Prosecution Warns Theresa Parker's Family Into Silence

    Sam Parker appeared in court this morning but you will not hear from those most impacted by the murder he is accused of committing. The former LaFayette police sergeant has been charged with killing his estranged wife, Theresa Parker.

    She was a dispatcher for Walker County's 9-1-1 system and was beloved by many inside the law enforcement community  and outside of it. After extensive searches in Walker and Chattooga County, her body remains unaccounted for. Sam Parker has maintained his innocence, but has never been granted bond.

    His attorneys filed three motions, asking for the case to be dismissed. But those were not heard this morning. Instead, the second chair attorney, Doug Woodruff, asked Judge Jon Wood to reconsider bond for Parker. Woodruff stressed a new tracking device with G.P.S. technology that "pings" back a person's location in real time. Woodruff also told the court that Parker had a home in the area, ties to the community and a brother and sister who would take him in.

    Judge Wood said he would take the motion "under consideration." Afterwards, we appraoached Theresa Parker's mother and spepfather. Her mother informed us that the prosecution told her not to talk to the media.

    To date, no "gag" order has been filed in this case. That is a legal ruling used in high profile cases such as this one to quash any discussion by people involved in a pending case. We checked with the Superior Court Clerk and one has not been filed. But after a closed door meeting, Theresa Parker's relatives were escorted out by an F.B.I. agent and told not to talk to us.

   We were able to reach Parker's older sister, Hilda Wilson, who lives out of state. Wilson didn't get the message until it was too late that the hearing had been moved from Friday to today. She has attended almost every step in this case, but missed today. Wilson said after the last hearing, Special Prosecutor Leigh Patterson told them specifically, "do not talk to the media."

   As of this posting, Judge Wood has not ruled if Parker will get a bond or not.