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DeLong: A DECOMPOSED BODY IS FOUND
IN THE SABINE RIVER IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
DENTAL RECORDS IDENTIFY THE VICTIM --
23-YEAR-OLD MARINE SERGEANT ELIHUE PARKER.
HE'S BEEN CAUGHT IN A VIOLENT LOVE TRIANGLE.
NOW...IT'S OVER.
THE PROSECUTION SAYS THIS WOMAN ORDERED HIS EXECUTION --
ELIHUE'S ESTRANGED WIFE, KIMBERLY PARKER.
THEY SAY HER LOVER, DAMIEN HUCKABY,
PULLED THE TRIGGER.
IN JUNE 2001, BOTH ARE CONVICTED
OF AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING RESULTING IN ***.
DAMIEN GETS LIFE; KIMBERLY 99 YEARS.
ANOTHER TRAGIC CASE OF JEALOUSY AND GREED?
NOT ACCORDING TO KIMBERLY PARKER.
SHE SAYS SHE'S INNOCENT.
I'VE COME TO HER CENTRAL TEXAS PRISON TO FIND THE TRUTH.
I'M CANDICE DeLONG.
AS AN FBI AGENT, I WORKED ON THE FRONT LINE
FOR THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
I WENT UNDERCOVER, I TRAILED TERRORISTS...
[ GUNSHOT ]
...AND I INTERVIEWED NOTORIOUS KILLERS.
IT'S MY JOB TO UNDERSTAND
THE PEOPLE WHO OTHERS CANNOT COMPREHEND.
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
JULY 30, 2000.
LEWISVILLE, TEXAS.
U.S. MARINE ELIHUE PARKER IS PLEADING FOR HIS LIFE.
COME ON, MAN! PLEASE!
NOT ON THE BATTLEFIELD, BUT IN A SECLUDED WOODS.
HIS LAST MOMENTS ARE TOO TERRIBLE TO IMAGINE.
HE'S SHOT, BOUND, THEN THROWN INTO A RIVER.
HIS ESTRANGED WIFE, KIMBERLY, FILES A MISSING-PERSONS REPORT,
BUT SHE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.
AND WHEN A WITNESS COMES FORWARD TO THE POLICE, THEY DO, TOO.
ELIHUE WAS MURDERED, EXECUTION STYLE,
BY DAMIEN HUCKABY, ASSISTED BY THREE OF HIS FRIENDS.
A JURY WAS CONVINCED THAT KIMBERLY MASTERMINDED IT ALL,
EVEN THOUGH SHE WASN'T THERE.
HI, KIMBERLY.
I WANT TO KNOW HOW SOMEONE WITH NO CRIMINAL RECORD
ENDS UP SERVING 99 YEARS
IN THE MURRAY UNIT IN GATESVILLE, TEXAS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR LIFE
WHEN YOU WERE A LITTLE GIRL.
WHAT DID YOU WANT YOUR LIFE TO BE LIKE?
I WANTED TO BE A MODEL,
SO MOSTLY MY FOCUS AT THAT TIME AND COLLEGE.
I COME FROM A BACKGROUND WHERE EDUCATION IS PUSHED.
WHILE STUDYING AT COLLEGE,
23-YEAR-OLD KIMBERLY MEETS MARINE SERGEANT ELIHUE PARKER
IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA.
WITHIN A YEAR, THEY ARE ENGAGED.
THEN KIMBERLY UNCOVERS A SECRET.
I FOUND OUT THAT I WAS THE OTHER WOMAN.
HE WAS MARRIED?
NO, HE WAS JUST INVOLVED.
INVOLVED WITH SOMEONE.
WHAT DID THAT FEEL LIKE FOR YOU?
BETRAYAL...AND --
DID YOU WANT TO LEAVE?
AT FIRST, I DID.
MY MOM HAD ALREADY PREPARED FOR OUR WEDDING.
SO WE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD WITH THE WEDDING.
THAT'S NOT THE GREATEST START TO A LIFE TOGETHER.
IN MY EXPERIENCE, WOMEN IN THIS SITUATION
OFTEN NEVER, EVER TRUST THEIR HUSBANDS AGAIN.
ELIHUE WAS TRANSFERRED TO LEWISVILLE, TEXAS,
AS A MARINE RECRUITER.
KIMBERLY COMES, TOO, BUT SHE'S NOT HAPPY.
IF YOU COULD SUMMARIZE WHAT WAS GOING ON
IN YOUR HEAD AND YOUR HEART AT THAT TIME
WITH ONE OR TWO WORDS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
HEARTACHE AND PAIN. [ CHUCKLES ]
WITHIN MONTHS, INFIDELITY WILL STRIKE AGAIN.
