Welcome to my page! My name is Robert Erik Denney and I have been
wrongfully convicted of murder in the death of Corey Parker. Since then my life
has been changed in the most unimaginable way. Many people might be mad at me
or even hate me, but what is really unfair is that the truth will never be
revealed. A friend of mine has encouraged me to get out my story since the
media and local government seem to only care about the covering up of pertinent
facts and kicking dirt over my life. Two victims came about from this
mess…..here is my story. Please be engaged enough to read it in its entirety
before making judgments or leaving comments.
Download my Motion for Post Conviction Relief
How would you feel if you, one of
your family members, a loved one, or even a good friend was accused and
convicted of a brutal murder they did not commit? It happens more often than
people realize. If you doubt that, then you should read my story.
I am in a Florida prison, convicted of
murdering a person I never met or even knew existed. I am 31 years old and have
been in jails, prisons, and other governmental holding facilities since I was
19, trying desperately to prove my innocence. This is my story that will
hopefully help convince anyone reading that I do not belong in prison.
On Thanksgiving Day,
November 26, 1998, 25 year old waitress, Corey Parker, was found murdered in
her Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32250 apartment. She lived in a bottom floor
apartment of a quad-plex apartment building that sat back door to back door across
a courtyard from my upstairs apartment. Our buildings were separated by a small
yard, clothesline, and a chain link fence, just 35 feet apart. Ms. Corey Parker’s
body was found the day after Thanksgiving by a co-worker trying to find out why
she didn’t make it to work. She was found nude in her bed stabbed to death.
I was 17 years old,
working as a cook/dishwasher at a nearby BBQ restaurant. I never met Ms. Corey
Parker, and was unaware that anyone was residing in the unit where she did. In
fact my roommate and I thought her apartment was empty. The day her body was
discovered I was surprised to learn someone even lived there.
Jacksonville Beach
Police interviewed every person who lived in the neighborhood several times in
the days following her murder. Detectives spoke to me twice and they later
admitted I was not a suspect. Never did I think I would later be arrested for
the murder.
COLD CASE / UNSOLVED HOMICIDE
In March 1999, four months after Corey Parker was killed, I
moved back to El Paso, TX, where I grew up. I moved back home because I had an
alcohol and drug problem in Florida and returning to Texas was like a fresh
start. I didn't keep up with the news so I assumed police had caught the
murderer, and I never really gave it a second thought. In early 2000 I had managed
to clean my life up and move to Maryland where I started a new career and my
own business in the computer industry.
Meanwhile back in Florida, the investigation sat idle for
nearly 2 years. And any leads the police had were long since extinguished. Detectives couldn't find any enemies that Ms.
Corey Parker had, as she seemed quite popular.
However, she did have a co-worker, Eric Ely, who police described as a
person of interest. On numerous occasions Eric Ely had asked Corey Parker out
on dates and was continually bothering her to the point of stalking. Eric Ely
was interviewed by police; he proceeded to tell them he was supposed to meet Corey
Parker for Thanksgiving dinner. Eric Ely also admitted he had fantasized about
stabbing her to death and raping her. He denied doing so. In a hypothetical
“what if”, Eric Ely described how he would have murdered Corey Parker; eerily
in a similar manner to the actual crime scene including facts that hadn't been
made public. Detectives believed Ely, who was diagnosed as a schizophrenic, was
simply being crazy and let him go. Shortly after the interview, Eric Ely fled
to Norway. Who knows where he is now, maybe Norway.
By spring of 2000, family and friends of Corey Parker wanted
to know why the police had no real suspects and had made no arrests. The news
began running stories about the murder remaining unsolved and a $20,000 reward
was posted for information. As everybody knows, money will bring out the worst
in people. I had to learn this the hard way.
Over a year and a half after the murder took place, two of
my former co-workers at the BBQ restaurant found out about the reward and remembered
that I had lived in the same neighborhood. Unfortunately these were people I considered
my friends. They held bitterness towards me because of my calling in for work
sick, lying about a death in the family member so that I could take a weekend
off for partying several months after the murder. Lying to my co-workers is
something I am ashamed of and is an unfortunate result of being on drugs at the
time.
