By Heather Russell Publisher hrussell@bowiecountynow. com
A 6 man 6 woman Bowie County jury took just less than an hour to convict Taylor Parker of the capital murder of Reagan Hancock and the kidnapping of her unborn child, Braxlynn, resulting in the death of the baby as well. Last week’s testimony was emotional, heartbreaking, and at times gory. An official from the Texarkana Crime Scene Unit testified that after obtaining search warrants for both the inside and outside of the Austin Street crime scene in New Boston, as well as the vehicles of Reagan Hancock’s husband, mother, and stepfather, that he was able to ascertain that while the vehicles had no evidentiary value, the home was strewn with blood spatter and bloody footprints, indicative of the fierce fight Reagan Hancock put up for her life. The scene was at the least heart wrenching, with evidence of the victim having fallen and gotten back up at least 4 times. Some of her fingernails were ripped from her hands, one of her fingers was dislocated, and a child’s bathing suit had been used to try and clean up some of the blood. There was evidence in both the kitchen and bathroom sink that someone had tried to wash up, and a jar filled with sand that the Hancock’s had used at their wedding ceremony just over a year before was covered in blood and bloody fingerprints. Castoff blood was found on the walls, baseboards, and even the ceiling. The jury viewed autopsy photos of the victim, showing nearly 40 head lacerations, and a total of 113 wounds in all, not including abrasions and contusions. The victim’s hands were severely bruised, indicating she used them to defend against the brutal attack. Markings on Reagan’s skull indicated she had been beaten with both the head and the claw end of a hammer. A scalpel was found buried in a deep laceration to her neck, and medical examiners could not rule out the possibility of strangulation. Testimony by the medical examiner was so graphic that the judge called an early afternoon break so that the defendant could collect herself. She re-entered the courtroom disheveled, having obviously been crying.
A Texas Ranger testified that copious amounts of blood were found in Parker’s car, along with a .410 Taurus Judge handgun with four chambered bullets and a bloody diaper bag.
