Court rules sufficient evidence to proceed with charges in Bradford County murder case

Three suspects in the March shooting death of a man in Bradford County will likely face trial on several felony charges.

Following a preliminary hearing Friday in Bradford County Court, the judge ruled there is sufficient evidence to proceed with cases against Terry Parker, 46, of Harrisburg; Ronda Parker, 48, of Columbia Cross Roads; and Summer Heil, 36, of Harrisburg.

Pennsylvania State Police at Towanda charged the Parkers, who are reportedly married but separated, with criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence in the March 8 killing of 40-year-old Michael Pruitt.

Heil was initially charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence, authorities said. At the preliminary hearing, an additional abuse of a corpse count was added, along with a charge of hindering apprehension, also a felony.

Police say Pruitt, whose permanent address was unknown, was lured to a residence at 1404 Sawyer Road in Springfield Township on March 8, shot and killed, his body placed in the trunk of a car, and later cut up and burned.

Terry Parker shot Pruitt multiple times in the early morning hours inside the Sawyer Road house, according to the criminal complaint.

Public safety Speed a factor in crash that killed 3 Tioga County, N.Y. residents in Athens, Pa.: Police

The complaint alleges Pruitt was first shot in the kitchen and then shot three more times after running down a hallway and into a bedroom.

The suspects told state police investigators Terry Parker wanted to kill Pruitt because he had been "sexually inappropriate" with Parker's young daughters, the criminal complaint stated.

At a March 18 news conference, Bradford County District Attorney Richard Wilson said he was considering pursuing a death penalty case against Terry and Ronda Parker.

There was a 1-year-old child present at the time Pruitt was killed, which could be considered an "aggravating circumstance" that could warrant the death penalty under Pennsylvania law, Wilson said.

Wilson has until the formal arraignment in county court to declare if he intends to seek the death penalty. That arraignment will likely occur in the next several weeks.

In the meantime, Terry and Ronda Parker and Heil were all remanded to the Bradford County Correctional Facility in lieu of bail.

Follow Jeff Murray on Twitter @SGJeffMurray. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Judge rules evidence supports murder charges in Bradford Co. killing