BUT THIS TIME, IT'S KIMBERLY'S TURN,
AND SHE'S IN FOR MORE THAN SHE BARGAINS FOR.
AT FIRST, IT WAS KIND OF EXCITING.
YOU WERE DRAWN TO THE BAD BOY IN HIM.
YES.
SO, WHAT TIME WILL YOU BE HOME?
I DON'T KNOW. MY JOB CAN GO FOR HOURS. YOU KNOW THIS.
DeLong: APRIL 2000.
THE SHORT MARRIAGE
OF KIMBERLY PARKER AND ELIHUE PARKER,
BOTH 23, IS ON THE ROCKS.
THEY MOVE TO LEWISVILLE, TEXAS, THEN SEPARATE.
HE WORKS AS A MARINE RECRUITER. SHE WORKS IN TELEMARKETING.
THAT'S WHERE KIMBERLY MEETS DAMIEN HUCKABY,
WHO SHE DESCRIBES AS A BAD BOY.
AT FIRST, IT WAS KIND OF --
I GUESS YOU COULD SAY EXCITING
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BAD BOY VERSUS GOOD BOY.
YOU WERE DRAWN TO THE BAD BOY IN HIM.
YES.
KIMBERLY AND ELIHUE ARE STILL MARRIED,
BUT LIVING APART AT THIS TIME.
WHEN DAMIEN COMES ON THE SCENE, ELIHUE GETS JEALOUS.
HE DID NOT WANT TO GIVE ME A DIVORCE,
AND HE JUST SAID HE'S WAITING FOR ME TO GET
ALL OF THIS OUT OF MY SYSTEM.
HE FELT LIKE IT WAS A REBELLION THING.
HMM. WHAT DID YOU THINK?
I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE WE COULD JUST BE FRIENDS,
BUT IT WASN'T WORKING OUT LIKE THAT.
IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I WAS TORN BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE.
AND HOW DID THAT GO FOR ELIHUE?
NOT WELL. IT DIDN'T GO WELL AT ALL.
HE ENDED UP MOVING DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME.
AND...
HE WANTED YOU BACK OR HE WAS SPYING ON YOU OR BOTH?
BOTH. BOTH.
THIS WOULD MAKE ANY WOMAN UNCOMFORTABLE --
AN EX LIVING ACROSS THE STREET.
KIMBERLY'S LIFE IS ABOUT TO GET VERY COMPLICATED.
SO IT BECAME A BATTLE BETWEEN THE TWO MEN.
MAN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
COME ON. DO IT AGAIN.
STOP IT!
WHENEVER THEY WOULD SEE EACH OTHER,
ON SITE, THEY WOULD FIGHT.
LEAVE HIM ALONE! JUST LEAVE HIM ALONE!
WERE THEY BOTH ARRESTED FOR THIS KIND OF THING?
YES.
MORE THAN ONCE?
MAYBE TWICE.
DeLong: IT'S CLEAR ELIHUE CANNOT LET KIMBERLY GO.
IT'S NOT UNCOMMON IN BREAKUPS
WHEN ONE PARTNER REFUSES TO ACCEPT THE INEVITABLE.
ELIHUE ADOPTS A NOVEL APPROACH
TO INTERFERE WITH KIMBERLY'S LIFE.
MY HUSBAND WOULD TAKE MY CAR.
HE WOULD HIDE IT IN DIFFERENT APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
AND WHAT WAS HE DOING THAT FOR?
SO I COULDN'T HAVE A WAY TO GO TO WORK.
AND HOW WOULD DAMIEN TAKE IT?
HE WOULD GO ON A RAGE.
YES.
WHAT WOULD I BE SEEING IF DAMIEN WAS RAGING?
CUSSING, MAKING...THREATS,
IF HE SEEN HIM, HE WOULD PRETTY MUCH BEAT HIM UP,
OR, YOU KNOW, STUFF LIKE THAT.
ONE PERSON TOLD THE POLICE
THAT AT ONE POINT, DAMIEN SAID TO ELIHUE,
"IF WE WERE BACK IN THE HOOD, I WOULD CAP YOUR ***,"
MEANING "SHOOT YOU."
DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU?
DID YOU HEAR THAT THREAT?
UM...HE SAID SO MANY THINGS,
SO I CAN'T JUST PINPOINT AND SAY,
"YES, I REMEMBER THE DAY HE SAID THAT."
MM-HMM.
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING HE WOULD SAY.
DAMIEN WILL MAKE GOOD ON HIS THREAT.
THE QUESTION IS -- DID KIMBERLY PUT HIM UP TO IT?
