On Wednesday, April 25, 2018, 72-year-old Richard O. Parker, an inmate housed at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, died.
Parker began serving his sentence on January 14, 1974, after being arrested for a knifepoint robbery of a woman at 6th and Jackson Streets. In October of 1973 Parker was paroled after serving almost 12 years of a 30-year sentence, he received after he was convicted of raping a woman in a vacant home at the age of 17.
During the January robbery Parker held a knife to the throat of Alice Nicholson forcing her to turn over forty cents, according to court records. He was later tied to additional crimes during that period and faced additional charges after his arrest.
Parker, of Edgemoor, was serving a life sentence plus 56 years for Attempted Rape, Violation of Parole, 1st Degree Robbery, Attempted 2nd Degree Sodomy, 2nd Degree Conspiracy, and Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Person Prohibited.
Parker’s body was turned over to the State Division of Forensic Science, as is standard procedure.