My ex-colleagues then
called the police and informed them of their suspicions that I may have been
involved in the murder due to the fact that I had lied to them about calling in
sick so I could go out partying and that I had lived near the murder scene. My
ex-colleagues lead the police to believe that my lie was on the same weekend of
Corey Parker’s murder, however my lying about calling in sick actually occurred
months later. I believe the motive was
solely over the $20,000 reward and they were not concerned with the true
details and accuracy involved timeline of events. One of them, Julie Sedgwick
was even impeached during the trial and admitted she had confused the dates and
still expected reward money. As far as I am aware she received a portion of it.
There is no question I was wrong for lying to skip work, but
that in no way makes me a murderer. People call in sick and lie everyday to get
out of work across America. Armed with this tip the Jacksonville Beach Police Department
began efforts to locate me, by this time I was living in Maryland. My sister
lived in Jacksonville Beach and the Jacksonville Beach Police contacted
her. She and I had not been on speaking
terms for quite a while, so she did not have flattering things to speak about
me to the Jacksonville Beach Police. She mentioned to them that my brother is
in prison in Texas for a 1990 murder. Incredibly, the police then decided that
if my brother is a murder then I too must be one. I was 9 years old when my
brother was arrested and I hardly knew him.
The police convinced
themselves that since my brother was a convicted murderer, and because I lied
and skipped work, then I must be the murderer who killed Corey Parker. They
were so desperate to solve the case and arrest somebody, and armed with this
little piece of information they turned and made me the prime and only suspect.
All other leads were abandoned and detectives developed tunnel vision on me.
What if the Police began stalking and harassing you to collect your
DNA?
This is exactly what happened to me. This is where Detective
Billy Carlyle came into the picture. At
the time, Detective Billy Carlyle was Sergeant of Detectives with the
Jacksonville Beach Police Department. Interestingly, the moment Angela Corey
became State Attorney in Florida's Fourth Judicial Circuit Court, which
includes Duval, Nassau and Clay counties she immediately fired Detective Billy
Carlyle. Anyhow, Det. Billy Carlyle used
my case to catapult his career, and he had no qualms about lying, tampering
with evidence, or manipulating witnesses. He cannot seem to get enough media
attention and thrives in front of cameras. Over the years he has given dozens
of interviews and he has participated in countless television programs about my
case.
What Det. Billy Carlyle conveniently left out was, how he
stalking me and manipulated people to achieve his goal of arresting me. In June
of 2000, Det. Billy Carlyle traveled to Maryland with the sole purpose of
collecting my DNA to compare it with DNA samples found at the murder scene.
Rather than ask me for a sample of my DNA and being forth right about me being
a suspect, Det. Billy Carlyle along with other detectives told me I was a
suspect in an unrelated assault that never occurred. My first instinct was that
I was being manipulated and lied to, so I asked for an attorney to be present
when the sample was taken. I was told I
couldn't have one. The detectives then attempted to get me to leave a cigarette
butt in an ashtray, drink from a bottle, and lick envelopes, all in attempts at
secretly obtaining my DNA. Their efforts were so extremely obvious and I felt
extremely threatened by their presence. I still refused to give a sample
without my own legal representation present.
Undeterred Det. Billy Carlyle organized a surveillance team
to watch me outside the computer store where I worked. There was a light rain
all day long and according to Det. Billy Carlyle, I came outside and while
smoking, spit several times on the pavement in a rain puddle. Over an hour later
Det. Billy Carlyle claimed he had collected swabs of my spit from the rain
puddle. This seems almost impossible to me considering the rain, but I have no
way to disprove it.
Before the trial, the Judge on my case decided the police
tactics in Maryland were improper and he ordered the attorneys to make no
mention of their actions, but still refused to throw out the DNA samples.
What if your DNA magically matched DNA from the crime scene?
One would ordinarily think it was impossible for DNA from a
crime scene to match someone who wasn't even there. Think again. My spit
samples were sent to the FBI crime lab to compare against a single hair
follicle that was found in a pair of Corey Parker’s panties that were balled up
next to her body.
