Bio

Dwayne Irvin Parker was born on February 12, 1961. He grew up in Florida. On April 22, 1989, Parker was involved in a serious crime that changed his life forever. That day marked a significant turning point for him and resulted in his arrest. A few months later, he was sentenced to death on June 14, 1990.

Murder Story

On April 22, 1989, Dwayne Irvin Parker and his accomplice, Ladson Marvin Preston, entered a Pizza Hut in Pompano Beach, Florida. Parker was armed with two guns. He had a small pistol and a semi-automatic pistol, while Preston was not carrying a weapon. The two men planned to rob the restaurant.

During the robbery, they took money from the restaurant's safe and also stole jewelry from 16 customers. An employee of the restaurant managed to leave and called 911 while Parker continued to threaten customers. He fired six shots during the crime, which injured two people.

As Parker and Preston exited the restaurant, Broward County deputies were waiting outside. Parker fired five shots at a deputy and then fled into the street. He attempted to carjack a vehicle by firing a shot into it.

In the street, several people were nearby, including William Nicholson. A witness reported that she saw Parker running and noticed Nicholson following him. After another gunshot rang out, the witness saw Nicholson clutch his midsection and then collapse. He had been shot and would later die from his injuries.

Parker was arrested shortly after the shooting. He was found hiding between two houses and was caught by a police dog. Authorities discovered a pistol and jewelry near where Parker was caught. They also found more money and jewelry on him when he was taken into custody.

After the incident, police found twelve shell casings: six inside the restaurant, five in the parking lot, and one at the site where Nicholson fell. At trial, it was determined that all the casings and the bullet that killed Nicholson came from Parker's pistol.

Parker was indicted on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, armed robbery, and aggravated assault with a firearm. He was found guilty on all counts and was sentenced to death on June 14, 1990. His accomplice, Preston, pled guilty to a lesser charge and received a 15-year sentence.