ELIHUE HAD A $200,000 LIFE-INSURANCE POLICY,
I WAS.
DeLong: MARINE SERGEANT ELIHUE PARKER
AND HIS ESTRANGED WIFE, KIMBERLY,
HAVE BEEN ARGUING FOR MONTHS.
KIMBERLY IS DATING COWORKER DAMIEN HUCKABY,
AND HER HUSBAND IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT.
THE MEN FIGHT OVER KIMBERLY, LITERALLY.
STOP IT! LEAVE HIM ALONE!
DeLong: IT REACHES A BOILING POINT ON JULY 30, 2000.
THIS STARTED BECAUSE MY CAR WAS TAKEN AGAIN.
MM-HMM.
AND DAMIEN AND HIS FRIENDS WERE AT MY HOUSE AT THE TIME.
HE JUST WAS LIKE, "WELL, LET'S JUST GO GET YOUR CAR."
SO I CALLED MY HUSBAND ON THE PHONE,
AND I SAID, "I'M GONNA COME OVER THERE SO WE CAN TALK."
DAMIEN AND HIS FRIENDS --
WE ALL GO OVER TO HIS APARTMENT TO GO GET MY CAR.
DAMIEN'S FRIENDS ARE DEXTER HODGE...
KENDALL WATSON... AND MARQUIS BROWN.
AT 4:00 P.M. THAT AFTERNOON,
ALL FIVE GO TO RECLAIM KIMBERLY'S CAR.
THAT'S KIMBERLY'S STORY.
THE POLICE ARGUE THE VISIT WAS NOT ABOUT A CAR.
COME ON! COME ON, MAN!
DeLong: IT WAS ABOUT MONEY.
ELIHUE HAD A $200,000 LIFE-INSURANCE POLICY.
THAT'S CORRECT.
AND WHO WAS THE BENEFICIARY?
YOU WERE.
WAS IT MOTIVE FOR YOU?
NO.
WERE YOU THE BENEFICIARY OF HIS $200,000 POLICY
AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH?
NO.
AT TRIAL, ONE OF THE ACCOMPLICES
CLAIMS THE GROUP SPOKE ABOUT KILLING ELIHUE
TO GET HIS LIFE INSURANCE.
IT'S A PRIME MOTIVE FOR THE PROSECUTION'S CASE.
KIMBERLY DENIES IT.
SHE SAYS SHE WAS NO LONGER A BENEFICIARY.
WHEN WE GOT SEPARATED,
MY HUSBAND AND I WENT TO THE OFFICE,
AND HE TOOK ME OFF.
YES.
AND WHO BECAME THE BENEFICIARY?
AND YOU KNEW THAT?
YES, AND MY MOM BECAME MINE.
DID DAMIEN KNOW THAT YOU STOOD TO INHERIT NOTHING?
YES, HE KNEW.
YOU'RE CERTAIN?
TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
WE NEVER DISCUSSED
ANY INSURANCE MONEY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
EVIDENCE SHOWN PROVES
ELIHUE DID WRITE KIMBERLY OUT OF HIS POLICY --
TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ***.
KIMBERLY INSISTS THEY ALL VISITED HER HUSBAND
THAT AFTERNOON JUST TO GET HER CAR BACK.
THERE'S A KNOCK ON THE DOOR.
AND ELIHUE OPENS THE DOOR,
AND FIVE OF YOU WERE THERE?
YES.
WOW. QUITE A SHOW OF FORCE.
RIGHT. YES.
AND WHAT DID ELIHUE DO?
HE TRIED TO CLOSE THE DOOR BACK WHEN HE SEEN THEM.
AND THE DOOR WAS FORCED OPEN.
COME ON!
AND WHEN THE DOOR WAS FORCED OPEN,
DAMIEN AND MY HUSBAND FOUGHT AGAIN.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
AND MY HUSBAND JUST SAID,
"I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHERE THE CAR'S AT."
DeLong: THE GANG THEN FORCES
KIMBERLY'S HUSBAND INTO THEIR VEHICLE.
AT THAT POINT, DID YOU REALIZE
A CRIME WAS BEING COMMITTED BEYOND THE FIGHTING?
I-I JUST -- IT WAS HAPPENING SO FAST.
WELL, ACTUALLY, IT WASN'T THE FIRST CRIME.
FORCING THE WAY INTO -- THERE'S FELONY NUMBER ONE.
FELONY NUMBER TWO --
FIGHTING WITH THE OCCUPANT OF THAT HOME.
FELONY NUMBER THREE -- REMOVING HIM FROM HIS HOME.
WHAT DID THEY DO WITH HIM WHEN THEY GOT OUTSIDE?