The FBI reported in September 2000 that the root from the
hair yielded a partial, mixed DNA profile that contained DNA from either 3 or 5
completely different people. The report
found that I was a contributor to the mixture.
For years I have struggled with trying to understand how
this hair could contain any of my DNA, and I still don’t have any definite
answers or explanations, but a lot has come to light to diminish the
credibility of the test results.
It came to light that the FBI tested and handled my spit
sample improperly simultaneous as the crime scene hair follicle. They were
placed within centimeters of each other on machines and handled by lab analysts
wearing dirty gloves. Considering how sensitive DNA sample testing is, it is
very likely my saliva sample had contaminated the hair sample. The jury never
heard about this because my attorney was unaware of the FBI mishandling and
improper testing practices.
When my attorneys later had the hair root sent to a private
lab for testing they learned that the sample was destroyed in testing. Thus
there was no way to verify the FBI’s testing lab results. There is not even a
picture of this hair. Another clear case of the mishandling of evidence in my
case, is not photographing the evidence.
Another suspicious fact is that my hair was allegedly found in
blood-saturated underwear at an extremely bloody crime scene, yet the FBI did
not see any blood on my hairs under a microscope. This makes no sense unless my hair was not on the panties when the murder happened. Several other hairs were found on the panties
that do not match my DNA and they did have blood all over them, consistent with
what you would think hairs would have if they were present at the time of the
murder.
With this single hair Det. Billy Carlyle tried to get an arrest
warrant. State Attorney Angela Corey informed Det. Billy Carlyle he would have
to obtain more evidence against me to get a warrant because one hair was not
enough to prove murder.
Many people may recognize the name Angela Corey. She was elected to head of State Attorney of
the 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida in 2008. She became nationally
known in 2012 for her decision to charge George Zimmerman with the shooting
death of Trayvon Martin, in Sanford FL. Moving on.
Desperate to arrest me, but lacking necessary evidence to
obtain an arrest warrant, Det. Billy Carlyle persuaded DNA analyst Timothy
Petree with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), to “retest” blood
samples collected at the murder scene. The histories of these blood samples are
very incredulous.
Two days after the murder, crime scene technicians collected
four samples of what looked like blood from the kitchen window area of Corey
Parker’s apartment. The samples had been exposed to the outside environment and
atmosphere due to negligence in securing the windows, and two dozen police
officers had entered the scene. When the samples were finally collected, two of
them had been packaged improperly and later turned to mold, and the other two
were scrapped off of the surfaces with a dirty scalpel.
The samples were tested in April 1999 (a year before I
became a suspect) at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)
laboratory in Jacksonville, FL. One of the samples gave a partial, mixed result
that matched Corey Parker and excluded me! The other three
samples yielded “no result” meaning there was no DNA present.
Then in October 2000 when Timothy Petree retested the
samples, one of the specimens that gave no results in 1999 all of the sudden generated
a complete unmixed DNA profile that matched my DNA perfectly. This sample is known as sample #19. There again ironically,
are no photographs of the blood sample much like the missing hair follicle
photographs and Timothy Petree destroyed the entire specimen during the
testing. Nobody can ever look at the
sample and I was never able to have it retested since it was consumed in its
entirety. In the years since my conviction I have learned that Timothy Petree has
a history of destroying samples that match defendants so his results can never
be confirmed or denied.
Like the hair, #19 was tested at the same time as my spit
sample, and it is almost certain contamination occurred. Also, sample #19 was
tested for 72 long days when most tests only take 3 days. Seems odd doesn't it.
With both the hair and blood sample matched to me, Angela Corey applied for a
warrant and two years and two days after Ms. Corey Parker’s murder I was
arrested in Maryland, November 28, 2000. I fought extradition, but lost, and was
extradited to Florida in February of 2001, indicted for first degree
premeditated murder of a woman I have never seen or meet.
What if you had an alibi and could prove your innocence?
