Cody Lee Parker (Colorado Springs Police Department) and the home where he killed his mom and stepdad (KRDO screenshot)
A 32-year-old man in Colorado will spend more than half a century behind bars after admitting to killing his mother and stepfather, fatally stabbing both inside of their home two years ago. Fourth Judicial District Court Judge Michael McHenry ordered Cody Lee Parker to serve a sentence of 55 years in a state correctional facility for the slayings of Deborah Parker-Lykins and Duane Lykins, authorities confirmed to Law&Crime.
Parker had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the couple’s deaths. In exchange for pleading to the deaths, prosecutors downgraded the charges against Parker from first- to second-degree murder.
During Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, Parker requested he be permitted to withdraw his guilty plea, claiming he wanted to go to trial so that “the truth can come out,” The Gazette reported. The request, which Parker based on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, was rejected by McHenry. The judge reasoned that at the time Parker entered into the plea agreement, it had been made unequivocally clear to him that he would not be able to go back on the deal.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, officers with the Colorado Springs Police Department at about 7:20 p.m. on Sept. 23, 2022, responded to a home located in the 1200 block of Dancing Horse Drive in regard to a reported stabbing. The caller identified himself as Parker and confessed to the double murder.
“Cody (Parker) stated to the dispatcher that he had just stabbed (the victims) and requested for first responders to bring a ‘clean up crew,”” the affidavit states. “Cody also informed the dispatcher that he had stabbed both (his stepfather) and his mother.”
Upon arriving at the scene, first responders said they “heard screaming from inside the residence” and forced their way in, finding Parker with a knife in his hand and the victims nearby. The victims were transported to Penrose Main Hospital for treatment. Parker’s mother was pronounced dead upon arrival with his stepfather being pronounced dead some time later.
Parker was arrested and made several “unsolicited statements” referring to his history of “verbal and physical” disputes with his mother. He later said they had a “difficult relationship” due to “her constant verbal abuse of him.” He said another verbal fight precipitated the stabbing.
“Cody stated that he was upset with both (victims) to the point that he went into the kitchen and removed a serrated knife from a butcher block. With the knife in his right hand, Cody described walking over to the living room area where his mother was laying down and proceeded to stab her two or three times using a downward motion, with the blade of the knife facing down,” the affidavit states. “When I asked Cody what his mother was doing while he was stabbing her, Cody responded by saying that his mother was begging for mercy and asking for him to stop.”
Parker was unable to tell police how his stepfather had been stabbed, but said that he did see the man injured with what appeared to be multiple stab wounds.
Daniel, Parker’s autistic brother, also witnessed the slayings.
During the plea hearing, Parker said he was “immensely” regretful for the killings, but also reiterated claims that he and his brother were abused by the victims.
Several of the victims’ family members and friends penned victim impact statements about the positive impact the victims had on their lives.
