Gerald Parker
California Serial Killer and Rapist
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Orange County, California
TIME PERIOD
December 1978 - October 1979
VICTIMS
6 confirmed
Gerald Parker, known as the Bedroom Basher and the Bludgeon Killer, is an American serial killer and rapist responsible for the murders of five young women and girls aged 17 to 31 in Orange County, California, between December 1978 and October 1979. Parker, born in 1955 and a former U.S. Marine stationed in Tustin, was dishonorably discharged in 1980 after a rape conviction but was not linked to the murders until a DNA match in 1996. He was apprehended on June 14, 1996, and subsequently confessed to the crimes, including the assault of a sixth victim who survived. In 1999, Parker was sentenced to death and is currently incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, with his case still open for further investigation into additional unsolved cases.
Gerald Parker is believed to have targeted vulnerable young women and girls, taking advantage of their isolation. Some speculate that his military background may have contributed to his violent tendencies, suggesting a link between his experiences in the U.S. Marine Corps and his later criminal behavior. There is also a theory that his early traumatic childhood experiences, including the loss of his mother and abandonment by his father, played a significant role in shaping his violent impulses.
The Tale of Gerald Parker: The Bedroom Basher
In the late 1970s, Orange County, California, was haunted by a series of brutal crimes that would eventually be traced back to one man: Gerald Parker. Known infamously as the "Bedroom Basher" and the "Bludgeon Killer," Parker's reign of terror spanned from December 1978 to October 1979, claiming the lives of six women and leaving a trail of devastation in his wake. Despite serving in the U.S. Marine Corps at the time, Parker's double life as a heinous criminal remained hidden until a DNA breakthrough years later.
Early Life of a Future Criminal
Born in 1955 in Phoenix, Arizona, Gerald Parker's childhood was marked by tragedy and instability. At just eight years old, he lost his mother, Frankie Wagner Parker, during the birth of her tenth child. His father abandoned the family shortly thereafter, leaving young Gerald to live with his grandmother. After a brief stint in juvenile hall for sniffing glue, Parker and his brother moved in with their cousin, Florence Russell, in Logan Heights. Despite spending much of his adolescence at Boys Republic, a school for troubled boys, Russell described him as trouble-free during his stay.
However, beneath the surface, Parker was battling demons. He confessed to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Paul Blair that he began inhaling substances like glue and paint thinner at age seven, before moving on to marijuana, PCP, LSD, and speedballs. Alcohol soon became another vice, with Parker claiming to drink a case of beer daily for over a decade.
In 1973, Parker joined the Marine Corps, training in San Diego and Camp Pendleton, later serving at Adak Naval Air Facility and various locations before landing in Tustin in 1975. By late 1979, his military career ended in disgrace with a dishonorable discharge following a felony conviction.
A String of Horrific Crimes
The Murders Begin
On December 1, 1978, the quiet city of Anaheim became the site of Parker's first murder. Seventeen-year-old Sandra Fry was asleep in her apartment when Parker entered through an unlocked window, wielding a 2" × 4" piece of wood. After beating Fry, he attempted to rape her but could not sustain an erection, instead ejaculating on her body. Discovered by her roommate, Fry was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to her injuries.
Parker struck again on April 1, 1979, in Costa Mesa. His victim, 21-year-old Kimberly Rawlins, was found dead by her roommate with evidence of sexual assault. The semen collected from her body would later be crucial in linking Parker to the crime.
The violence continued on September 15, 1979, when Parker broke into Marolyn Carleton's apartment in Costa Mesa. Despite attempts to defend herself, Carleton was beaten to death, a crime witnessed by her nine-year-old son who provided a description to the police.
Innocence Stolen
On September 30, 1979, Parker's brutality reached new depths in Tustin. He attacked Dianna Green, a 20-year-old pregnant nurse, in her home. Green suffered severe head injuries, leaving her in a coma, while her unborn child was delivered stillborn. Misguided suspicion fell on Green's husband, Kevin Lee Green, leading to his wrongful conviction and imprisonment for 16 years until Parker's DNA exonerated him.
Less than a month later, on October 6, 1979, Debora Kennedy became Parker's next target. She was found dead in her Tustin apartment, having suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage. Despite leaving minimal evidence, Parker's semen was found on the victim.
The vicious spree culminated on October 20, 1979, when 17-year-old Debra Lynn Senior was murdered in her apartment. Parker's palm print, left on a bathroom window, would later serve as a vital piece of evidence.
Surviving Victims and Arrests
Not all of Parker's victims perished. On July 19, 1979, Jane Pettengill survived a brutal attack, recovering from a coma despite severe injuries. Her case was pivotal in the eventual DNA match that linked Parker to the Bedroom Basher crimes.
Aida Demirjian and 13-year-old Paula S. also survived terrifying assaults by Parker in early 1980. Their testimonies and evidence helped solidify the case against him. Parker's capture for these crimes occurred after the brutal attack on Demirjian, leading to convictions that kept him behind bars long enough for DNA technology to catch up.
