A Washington state woman was sentenced to eight years in prison for her role in the brutal killing of a man who was found bound with zip ties and his mouth taped shut on a park trail.
The 21-year-old woman, Larren Parker, learned her fate after being convicted of second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit kidnapping in the death of 51-year-old Andy Hernandez. During sentencing, the victim’s brother, Freddie Hernandez, expressed his anger and grief, condemning Parker and her accomplices for their actions.
According to court records, Parker was involved in a plan with two men, John Birgen, 28, and Randy E. Slone, 30, to pick up Hernandez from a gas station. Once they had him in their custody, Birgen struck him in the head with a large rock, leaving him incapacitated. His hands were later found bound with zip ties, and his mouth was sealed with tape. The brutal attack resulted in his death, which was later determined to have been caused by both head trauma and suffocation.
A passerby discovered the lifeless body on a trail, leading investigators to quickly link Parker and her accomplices to the crime. Authorities determined that the killing had been orchestrated by Birgen, who believed Hernandez had raped a friend of his years earlier while she was sleeping. Seeking vengeance, he and his associates carried out a fatal attack.
As the case unfolded in court, Parker’s background was brought into focus. Her mother revealed that Parker had endured severe trauma as a child and never learned to read or write. During her sentencing, a written statement was read on her behalf, in which she expressed remorse for her actions, acknowledging that she had been on a self-destructive path before her arrest.
While Parker received an eight-year sentence, her co-defendants faced much harsher penalties. Birgen, who played a leading role in the killing, was sentenced to 39 years after pleading guilty to first-degree murder, unlawful imprisonment, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Slone, another active participant in the crime, received 36 years after entering a guilty plea.
The sentencing hearing was emotional, with the victim’s family members speaking about the devastating impact of the crime. Freddie Hernandez, the victim’s brother, openly confronted Parker, calling her a coward and stating that she did not deserve any pity.
This tragic case shed light on the consequences of vigilante justice, as well as the role of trauma and troubled pasts in shaping criminal behavior. Despite the explanations given in court, the victim’s family remained steadfast in their belief that nothing could justify the brutal murder of their loved one.
