Share this @internewscast.com
The tragic case of Beverly Parker, who was savagely stabbed 25 times and whose attacker paused to fetch a larger knife, is under renewed scrutiny.
This chilling 1997 murder is the centerpiece of a fresh episode of Cold Justice, set to air on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 8/7c on Oxygen. Led by prosecutor Kelly Siegler, homicide investigator Tonya Rider, and Fort Wayne Police detectives Brian Martin and Mark Bieker, the team aims to unravel this long-unsolved crime.
The episode, aptly named “A Mother’s Nightmare,” invites viewers into the investigation of a brutal attack on a diligent mother, who met a violent end by stabbing and bludgeoning, as described in the episode synopsis. The inquiry reveals a clandestine affair and a shocking discovery rivaling the horror of the murder itself.
What Happened to Homicide Victim Beverly Parker?
In their bid to shed new light on the cold case, the team has reconstructed the crime scene to better understand Parker’s final moments in her Fort Wayne, Indiana residence, as previewed in the upcoming episode.
Authorities suspect that the assault began in Parker’s kitchen, with the victim either being dragged or fleeing into the hallway before the fatal strikes were delivered.
“I’m not sure how it started, whether it was premeditated or impulsive, but I believe Beverly turned her back,” Martin stated in a teaser clip. “That’s likely when we see that rapid succession of short cuts.”
Parker’s attacker used a small knife to stab her 25 times in what Bieker described as something “like a prison shanking almost.”
He explained, “It’s just those quick jabs.”
The detectives theorized that the attack likely began in the kitchen when someone grabbed Parker from behind, holding an arm across her throat, as the killer delivered the stab wounds.
Bieker noted that the theory would “explain too the damage to her throat.”
But at some point, the attack moved into a nearby hallway. Blood stains on the floor suggested that an injured Parker was either dragged or tried to scoot away from her killer herself when she was overcome again.
“The wounds on Beverly’s back were made by a small knife. They were shallow and not fatal,” Rider told producers in another preview. “Her next stab wounds appear to be from a larger blade, suggesting her killer discarded the first knife and returned to the kitchen for a bigger one.”
Approximately three more blows were delivered with the larger knife, but as Siegler noted, those “weren’t fatal” either.
Bieker confirmed that the stab wounds “missed everything” that could have directly caused her death.
Tragically, as the vicious attack continued, Parker lost her life.
To find out more about the case and the surprising suspects at the center of the investigation, watch Cold Justice Saturday, Oct. 18, at 8/7c on Oxygen.