Detective Billy Carlyle never bothered to actually
investigate whether I had an alibi, which luckily I do. Since the murder
happened Thanksgiving Day I was able to remember exactly where I was, who I was
with and what I was doing. In short 11 people, from my ex-girlfriend Heather
Champion and several ex-coworkers all vouch for my whereabouts the day of the
crime.
The state was surprised when they learned of my alibi
because they rushed my arrest and never contemplated the possibility I could be
innocent. Not wanting to backtrack and admit their mistake, the state was able
to get the medical examiner to testify that Corey Parkers time of death could
not be determined and that the murder could have happened before my alibi
began.
During those years, while I sat in a local prison, it seemed
that the state's case grew weaker and weaker. I was arrested at 19 years old
and by 2004 I was 23 and still hadn't been to trial. It was discovered that
there were dozens of unidentified fingerprints at the murder scene. Two semen
stains from different men were found on the bed comforter Corey Parker’s body
was on. These stains have still not been identified. Hundreds of hairs were
taken from the scene, a majority never identified.
The prosecution tried to develop more evidence against me
with no results. They learned that no carpet fibers from my apartment matched
any of the fibers at the scene. No traces of blood were found in my apartment.
No murder weapon or bloody clothes were found. No witness saw any scratched
marks or bruises on me in the days that followed Corey Parker’s murder, which
was inconsistent with the brutal nature of the crime. Most damaging to the
state was the inability to establish any link whatsoever between Corey Parker
and me.
Microscopic Hair Slides
By 2004, Angela Corey realized that her case against me was
not very strong or persuasive, so she along with Det. Billy Carlyle set out to
create more evidence even if it meant fabricating it.
The courts granted Angela Corey’s request to have samples of
my hair collected to compare microscopically to the hundreds of hairs recovered
from the murder scene.
Detective Billy Carlyle came to the jail where I was housed
to collect my hair. My attorney came with him, along with his investigator.
Det. Billy Carlyle refused to allow my lawyer to photograph the collection or
to count and measure each hair. I did not understand at the time why Detective
Billy Carlyle didn't want to let us properly document the collection until
several months later.
Back in 1999 the FBI had examined all of the items taken
from the crime scene, including the victim’s bed sheets and comforter, her
clothes and debris collected by the medical examiner. Hundreds of hairs and
fibers found on the items were placed in 39 microscope slides so analysts could
better examine the evidence under a microscope. After the slides were created,
they changed hands numerous times between the Jacksonville Beach Police
Department and various laboratories. Normally when crime scene evidence is
collected, a strict code called the “chain of custody” is established to track
its movement. However, the chain of custody for the slides was broken on
several occasions and their whereabouts are unknown or questionable for
extended periods of time.
To sum up a long process, the hairs on the slides were
microscopically compared to my hair collected by Det. Billy Carlyle. After
being compared, many were then tested for Mitochondrial DNA, which is an
unusual type of DNA in testing, normally used to identify hairs without roots,
and is shared among many people unlike the conclusive DNA tests normally used.
In 2004 two private labs tested several hairs and reported
that 6 hairs matched mine, and all my maternal relatives, mitochondrial DNA. One
of the six hairs was supposedly the same hair that had the root with the
mixture that contained my DNA that was tested by the FBI in 2000.
This news was devastating and totally perplexing to me. How
could these hairs supposedly found at a murder scene possible match my DNA when
I have never even been there? Even worse was that the hairs were purportedly
collected from Corey Parker’s panties, hands and torso however these hairs of
mine had no blood on them whatsoever. Because I did not murder Corey
Parker, I knew there could be only one explanation, the hairs were planted and
I was being set up!
My attorneys did not believe this possibility of my being
set up so I started combing through every document that had anything to do with
the slides. What I found was a confirmation of my suspicions. First, I found where the slides chain of custody was
incomplete and that Det. Billy Carlyle always seemed to be the last name
entered on the custody logs.
Next, what I found in my mind proves evidence tampering.