The Long Road to Justice
It wasn't until June 1996 that the cold case of the Bludgeon Killer would be reopened with a breakthrough. DNA samples from crime scenes matched a sample from Parker, who was serving time for an unrelated assault. His confessions during interviews at Corcoran State Prison brought closure to many of the families affected and led to the exoneration of Kevin Lee Green.
Charged with six murders on June 21, 1996, Parker's trial began. Due to California's statute of limitations on pre-1990 rape cases, he could not be charged for the attack on Pettengill, despite DNA evidence. Nevertheless, the DNA experts' testimony was damning, and on October 20, 1998, Parker was convicted of six counts of first-degree murder.
During sentencing, Parker expressed a willingness to accept the death penalty, and on November 12, 1998, the jury recommended just that. Parker was sent to San Quentin State Prison to await execution.
Aftermath and Current Status
Gerald Parker remains on death row in San Quentin. In 2017, his attorneys sought to overturn his death sentence, citing mental disturbances linked to childhood trauma and substance abuse. The appeal was denied, leaving Parker to await his fate.
Victims and Their Stories
- Sandra Fry (17) - Murdered on December 1, 1978
- Kimberly Rawlins (21) - Murdered on April 1, 1979
- Jane Pettengill (24) - Survived attack on July 19, 1979
- Marolyn Carleton (31) - Murdered on September 15, 1979
- Dianna Green (20) - Survived attack; child Chantal Green stillborn on September 30, 1979
- Debora Kennedy (24) - Murdered on October 6, 1979
- Debra Lynn Senior (17) - Murdered on October 20, 1979
- Aida Demirjian - Survived attack on February 2, 1980
- Paula S. (13) - Survived attack on February 15, 1980
- David Feurtadot - Survived attack on February 13, 1984
Sources
For further reading and reference, please see the original Wikipedia article: Gerald Parker.
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First Murder Committed
Gerald Parker murders 17-year-old Sandra Fry in Anaheim.
Second Murder Committed
Parker murders 21-year-old Kimberly Rawlins in Costa Mesa.
Third Murder Committed
Parker murders 31-year-old Marolyn Carleton in Costa Mesa.
Dianna Green Assaulted
Parker assaults and rapes 20-year-old Dianna Green, leading to her stillborn child.
Fourth Murder Committed
Parker murders 24-year-old Debora Kennedy in Tustin.
Fifth Murder Committed
Parker murders 17-year-old Debra Lynn Senior in Tustin.
Arrest Made
Parker is arrested after DNA links him to the murders.
Conviction
Parker is convicted of six counts of first-degree murder.
Death Sentence Recommended
Jury recommends the death penalty for Gerald Parker.
Sentenced to Death
Parker is officially sentenced to death for his crimes.
Gerald Parker, known as the Bedroom Basher and the Bludgeon Killer, is an American serial killer and rapist responsible for the murders of five young women and girls aged 17 to 31 in Orange County, California, between December 1978 and October 1979. Parker, born in 1955 and a former U.S. Marine stationed in Tustin, was dishonorably discharged in 1980 after a rape conviction but was not linked to the murders until a DNA match in 1996. He was apprehended on June 14, 1996, and subsequently confessed to the crimes, including the assault of a sixth victim who survived. In 1999, Parker was sentenced to death and is currently incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, with his case still open for further investigation into additional unsolved cases.
Gerald Parker is believed to have targeted vulnerable young women and girls, taking advantage of their isolation. Some speculate that his military background may have contributed to his violent tendencies, suggesting a link between his experiences in the U.S. Marine Corps and his later criminal behavior. There is also a theory that his early traumatic childhood experiences, including the loss of his mother and abandonment by his father, played a significant role in shaping his violent impulses.
The Tale of Gerald Parker: The Bedroom Basher
In the late 1970s, Orange County, California, was haunted by a series of brutal crimes that would eventually be traced back to one man: Gerald Parker. Known infamously as the "Bedroom Basher" and the "Bludgeon Killer," Parker's reign of terror spanned from December 1978 to October 1979, claiming the lives of six women and leaving a trail of devastation in his wake. Despite serving in the U.S. Marine Corps at the time, Parker's double life as a heinous criminal remained hidden until a DNA breakthrough years later.
Early Life of a Future Criminal
Born in 1955 in Phoenix, Arizona, Gerald Parker's childhood was marked by tragedy and instability. At just eight years old, he lost his mother, Frankie Wagner Parker, during the birth of her tenth child. His father abandoned the family shortly thereafter, leaving young Gerald to live with his grandmother. After a brief stint in juvenile hall for sniffing glue, Parker and his brother moved in with their cousin, Florence Russell, in Logan Heights. Despite spending much of his adolescence at Boys Republic, a school for troubled boys, Russell described him as trouble-free during his stay.
However, beneath the surface, Parker was battling demons. He confessed to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Paul Blair that he began inhaling substances like glue and paint thinner at age seven, before moving on to marijuana, PCP, LSD, and speedballs. Alcohol soon became another vice, with Parker claiming to drink a case of beer daily for over a decade.
In 1973, Parker joined the Marine Corps, training in San Diego and Camp Pendleton, later serving at Adak Naval Air Facility and various locations before landing in Tustin in 1975. By late 1979, his military career ended in disgrace with a dishonorable discharge following a felony conviction.
