Melvin Lee Parrish

Case record

Status and sentence

Melvin Lee Parrish was sentenced to death on February 1, 2001 in Jefferson County.

Timeline

• December 5, 1997 — Parrish stabbed and killed Rhonda Allen, who was six-months pregnant, and her 8-year-old son; he also stabbed her 5-year-old son 9 times, and the 5-year-old survived the attack.
• February 1, 2001 — Parrish was sentenced in Jefferson County to death.

The offence

On December 5, 1997, Parrish stabbed and killed a 6-month pregnant woman and her 8-year old son. He also stabbed the woman’s 5-year old son 9 times. The 5-year old survived the attack.

Parrish attempted to take money from the woman when the offenses took place.

Victims

• Rhonda Allen — Parrish intentionally murdered Rhonda Allen.
• LaShawn — Parrish intentionally murdered Rhonda’s 8-year-old son, LaShawn.
• Jonathan — Parrish was found guilty of attempting to murder Rhonda’s five-year-old son, Jonathan, and Jonathan survived and was able to identify the killer as the person who stabbed his mother and brother to death.

Trial

Parrish was found guilty by a jury of intentionally murdering his cousin, Rhonda Allen, and her ten-year-old son, LaShawn, on December 5, 1997.

The jury also found Parrish guilty of attempting to murder Rhonda’s five-year-old son, Jonathan. These crimes were committed in the course of a robbery.

At trial, evidence was introduced that Parrish and others spent the daytime of the murders smoking crack cocaine. The evidence indicated that Parrish asked his cousin to return the money he had paid her earlier that day for crack cocaine. When she refused, he stabbed her multiple times and took the money.

The stabbing occurred in the living room of her apartment, and Parrish then went to a back bedroom where he assaulted the children. One child survived and was able to testify that Parrish had attacked him and his brother.

In a taped statement made to police the morning after the murders, Parrish admitted stabbing Rhonda:

“I asked her twice (to borrow back the money) and she said no and I guess I killed her.” Parrish denied doing any harm to the children.

The prosecution introduced evidence at trial from a jailhouse informant who testified that while he was incarcerated with Parrish, Parrish told him that he had committed the acts and intended to avoid conviction by faking insanity.

Sentencing

Parrish was sentenced on February 1, 2001 in Jefferson County.

The sentencing included:

• death for the murder of the child (LaShawn);
• life without parole for the murder of the female victim (Rhonda Allen);
• 20 years enhanced to life for the attempted murder of the second child (Jonathan);
• 20 years enhanced to 50 years for the robbery.

Other details

Parrish’s date of birth was 6-24-63.