NEW BOSTON, Texas — A Texas lady was convicted of capital homicide Monday for killing a pregnant lady to take her unborn child.
A Bowie County jury in northeast Texas deliberated about an hour earlier than discovering Taylor Rene Parker, 29, responsible of the October 2020 homicide of Reagan Michelle Simmons-Hancock, 21, and the kidnapping of the daughter minimize from her womb who later died.
The decision of a jury of six males and 6 ladies got here after three weeks of typically grisly testimony.
Parker’s attorneys argued that the infant was by no means alive and moved to dismiss a kidnapping cost, which might have lowered the capital homicide cost to homicide.
“That’s why in opening statements we spent a lot time on definitions. You possibly can’t kidnap an individual who has not been born alive,” mentioned Jeff Harrelson in his remaining argument to the jury.
Prosecutors mentioned, nevertheless, that a number of medical professionals testified the toddler had a heartbeat when born. Additionally they recounted Parker’s actions resulting in the day Simmons-Hancock was killed.
“We’ve methodically laid out what she (Parker) did, why she did it, all of the transferring elements, and all of the collateral harm. The most effective proof the state of Texas has that child was born alive is that Taylor Parker mentioned it wasn’t,” mentioned prosecutor Kelley Crisp.
Fellow prosecutor Lauren Richards recounted the entire masquerades Parker carried out for various folks, together with the being pregnant she faked main as much as the killing.
“Up to now two weeks, the proof has by no means been extra clear,” Assistant District Lawyer Lauren Richards instructed the jury. “She’s a liar, a manipulator, and now she’s gonna be held accountable for it.”
She reminded the jury of how Reagan was overwhelmed within the head a minimum of 5 instances with such pressure that the blows compressed her cranium into her mind.
“The ache Reagan should have felt when Taylor began slicing her stomach, hip to hip … indescribable,” Richards mentioned. “When Taylor had the infant and Reagan was nonetheless alive, that’s when Taylor began slashing and slicing. She will’t depart her alive. It was no fast loss of life. She simply stored slicing her. I suppose Reagan wouldn’t die quick sufficient for Taylor to get out of there and get on along with her plans.”
The punishment part has been scheduled to start Oct. 12. Prosecutors are looking for the loss of life penalty, though jurors could go for a sentence of life imprisonment with out parole.
