Update: Brannon Family Slaying (FL)
Maggie
From the St. Petersburg Times:
Landscaper charged in Manatee slayings
Despite an arrest, the investigation of the killings of a woman and her two
daughters continues, sheriff says.
By LEANORA MINAI and MIKE BRASSFIELD
© St. Petersburg Times, published October 28, 1999
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BRADENTON -- On one side of the media room sat Albert Dewey Brannon Jr.,
sobbing, breathing heavily, rubbing a small picture of his two slain daughters.
Across from him sat Robert Meyer, stone-faced and ashen, restraining his grief
over the loss of two granddaughters and his daughter, Sherry Brannon.
The men barely acknowledged one another.
Into this tense silence walked Manatee County Sheriff Charles B. Wells to
announce the arrest of Larry Parks, a Manatee County landscaper, in the Sept.
16 slayings of Mrs. Brannon and her daughters, Shelby and Cassidy.
But, Wells said, the investigation is not over.
"We will seriously be attempting to determine if Parks acted alone or if he
conspired with anyone to commit this crime," Wells said.
Authorities say Mrs. Brannon's estranged husband, Dewey Brannon, and others are
still being investigated in the case.
"I cannot eliminate Mr. Brannon," Wells said.
The announcement of Parks' arrest brought some relief to the relatives of Mrs.
Brannon, 35, Shelby, 7, and Cassidy, 4. But it also raised scores of new
questions about motive and possible accomplices.
"We still have many unanswered questions and are unable to find any reason and
any real peace in the arrest," said Mrs. Brannon's mother, Dolly Meyer of St.
Petersburg, during an impromptu memorial service Wednesday evening.
Wells said Parks, of Myakka City, has made statements to others about the case.
"And those people are cooperating with us, and that gives us reason to move on
and to at least look at the possibility that he was assisted in this case,"
Wells said, refusing to elaborate.
Parks, who was already being held in the Manatee County Jail on an unrelated
sexual battery charge, was charged at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday with three counts of
first-degree-murder.
A father of two and a former husband, Parks has five domestic violence cases
filed against him in Manatee County Court.
"He is like a walking time bomb," said Susan L. Moore, an ex-girlfriend.
Ex-wife Deborah Jean Parks asked for a divorce in 1985, citing Parks'
"ungovernable temper," "psychological abuse," "neglect" and "impatience with
our daughter."
She died this past March in a traffic accident in New York. Other family
members of Parks could not be reached Wednesday.
Parks worked as a laborer for Tropicana Products in Bradenton before he started
digging retention ponds.
Former girlfriends described Parks as a heavy drinker with an "attitude
problem" and a propensity for violence.
"Larry pulled an open 4-inch pocket knife, put it up to my throat and verbally
threatened to kill me and hide my body where no one would ever find me," said
former girlfriend Brenda G. Canaday in court records.
Manatee County investigators refused Wednesday to discuss specific details of
the Brannon killings or why Parks may have killed the family.
They did reveal that Mrs. Brannon and her daughters suffered multiple stab
wounds and that their throats had been cut. They were not sexually assaulted.
Dewey Brannon has told authorities he found his wife and daughter, Shelby, dead
in the house on Sept. 16 -- Mrs. Brannon's 35th birthday. Cassidy died later at
Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg.
Mrs. Brannon, a nurse at St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Petersburg, where she
grew up and where her parents live, filed for divorce Aug. 13.
Since the killings, Manatee investigators have logged more than 60 tips,
conducted more than 200 interviews and submitted 40 samples of DNA for testing.
But it was Parks' arrest Friday on a sexual battery charge that linked the
45-year-old to Mrs. Brannon and her daughters, said Maj. Connie Shingledecker.
Until then, Shingledecker said, "he was another name on the list."
The evidence: Yellow twine used in Friday's sexual battery case matched twine
found at the Brannon's home the day of the murders. A bloody shoe print in the
Brannon home matched tread from a pair of shoes found at Parks' home. Hair and
blood drawn from Parks matched DNA recovered from the Brannon crime scene.
On Friday, investigators say, Parks assaulted a Bradenton woman he knew at
gunpoint at 3:30 a.m. in her home. He wrapped the woman's ankles and hands with
silver duct tape and tied her down on a bed with yellow twine.
"Parks started ranting that he had done something terrible and was going to be
a dead man, but before that happened, he would fulfill his sexual fantasy,"
records say.
Detectives refused to speculate about the comment.
Parks knew the Brannons, a lawyer for Dewey Brannon said. The week of the
murders, he did landscaping work in the pricey Panther Ridge subdivision where
the family lived, detectives said.