THEY TOLD HIM TO GET IN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR.
THERE'S FELONY NUMBER FOUR. AND THEN THEY DROVE OFF?
THAT'S KIDNAPPING.
AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING.
YES.
FELONY NUMBER FIVE.
WHAT DID YOU THINK WAS GONNA HAPPEN?
I WAS JUST -- I HAD SO MANY THINGS
GOING THROUGH MY MIND AT THE TIME.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK.
SUCH AS?
"MY HUSBAND'S IN THE TRUNK OF MY BOYFRIEND'S CAR,
AND HE'S ARMED."
I FIGURED THEY'D PROBABLY, LIKE,
THREATEN HIM TO GIVE ME MY CAR BACK.
I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING REALLY DRASTIC
WOULD TAKE PLACE.
KIMBERLY DOESN'T STAY IN THE CAR.
SHE ASKED TO BE DROPPED AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE.
IT'S HARD TO SAY HOW ANY OF US WOULD REACT IN THIS SITUATION,
BUT THE MOMENT KIMBERLY GETS OUT OF THAT CAR,
SHE LEAVES HER HUSBAND IN DEEP TROUBLE.
WAS THAT HER PLAN ALL ALONG?
AT ANY POINT,
DID IT OCCUR TO YOU "THEY'RE GONNA KILL HIM"?
NO.
NO.
THAT WAS THE FURTHEST THING FROM MY MIND.
NO ONE DISPUTES WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
ELIHUE IS TAKEN INTO THE WOODS, RELEASED FROM THE TRUNK...
COME ON, MAN! PLEASE, MAN! DON'T DO IT, MAN!
...THEN SHOT IN THE CHEST.
NEXT MORNING, DAMIEN RETURNS TO KIMBERLY.
WELL, FIRST, I SAID,
"YOU KNOW THAT HE'S GONNA PRESS CHARGES ON YOU."
[ SCOFFS ] AND WHAT DID DAMIEN SAY?
HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT, "WE KILLED HIM."
I ASKED HIM -- I SAID, "WELL, WHAT HAPPENED?"
HE JUST SAID...
HE SAID HE DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO GO THAT FAR.
BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. THEY HAD ALREADY SHOT HIM.
DID HE SEEM REMORSEFUL IN ANY WAY?
AT THAT MOMENT, NO.
WHAT WERE YOU THINKING OR FEELING?
I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE HE WENT THAT FAR.
IS THIS THE FACE OF A MASTERMIND
OR A GRIEVING WIFE CAUGHT IN A LOVE TRIANGLE
THAT WENT TRAGICALLY WRONG?
WHAT KIMBERLY SAYS NEXT SENDS SHIVERS DOWN MY SPINE.
AND THEN THEY WENT BACK TO WHERE THEY THOUGHT THE BODY WAS?
YES, MA'AM.
HE WAS GONE.
DeLong: KIMBERLY PARKER IS TELLING ME
THE FIRST SHE KNEW OF HER HUSBAND'S DEATH
WAS WHEN HER BOYFRIEND, DAMIEN, SAID HE SHOT HIM.
THEN DAMIEN TELLS HER SOMETHING ELSE --
SOMETHING HORRIFYING.
Kimberly: HE TOLD ME THAT THEY SHOT HIM IN THE CHEST,
THAT THEY WENT TO SOME CLUB OR SOMETHING.
AND AFTER THAT, THEY CAME BACK,
AND HE WAS NOT THERE ANYMORE.
AND HE CRAWLED SOMEWHERE.
THIS IS STRAIGHT OUT OF A HORROR MOVIE.
ELIHUE IS LEFT FOR DEAD.
BUT HE MANAGES TO STRUGGLE TOWARDS THE ROAD.
WHEN SOMEONE DOES COME ALONG, IT'S NO RESCUE PARTY.
IT'S HIS ATTACKERS.
THEY DRUG HIM BACK.
GET HIM UP.
THEY TOLD HIM THAT THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN TOO FAR,
AND THEY COULDN'T LET HIM MAKE IT.
WAS HE PLEADING FOR HIS LIFE?
YEAH, THAT'S WHEN THEY SAID
MY HUSBAND WAS PLEADING FOR HIS LIFE
AND SAID HE WOULD TELL THEM WHERE THE CAR WAS AT.
AND THEY SAID THAT THEY DON'T CARE NOW AT THIS POINT.
AND THEY WRAPPED HIM IN THE SHEETS,
AND THEY DUCT-TAPED HIM,
AND THEY THREW HIM IN THE RIVER.
ALIVE?
ALIVE.