A String of Horrific Crimes
The Murders Begin
On December 1, 1978, the quiet city of Anaheim became the site of Parker's first murder. Seventeen-year-old Sandra Fry was asleep in her apartment when Parker entered through an unlocked window, wielding a 2" × 4" piece of wood. After beating Fry, he attempted to rape her but could not sustain an erection, instead ejaculating on her body. Discovered by her roommate, Fry was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to her injuries.
Parker struck again on April 1, 1979, in Costa Mesa. His victim, 21-year-old Kimberly Rawlins, was found dead by her roommate with evidence of sexual assault. The semen collected from her body would later be crucial in linking Parker to the crime.
The violence continued on September 15, 1979, when Parker broke into Marolyn Carleton's apartment in Costa Mesa. Despite attempts to defend herself, Carleton was beaten to death, a crime witnessed by her nine-year-old son who provided a description to the police.
Innocence Stolen
On September 30, 1979, Parker's brutality reached new depths in Tustin. He attacked Dianna Green, a 20-year-old pregnant nurse, in her home. Green suffered severe head injuries, leaving her in a coma, while her unborn child was delivered stillborn. Misguided suspicion fell on Green's husband, Kevin Lee Green, leading to his wrongful conviction and imprisonment for 16 years until Parker's DNA exonerated him.
Less than a month later, on October 6, 1979, Debora Kennedy became Parker's next target. She was found dead in her Tustin apartment, having suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage. Despite leaving minimal evidence, Parker's semen was found on the victim.
The vicious spree culminated on October 20, 1979, when 17-year-old Debra Lynn Senior was murdered in her apartment. Parker's palm print, left on a bathroom window, would later serve as a vital piece of evidence.
Surviving Victims and Arrests
Not all of Parker's victims perished. On July 19, 1979, Jane Pettengill survived a brutal attack, recovering from a coma despite severe injuries. Her case was pivotal in the eventual DNA match that linked Parker to the Bedroom Basher crimes.
Aida Demirjian and 13-year-old Paula S. also survived terrifying assaults by Parker in early 1980. Their testimonies and evidence helped solidify the case against him. Parker's capture for these crimes occurred after the brutal attack on Demirjian, leading to convictions that kept him behind bars long enough for DNA technology to catch up.
The Long Road to Justice
It wasn't until June 1996 that the cold case of the Bludgeon Killer would be reopened with a breakthrough. DNA samples from crime scenes matched a sample from Parker, who was serving time for an unrelated assault. His confessions during interviews at Corcoran State Prison brought closure to many of the families affected and led to the exoneration of Kevin Lee Green.
Charged with six murders on June 21, 1996, Parker's trial began. Due to California's statute of limitations on pre-1990 rape cases, he could not be charged for the attack on Pettengill, despite DNA evidence. Nevertheless, the DNA experts' testimony was damning, and on October 20, 1998, Parker was convicted of six counts of first-degree murder.
During sentencing, Parker expressed a willingness to accept the death penalty, and on November 12, 1998, the jury recommended just that. Parker was sent to San Quentin State Prison to await execution.
Aftermath and Current Status
Gerald Parker remains on death row in San Quentin. In 2017, his attorneys sought to overturn his death sentence, citing mental disturbances linked to childhood trauma and substance abuse. The appeal was denied, leaving Parker to await his fate.
Victims and Their Stories
- Sandra Fry (17) - Murdered on December 1, 1978
- Kimberly Rawlins (21) - Murdered on April 1, 1979
- Jane Pettengill (24) - Survived attack on July 19, 1979
- Marolyn Carleton (31) - Murdered on September 15, 1979
- Dianna Green (20) - Survived attack; child Chantal Green stillborn on September 30, 1979
- Debora Kennedy (24) - Murdered on October 6, 1979
- Debra Lynn Senior (17) - Murdered on October 20, 1979
- Aida Demirjian - Survived attack on February 2, 1980
- Paula S. (13) - Survived attack on February 15, 1980
- David Feurtadot - Survived attack on February 13, 1984
Sources
For further reading and reference, please see the original Wikipedia article: Gerald Parker.
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
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First Murder Committed
Gerald Parker murders 17-year-old Sandra Fry in Anaheim.
Second Murder Committed
Parker murders 21-year-old Kimberly Rawlins in Costa Mesa.
Third Murder Committed
Parker murders 31-year-old Marolyn Carleton in Costa Mesa.
Dianna Green Assaulted
Parker assaults and rapes 20-year-old Dianna Green, leading to her stillborn child.
Fourth Murder Committed
Parker murders 24-year-old Debora Kennedy in Tustin.
Fifth Murder Committed
Parker murders 17-year-old Debra Lynn Senior in Tustin.
Arrest Made
Parker is arrested after DNA links him to the murders.
Conviction
Parker is convicted of six counts of first-degree murder.
Death Sentence Recommended
Jury recommends the death penalty for Gerald Parker.
Sentenced to Death
Parker is officially sentenced to death for his crimes.