Dewey Brannon's divorce lawyer, Julian Finley Broome Jr., said that in the
months before the killings, Parks dug the pond in front of the Brannon's
$350,000 home. Broome said Dewey Brannon recognized Parks.
Broome also said Parks dated a driver for United Parcel Service, which also
employs Dewey Brannon.
"He would have known Dewey and his wife were separated," Broome said.
Parks would talk with Mrs. Brannon, a nurse, about his heart condition.
Investigators refused to say how Parks got into the Brannon home, but friends
of Mrs. Brannon's say it was not uncommon for her to trust people.
A co-worker recalled an incident a few summers ago when Mrs. Brannon was
driving along U.S. 19 in Pinellas County's rush-hour traffic and came across an
elderly man walking in the heat. She pulled over.
"She got out. Talked to him and ended up calling the police," said Barbara
Emmert, who worked with Mrs. Brannon at St. Anthony's Hospital for 12 years.
Mrs. Brannon's family will continue to pray for an end to their nightmare.
Robert Meyer, her father, says detectives will keep looking at other potential
suspects in the crime.
"I really can't say what's in my heart," he said Wednesday evening. "I know
those questions will be answered, and I know it will be soon."
In the 42 days since the slayings, the Meyers have held nightly vigils along
State Road 70 east of Bradenton, the route Sherry took to work. Each night,
they've placed a pink ribbon on a utility pole, vowing to continue until Mrs.
Brannon's killer was arrested.
They go out there and remember their daughter, the sweet child who grew into a
woman, who had moved her own daughters out to the country to have horses and
grow up around nature.
Coping with news of the arrest, the Meyers stood at the 42nd pole Wednesday
night. They brought all the ribbons they had, and three dozen of Mrs. Brannon's
relatives and friends. They stood in a semicircle on the roadside, holding each
other.
One by one, each took a ribbon and climbed a ladder. As dusk fell, the gray
metal pole turned pink.
Near the top hung a big pink, aluminum bow that read: "In memory of Sherry,
Shelby and Cassidy."
-- Researchers Cathy Wos and Kitty Bennett contributed to this report.
Maggie
"I don't pay them for sex. I pay them to leave."--Clark Gable on why he used
prostitutes
lberry
wrote:
>Sounds like a murder for hire is still suspected. Personally, I doubt it.
Though I tend to agree with you, Maggie, it sure does look like the
murdered woman's parents might suspect their son-in-law of some
involvement, based on the following snippets from the article:
>BRADENTON -- On one side of the media room sat Albert Dewey Brannon Jr.,
>sobbing, breathing heavily, rubbing a small picture of his two slain daughters.
>
>Across from him sat Robert Meyer, stone-faced and ashen, restraining his grief
>over the loss of two granddaughters and his daughter, Sherry Brannon.
>The men barely acknowledged one another.
(snip)
>"We still have many unanswered questions and are unable to find any reason and
>any real peace in the arrest," said Mrs. Brannon's mother.
(snip)
>Robert Meyer, her father, says detectives will keep looking at other potential
>suspects in the crime.
>"I really can't say what's in my heart," he said Wednesday evening. "I know
>those questions will be answered, and I know it will be soon."
And whenever close relatives harbor some suspicion, it makes me
suspicious too.
How do those statements sound to you? Am I reading more into them
than is warranted? I'm also suprised that there was no evidence of
sexual assault.
Thanks for keeping us posted.
Linda A. Berry
PattyC4303
maggi...@aol.comSPAMBLOC (Maggie) writes:
>Former girlfriends described Parks as a heavy drinker with an "attitude
>problem" and a propensity for violence.
Have you noticed how these horrible loser rotten guys always have a long line
of girlfriends? What's THAT about?
PattyC
Maggie
>>Sounds like a murder for hire is still suspected. Personally, I doubt
>it.
>
***Are you sure there was no sexual assault? The article did say that Parks's
DNA matched DNA found at the crime scene.
I'm not so convinced that the attitude of Mrs. Brannon's family definitely
means that they believe her husband was behind the murders. Certainly lots of
bad blood could have resulted just from the separation. And I also bet the
cops were telling them that the husband *must* have done it (he's certainly my
first suspect in a family killing).
It's very difficult for me to imagine a father putting out a contract on his
daughters. I can see a father killing his children in anger, or putting out a
contract on his wife, or killing the children to hurt the wife (happens all the
time), but it's hard to imagine a reason he'd put out a contract on all of
them. The only thing I can think of is that they were heavily insured or had
large estates. I suppose he could have just wanted out of paying child support
and alimony but it just seems so unlikely to me.
