatcher Theresa Parker and a sargeant with the LaFayette Police Department, got a call from LaFayette attorney Bill Slack on the same Wednesday afternoon, March 21, when Theresa's family last saw her.
The Parkers are going through a divorce. Slack said he was not representing either of them in the divorce proceedings, but had represented Theresa and others in her family in the past.
Slack said he was supposed to be in court in Trenton that Thursday, but found out on the previous day that the hearing was cancelled, leaving him with a clear calendar.
“I thought, what am I going to do?” Slack said. “I've got a free day and the weather is good. I've got to go fishing.”
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"I'd like to think they've exhausted any probability that Sam was involved because there seems to be nothing to point to him physically, motive-wise, opportunity. Nothing. If Sam had anything to do with her disappearance it would be an absolute shock to me." -- LaFayette attorney Bill Slack, who went fishing with Sam Parker on Thursday, March 22
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newest development: On Thursday the GBI confiscated Sam Parker's patrol car.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After calling two other friends who couldn't go fishing with him, he caught up with Sam.
Sam picked Slack up that morning, with a small boat in the back of his truck ready to fish – and apparently with no knowledge of the missing person story that was unfolding, the story of his wife.
“We stop(ped) and (bought) bait, (it was) a perfectly normal little trip (to Chattooga County),” Slack said. "He (was) just as normal as he can be."
Slack said they talked about judges, court cases, new LaFayette Public Safety Director Tommy Freeman during the course of the day. They also talked about Theresa and their imminent divorce.
"His feelings were hurt by some of her behavior, but he wasn't angry," Slack said. "He was happy that their relationship was over."
During the trip, Sam wasn't acting like someone who caused harm to anyone, Slack said.
"There was nothing to indicate he was upset, or excited or angry or anything," he said.
The attorney said Sam had no motive harm to his wife. The death of Sam’s mother a year ago and his father within the last month had left him with no financial worries. The terms of divorce had been established, the property had been divided and the papers were reportedly ready to be filed any day.
"It was done," he said. "There was no more fussing or anything. It was all done. That part of his life was over."
Slack said he knew the couple had their problems, but didn't suspect violence was ever an issue.
"In the past, they had separated many times, but they always seemed to come back together" he said. "They could fuss a lot, but they never crossed a line into harming one another."
Slack talked about what he knew of Sam's willingness to comply with the police investigation.
"It's natural that Sam would be suspected," Slack said. "He understands that. It's part of his job and he has certainly cooperated fully with the GBI. He's answered every question. They have searched his house, his car, his father's house, his wife's car. They have sprayed him with chemicals to look for blood or other fluids and so forth. Nothing.
"He's turned over his bank records," Slack said. "He's turned over his phone records. They've examined the property with infrared cameras. They've done everything you can think of and there is nothing to tie him to her (disappearance). He doesn't know where she is and he certainly didn't harm her. He had no reason to harm her."
In Slack’s eyes, Sam's demeanor, coupled with his compliance with authorities, have cleared him.
"I'd like to think they've exhausted any probability that Sam was involved because there seems to be nothing to point to him physically, motive-wise, opportunity -- nothing," Slack said. "If Sam had anything to do with her disappearance it would be an absolute shock to me."
Authorities and the public must also consider that she might have just ran off, or left and committed suicide, or someone else is involved, he said.
The two men fished until about 2:30 p.m., loaded up the truck and headed to Armstrong's Barbecue in Summerville for lunch before going home.
Oh, and before leaving the water, Slack let the fish go. "I turned her loose. She needs to go make babies," he said.