Each time the slides were sent to a new lab, that lab would count how many
hairs were on each slide. Incredibly, the numbers kept changing when they
should have remained the same. For instance, one slide had 3 hairs when counted
at one lab, and then the next lab logged and counted hairs on this same slide
and it would have a count of 5 hairs, or in other words, 2 new hairs were now
sitting on this particular slide. This change in quantity happened with 3
different slides, all of which matched my DNA. There can be no legitimate or
innocent explanation for the follicle hair count discrepancies. Four years
after my arrest when the state desperately needed more evidence, miraculously
six hairs match my DNA materialize out of thin air and in the most obviously
disturbing manner. All of this occurred only after Det. Billy Carlyle collected
and possessed my hair samples.
Another oddity is the fact that none of the 6 hairs matched
to me had no blood at all on them. Yet, Corey Parker’s body was literally
covered in blood, as well as the bed and clothes around her. How could these
hairs be collected off her body and panties, yet none have any blood on them?
This makes no sense, especially considering all of the other hairs that didn't
match me were covered in blood.
Even in the midst of this new incriminating evidence,
additional evidence surfaced that was helpful to my case. Several of the
remaining hairs that were tested did not match me, including hairs from Corey
Parker’s torso and hand. Unfortunately, my attorneys never informed the judge
or jury about any of these facts even though they were well aware, and agreed
that the hairs were likely tampered with. I’ll never understand why they sat
aside and didn't even attempt to do anything or say anything about the
ordeal. But then again much of this case
and handling of evidence I will never understand.
Imagine if the police
manipulated and coerced a witness into lying?
Just for one moment try to imagine this from every possible
angle. Think these types of people don’t exist? Then think again! It happens
all the time. Why or how I will never wrap my mind around. In my particular case
that witness’ name is Heather Champion. Heather Champion was my ex-girlfriend
from a time in my life when I live in the apartment.
Anyhow, after I left Florida Heather Champion became
addicted to drugs and a stripper. She had numerous legal problems and had been
arrested on several occasions. Nonetheless, she came to visit me a few times
while I was in jail and there didn't seem to be any problems between us.
However just weeks before my trial in April 2005, Detective Billy Carlyle found
out about Heather Champion visiting me and discovered she had a warrant for her
arrest.
Billy Carlyle found Heather Champion and informed her he
would work with her on her warrants, and that he wanted to help in my case. Of
course Heather Champion was naturally and eagerly trying to avoid Billy Carlyle
and her pending warrant. After numerous meetings and who knows what type of
conversations, Heather Champion was shown evidentiary photographs and then
claimed that 2 pieces of evidence, a Zippo lighter found at the crime scene
next to Corey Parker's bed and a blue shirt found hanging in a tree outside
belonged to me. Both claims are false and outrageous.
Zippo Lighter
On the floor next to Corey Parker’s bed was a gold Zippo
lighter with the acronym “NACTA” engraved on it. NACTA stands for National Air
traffic Controllers Association. The State interviewed every single person who
knew me back then and everyone agreed that this lighter was not mine, with the
exception of Heather Champion.
My fingerprints and DNA were not on the lighter and my
lawyers learned that only 50 of these particular lighters were made and
distributed in the Washington D.C. area when I was 13 years old and living in
New Mexico. I have no connection to any air traffic controllers or pilots
whatsoever. However, my attorneys also found out that Corey Parker once dated a
man who was going to college at an aeronautical school in Daytona where air
traffic controllers train, although he could not be located.
Blue Shirt
On the morning that Corey Parker’s body was discovered
police found a blue thermal long sleeved shirt hanging on a tree. Angela Corey
speculated for years that this shirt was somehow connected to the crime, even
though no forensics or witnesses could confirm her suspicion. Until Heather
Champion claimed that the shirt belonged to me. Even then, there was nothing
linking it to the murder. Three hairs were found on it. Not one of them matched
my DNA or Corey Parker’s DNA and they were from 3 different people. It was tested for blood with negative
results. Every person who knew me during my time in Florida agreed that this
was not my shirt, Except for my ex Heather Champion.