DID YOU ASK ANY OF THEM,
"WHY DID YOU PUT HIM IN THE RIVER ALIVE?"
I ASKED THEM WHY DID THEY EVEN DO THAT, PERIOD?
AND THEIR ANSWER WAS?
AFTER THEY SHOT HIM,
I GUESS THEY FELT LIKE THEY WOULD GET IN TROUBLE FOR THAT,
SO THEY FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED TO DO AWAY WITH HIM.
THIS CRUEL STORY IS PLAUSIBLE --
TOUGH GUYS, INTIMIDATING ARRIVAL,
GO ONE STEP TOO FAR AND PULL THE TRIGGER.
THEN, IN THEIR MINDS, THERE'S NO TURNING BACK.
BUT ONE OF THE GANG, MARQUIS BROWN, HAS REGRETS.
HE TURNS STATE'S WITNESS AND TESTIFIES AGAINST THE GROUP.
HE SAYS IT WAS ALL ORCHESTRATED BY KIMBERLY PARKER.
DID YOU ASK DAMIEN TO KILL YOUR HUSBAND?
NO.
DID YOU WANT YOUR HUSBAND DEAD?
NO.
YOU WANTED A DIVORCE.
YES.
SO, WHY DIDN'T KIMBERLY GO TO THE POLICE
AS SOON AS SHE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE ***?
SHE SAYS DAMIEN THREATENED HER.
HE PUT THE GUN UP TO MY MOUTH.
HE SAID, "ARE YOU GONNA SNITCH ON ME?
ARE YOU GONNA TELL ON ME?" AND I SAID, "NO."
I JUST THOUGHT THAT
"I DON'T REALLY KNOW THE PERSON THAT I'VE BEEN WITH,"
AND I WAS SCARED FOR MY LIFE AT THAT TIME.
KIMBERLY KEEPS HER MOUTH SHUT.
BUT MARQUIS BROWN TELLS ALL.
ALL FIVE ARE FOUND GUILTY OF AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING.
DAMIEN GETS LIFE,
BUT THE LONGEST SENTENCE IS RESERVED FOR KIMBERLY --
99 YEARS.
DO YOU FEEL RESPONSIBLE FOR ELIHUE'S DEATH?
SOMEWHAT I FEEL LIKE IT'S MY FAULT
BECAUSE IF I WOULD NEVER HAVE MET DAMIEN,
I WOULDN'T BE IN THE SITUATION THAT I'M IN NOW.
AND MAYBE IF I WOULD HAVE TRIED
TO WORK OUT MY MARRIAGE, I'D BE MARRIED SOMEWHERE
INSTEAD OF IN THE PENITENTIARY.
I WANT YOU TO IMAGINE FOR A MINUTE
THAT I AM ELIHUE.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY TO ME?
UM...
THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THAT TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE.
I STILL DON'T -- TO THIS DAY --
DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT HAD TO BE TAKEN THAT FAR.
SORRY THAT ALL THIS TOOK PLACE.
99 YEARS IS A LONG TIME TO THINK ABOUT YOUR MISTAKES.
FOR ELIHUE'S FAMILY, IT'S PROBABLY NOT LONG ENOUGH.
FOR KIMBERLY, IT'S TIME TO REFLECT ON WHAT SHE HAS DONE
AND HOW OTHERS CAN LEARN FROM HER MISTAKES.
MY ADVICE WOULD BE, FIRST OF ALL,
DON'T BE INVOLVED IN A LOVE TRIANGLE.
[ CHUCKLES ]
SECOND OF ALL, IF YOU EVER EXPERIENCE
ANY SIGNS OF VIOLENCE, DON'T BE AFRAID TO REPORT IT.
DON'T WAIT TO REPORT IT
BECAUSE YOU COULD END UP IN A SITUATION LIKE I'M IN.
IF YOU WERE RELEASED,
WOULD SOCIETY BE SAFE FROM YOU?
YES. I'VE NEVER BEEN IN TROUBLE A DAY IN MY LIFE.
IF I COULD JUST GO BACK
AND MAKE THAT DECISION OVER AGAIN, I WOULD.
THE DECISION TO WHAT?
THE DECISION TO CALL THE POLICE.
I JUST -- I-I'LL NEVER LET MYSELF LIVE THAT DOWN.
I JUST NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD GO THAT FAR.
BUT IT DID.
IT DID. [ SNIFFLES ]
DID KIMBERLY ORDER THIS KILLING?
I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE.
BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S POSSIBLE SHE JUST WANTED HER CAR BACK
AND HER BIGGEST MISTAKE WAS NOT STOPPING THE VIOLENCE
BETWEEN THE TWO MEN IN HER LIFE.