Shraman Mitra
911 operators in Irmo, South Carolina, received a frantic phone call on April 13, 2012, informing them about a possible homicide at a residence in the Ascot neighborhood. When investigators arrived on the scene, they were shocked to find Tammy Jo Parker and Bryan Capnerhurst murdered inside the former’s house. ‘Dateline: Mystery at Ascot Estates’ chronicles the gruesome double murder and follows the investigation that brought the perpetrator to justice.
How Did Tammy Jo Parker and Bryan Capnerhurst Die?
Tammy Jo Parker was a loving mother of three who lived with her husband and two children in the neighborhood of Ascot Estates in Irmo, South Carolina. People who knew Tammy described her as a kindhearted and caring individual who never hesitated to help others in need. Moreover, Tammy earned a living as a salesman, and her amicable nature helped her build a remarkable reputation in the field. Additionally, she even performed as part of a local band, and most of Tammy’s friends praised her incredible singing talent.
On the other hand, Bryan Capnerhurst was also a native of Irmo, South Carolina, and got to know Tammy through her husband. As a matter of fact, he was described as a family friend, and people close to the family mentioned that Tammy always treated him with kindness. Yet, there was nothing out of the ordinary that could have hinted at the oncoming tragedy. When first responders reached the Parker residence on April 13, 2012, they were shocked to find both Tammy and Bryan lying dead inside the house.
While Tammy’s body lay in the bathroom with her legs protruding out in the living room, Bryan was found dead in a second-floor corridor. Moreover, an initial medical examination found a single bullet wound on Tammy’s body, but the second victim was shot multiple times in the face, chest, arm, leg, and foot. Yet, while an autopsy determined that both victims had died from gunshot injuries, the police were surprised to find a pistol in Bryan’s hand.
Brett Parker: Found Guilty in Double Murder Mystery
The initial 911 call was placed by Tammy’s husband, Brett Parker, who claimed that Bryan had killed his wife before attempting to rob their safe. He further went on to insist that he killed Bryan in self-defense, and the police were inclined to agree after looking at his distressed state. As a matter of fact, even the crime scene evidence supported Brett’s story since there was a gun in Bryan’s hand, and his gym bag lay open nearby with a box of ammo clearly visible on top. Additionally, Brett submitted his own gun to the police, and subsequent tests showed that the gun in Bryan’s hand was used to kill Tammy, while Brett’s gun fired the bullets that killed Bryan.
Even though the entire incident appeared to be a robbery gone wrong, investigators soon began noticing holes in Brett’s statement. For starters, Brett claimed he was in the downstairs toilet when he heard gunshots upstairs, but a police officer noticed the toilet seat was still turned up. Moreover, the gym bag and the box of ammo seemed planted, while home CCTV cameras showed that Brett made the 911 call almost 10 minutes after Bryan walked through the front door. Interestingly, investigators were convinced that the entire incident occurred in about a minute, which made Brett’s actions look suspicious.
Further investigation broke the case wide open as the police soon learned that Brett was having an affair with a younger woman. Besides, a few of his acquaintances also insisted that he was planning on separating from Tammy. Incidentally, their marriage was not as perfect as they had made it out to be, and Tammy was even unhappy with her husband. On top of it, the police also found out that Brett worked as an illegal sports bookie to earn some cash on the side, which is how he got in touch with Bryan Capnerhurst. Yet, while Brett and Bryan were good friends initially, they got into a feud as the former owed Bryan a substantial sum of $21,000. It is believed that Bryan arrived at the Parker residence to ask for his money when he met his bitter end.
Although the investigation made Brett look like a possible suspect, law enforcement officers did not have any forensic evidence to link him to the crime. That seemingly changed after the police found gunshot residue on a pair of window blinds on the first floor. Since the shooting hadn’t occurred on the first floor, investigators soon gathered that Brett murdered his wife before Bryan arrived at their house. He then shot Bryan and made him take the fall for the crime. Thus, with enough evidence to warrant an arrest, Brett was taken into custody and charged with double murder.
Even when presented in court, Brett continued to insist on his innocence and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Subsequently, his lawyers pushed the theory of self-defense and tried to get the charges dropped. However, the jury saw it otherwise, and Brett was eventually convicted on two counts of first-degree murder before being sentenced to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole in 2016. Thus, at present, he remains behind bars at the Perry Corrections Department in Pelzer, South Carolina.
Read More: Brett Parker: Where Is The Killer Now?