Surely Parks will sing if he did do it for money.
lberry
wrote:
>***Are you sure there was no sexual assault? The article did say that Parks's
>DNA matched DNA found at the crime scene.
Oh, gosh, you made me have to go to DejaNews to find it. Luckily, it
wasn't too hard since it was so recent. Here is the portion of the
full article you posted which addresses this:
"Manatee County investigators refused Wednesday to discuss
specific details of the Brannon killings or why Parks may have
killed the family.
They did reveal that Mrs. Brannon and her daughters suffered
multiple stab wounds and that their throats had been cut. They
were not sexually assaulted."
This just strikes me as odd. What other motive could Parks have had
if not sexual assault? Of course, it could just be the guy couldn't
perform, but even then, I would think he would have at least tried,
and left evidence to that effect; e.g., position of the body, panties
pulled down, etc. Would the authorities still say "no sexual assault"
even if it was apparent that it was attempted, though not completed?
>I'm not so convinced that the attitude of Mrs. Brannon's family definitely
>means that they believe her husband was behind the murders. Certainly lots of
>bad blood could have resulted just from the separation. And I also bet the
>cops were telling them that the husband *must* have done it (he's certainly my
>first suspect in a family killing)
Very likely scenario.
>It's very difficult for me to imagine a father putting out a contract on his
>daughters. I can see a father killing his children in anger, or putting out a
>contract on his wife, or killing the children to hurt the wife (happens all the
>time), but it's hard to imagine a reason he'd put out a contract on all of
>them. The only thing I can think of is that they were heavily insured or had
>large estates. I suppose he could have just wanted out of paying child support
>and alimony but it just seems so unlikely to me.
Maybe he just wanted his wife killed, but the guy went crazy & killed
them all. More than likely, it's as cut-and-dried as it looks, but it
still seems to me that the authorities are not quite satisfied for
some reason, and I'm wondering why.
>Surely Parks will sing if he did do it for money.
No doubt.
Linda A. Berry
Maggie
>>***Are you sure there was no sexual assault? The article did say that
>Parks's
>>DNA matched DNA found at the crime scene.
>
>Oh, gosh, you made me have to go to DejaNews to find it. Luckily, it
>wasn't too hard since it was so recent. Here is the portion of the
>full article you posted which addresses this:
>
>"Manatee County investigators refused Wednesday to discuss
>specific details of the Brannon killings or why Parks may have
>killed the family.
> They did reveal that Mrs. Brannon and her daughters suffered
>multiple stab wounds and that their throats had been cut. They
>were not sexually assaulted."
>
>This just strikes me as odd. What other motive could Parks have had
>if not sexual assault? Of course, it could just be the guy couldn't
>perform, but even then, I would think he would have at least tried,
>and left evidence to that effect; e.g., position of the body, panties
>pulled down, etc. Would the authorities still say "no sexual assault"
>even if it was apparent that it was attempted, though not completed?
***You just reminded me that Parks was unable to complete the sexual assault on
the victim whose boyfriend beat him up. Remember--he woke up the boyfriend so
he could watch him and the girlfriend have sex. Anyway--your idea that
perhaps an assault wasn't completed makes sense.
>
<snip>
Linda said:
More than likely, it's as cut-and-dried as it looks, but it
>still seems to me that the authorities are not quite satisfied for
>some reason, and I'm wondering why.
***Might be the same reason the FBI took so long to charge Cary Stayner (and
him, only) for the Yosemite killings. They'd assumed the husband was involved
ever since the murder happened and are reluctant to admit they were wrong.
Maggie
"A lot of people mistake a short memory for a clear conscience."--Doug Larson
PattyC4303
maggi...@aol.comSPAMBLOC (Maggie) writes:
>I'm not so convinced that the attitude of Mrs. Brannon's family definitely
>means that they believe her husband was behind the murders. Certainly lots
>of
>bad blood could have resulted just from the separation. And I also bet the
>cops were telling them that the husband *must* have done it (he's certainly
>my
>first suspect in a family killing).
Very good point. I know, if my sister and kids had been murdered after/during
her separation from the now ex, we would have gone to court and glared at him.
JUST out of the bad feelings resulting from the separation. But I STILL would
not have thought he could have killed her, let alone I would KNOW he could not
have killed the kids. Then again, with the anger involved, IF the police were
trying to convince me at that time, I sure might have been willing to consider
calling the ex brother-in-law Satan.
PattyC