Man accused of strangling teen Amarise Parker searched internet on how to explain incident: authorities

A 24-year-old Chicago man has been charged with first-degree murder after he allegedly strangled a 15-year-old girl he was in a dating relationship with. According to CBS News, Joshua Williams allegedly strangled Amarise Parker to death in the 7200 block of South Phillips Avenue on December 12.

Authorities found the teen’s body the same day. Prosecutors said that Williams and Parker were in a dating relationship, adding that the deceased teen’s family on multiple occasions reported her missing anytime she wasn’t at home. Prior to her killing, Parker had also been at Williams’ home for several days.

Parker is said to have gone to the home of Williams’ neighbor on December 10 and requested a phone to contact her mother to come pick her up. But prosecutors said the deceased teen’s mother was unable to locate her when she arrived at Williams’ home. Parker subsequently contacted her mother the following morning and made the same request.

Parker’s mother managed to take her daughter home that day. The deceased teen also told her mother that Williams had prevented her from leaving, and she managed to escape after Williams assumed she had gone to the bathroom.

Parker, however, left their home that same day after her mother went to pick up the deceased teen’s sibling from school. Prosecutors said Parker went back to Williams’ home on December 11 and spent the night there, CBS News reported.

Neighbors also said they heard the 24-year-old suspect and Parker engaging in an argument that night. Williams on the night of December 12 contacted his cousin and friend to inform them that Parker was foaming at the mouth. He also told them he did not know the next line of action to take.

Paramedics ultimately responded to the scene after Williams’ cousin called 911. Officials noticed there was a necklace in her throat while her neck was cut and had turned red. The deceased teen also suffered scratches on a part of her face. 

Parker was pronounced dead at the scene, and her cause of death was later ruled as asphyxiation and strangulation. Prosecutors also said her windpipe was damaged.

Williams was interrogated by police the day after Parker’s death. No charges were, however, filed and he was released. The 24-year-old was ultimately arrested on Saturday. The suspect informed police he and Parker were sleeping on December 11 when he later noticed she was unresponsive the following day. He claimed he got into a state of panic and contacted his cousin. He also claimed he did not get into a fight with Parker.

Authorities, however, said they found “inculpatory” web searches when they searched Williams’ phone. His Google search history included more than 50 searches in connection with strangulation, Parker’s name, the death penalty, murder, how to provide details about an asphyxiation death, the punishment for murder, and overdosing on medication, CBS News reported. The suspect’s phone also had videos of Parker’s body being touched by Williams on the night of her killing.

“She was a lovely soul. Everybody loved her. Although she had been missing, but she didn’t deserve this. She didn’t deserve this,” Parker’s mother, Yahanna Clark, said. 

Williams, who has a warrant for a 2019 assault incident also linked to strangulation, has been ordered to remain in custody. His next court date is set for January 10.