As flimsy as it was, both the Zippo and the blue shirt were
still used to convict me at the trial. I do not think the jury gave either of
these pieces of evidence much thought or weight but there is no telling. I
never saw the Zippo lighter or the blue shirt in my life and could not believe
that Heather Champion claimed them to be mine, but I have some understanding
that Detective Billy Carlyle just have threatened Heather Champion and used
police scare tactics and threats to manipulate her.
The Trial
In April of 2005, after 4.5 years in jail, I finally went to
trial. The state’s evidence consisted of;
- The hair root sample that contained a mixture of 3 or 5 different peoples DNA, including mine that was destroyed in testing.
- The #19 blood scrapping that didn't contain any DNA in 1999 but when retested contained a DNA sample and matched my DNA.
- The six hairs found on Corey Parker’s body and in her bloody underwear that didn't have any blood on them, and didn't materialize until 2004 after numerous discrepancies of numbers of hairs found on different microscope slides.
- The Zippo lighter that my ex-girlfriend Heather Champion negotiated a deal for her warrants by claiming they were mine yet didn't have any of my fingerprints DNA on.
- The blue shirt found in a tree that my ex-girlfriend Heather Champion claimed belonged to me, yet had 3 hairs on it that aren't mine , and no link at all to the murder.
The trial lasted 3 weeks, with hundreds of exhibits
presented, and over 80 witnesses testifying. The state focused on the DNA
evidence and tried all they could to assassinate my character. Unbelievably my attorneys did practically
nothing. They had no expert witnesses to discredit the DNA. They did not hire a
medical examiner to determine the victims actual time of death. This time of
death is still debated. Worst of all they didn't even show the jury all the
problems with the DNA evidence and micro slides that I am revealing here.
My defense at trial was inept. My legal representation
decided to argue that my DNA was in the crime scene due to secondary transfer.
In other words, due to how close Corey Parker and I lived to each other, my DNA
somehow got into the crime scene innocently through a nearby Laundromat, or by
the open doors and windows that were left open by the crime scene technicians
for days on end or even a stray cat. It was discovered that stray animals had
traipsed throughout the crime scene when the doors and windows were left
open. Yes we lived only 35 feet apart,
but my attorneys didn't bother to hire any experts to corroborate this theory.
I have virtually no say in what defense the lawyers put on, and I believed my
input was discarded.
I wish somehow I could have shown the jury all the problems
with the evidence that was left out. I don’t believe they would have convicted
me had they known all the facts.
My first appeal came and went quickly. The attorney assigned
to the appeal at first refused to challenge the DNA, and later changed the
appeal to say that my DNA was illegally collected in Maryland. In 2006 the
appellate court denied the appeal without giving any reason.
In July 2008, I filed what is known as a “Motion for Post
Conviction Relief”. In this motion I cited my attorneys’ failure to do a
proper job in representation and as a result I should be given a new trial. The
motion details all the facts and issues with the DNA evidence and the State’s
case that my attorneys never informed the Judge or jury of. It is attached to
this blog and is downloadable for your review.
The motion has been pending for 5 years but is scheduled for
an evidentiary hearing on October 1. 2013. The court has appointed me a new
attorney, Rick Sichta, who will hopefully do better that my trial lawyers.
I am sick and tired of being portrayed as a monster for a
hideous murder I did not commit. I’m tired of the public being told my DNA was
found at the crime scene and the fact that no one ever hears about how
troublesome and questionable the DNA evidence really is. I’m sick of sitting in
prison, all my freedoms removed. It has been almost 13 years since my arrest.
Although I cannot give every detail and bit of info I’d like
to right here. What you have read here are actual non arguable facts that have
not come out before. They are real facts. No exaggerations or embellishments.
Whether this blog will do any good or not remains to be seen but at least it
gives me an opportunity to tell my side of the story.
If you are interested in coming forward with anyone
information helping in my defense or have a kind prayer for me you may email me
directly. Please note, since I am in prison any negative or abusive emails will
not reach me. I have a friend, a 3rd party who will relay only
helpful or inspirational information over to me. I plan to update this as time
goes on as we wait the results of my motion for relief.
