Two investigators interviewed Gary Parks, police chief, prosecutor decline to comment on results
Almost three weeks after a Feb. 5 Baxter Bulletin article noting Parks still had not provided the promised cooperation, Lt.
Mountain Home Police Chief Carry Manuel confirmed on Monday that Griffin and Hollingsworth interviewed Parks a few weeks ago on Feb. 25 but referred other questions to Baxter County Prosecuting Attorney David Ethredge.
Wednesday, Ethredge declined to say whether Parks was cooperative with investigators.
"This is an open investigation," Ethredge said Wednesday. "The prosecution is taking steps to evaluate what can happen in the future as it relates to Mr. Parks."
Ethredge said prosecutors next will ask a judge to have Parks brought to Baxter County Circuit Court, something Ethredge said will likely happen within the next two weeks.
"My office will do everything possible at this time to ensure justice is served," Ethredge said. "The Arkansas State Police and the Mountain Home Police Department have worked this case hard and done an extremely good job."
Parks will either satisfy the agreement and have 10 years of his prison sentence suspended, or he will not cooperate and will serve 10 additional years in prison. He served a little more than three years in the Baxter County jail awaiting trial. His electronic DOC records indicate he will be eligible for parole beginning on December 21, 2023 — 10 years and eight months after he was found guilty of first-degree murder.
The deal
In the middle of his April 2013 first-degree murder trial, just before the defense was going to present its case to a Baxter County jury, Parks, 45, accepted the plea agreement. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He had faced the possibility of life in prison for stabbing Millstein to death.
The plea agreement states 10 years of the sentence will suspended upon Parks cooperating with investigators who said they had evidence Parks received help in planning Millstein's murder. Parks, of
Let me just say this,” Putman said, prior to sentencing Parks in 2013. “I practiced law both as a defense attorney and as a deputy prosecutor, and I think I understand criminal law. I think I understand trying cases, and I know that there’s a lot to be argued on both sides of this case.
“Sometimes there has to be compromise. Given this crime, and the way it was committed, the only reason — the only reason — I’m accepting this plea is because of an agreement of full cooperation against potential co-conspirators or accomplices. That is the reason I’m willing to go with this.”
Ron Kincade, then the Baxter County Prosecuting Attorney, weighed in.
“Your honor, if I may make a statement about that,” Kincade said. “I have come to this decision with some reluctance, and all of my staff is not in agreement. I do think we’ve presented evidence to the jury to prove that this defendant killed Dr. Millstein.
“I do this for the family of Dr. Millstein, specifically Aaron and Richard (Millstein’s biological sons). No one in this room, or this community, has lost more than these two young men. This assures one, a conviction. There’s no appeal, the family will have closure,
“It gives us an opportunity to examine and potentially bring to justice others who may have been involved in the murder of Dr. Millstein,” added Kincade. “This plea provides that opportunity.”
There was an additional suspect
One of those who believes Parks did not act alone is now-retired Lt. Nevin Barnes of the Mountain Home Police Department. Barnes was the lead investigator in the Millstein murder case.
“Gary Parks killed Dr. Millstein,” Barnes told The Bulletin immediately following the plea agreement. “During the investigation, we uncovered some facts that indicate someone may have been involved in the planning of the murder. We’re looking at a single suspect at this time. We don’t anticipate others, though that could change if new information came to light.”
Barnes and an investigator with the Arkansas State Police went to the Varner Unit during the summer of 2013 and interviewed Parks, looking for the cooperation Parks promised to give during his sentencing.
Barnes said Parks was not cooperative during that interview, and that no other interview had been conducted.
Barnes said he reported the results of the interview to Kincade, the prosecutor in the case.
“We’re still working on that,” Kincade said in early 2014, regarding gaining cooperation from Parks.“It’s not closed. I don’t want to talk much beyond that. There is, in our opinion, potential to bring charges against others in this case."
Kincade retired at the end of 2014. No more attempts were made to interview Parks during Kincade's tenure. Ethredge took over as Baxter County Prosecuting Attorney. No attempts to interview Parks had been made during Ethredge's time as prosecuting attorney, until shortly after The Bulletin article appeared.
Another murder in the Parks family history
The unnamed suspect authorities believe may have helped plan Millstein’s death could have ties to a murder that occurred in Little Rock almost 20 years ago.
Gary Parks’ biological father, Luther Gerald “Jerry” Parks, was murdered Sept. 26, 1993.
Kincade retired at the end of 2014. No more attempts were made to interview Parks during Kincade's tenure. Ethredge took over as Baxter County Prosecuting Attorney. No attempts to interview Parks had been made during Ethredge's time as prosecuting attorney, until shortly after The Bulletin article appeared.
Another murder in the Parks family history
The unnamed suspect authorities believe may have helped plan Millstein’s death could have ties to a murder that occurred in Little Rock almost 20 years ago.
Gary Parks’ biological father, Luther Gerald “Jerry” Parks, was murdered Sept. 26, 1993.
A witness stated he heard gunshots, and then the second vehicle pulled away at a high rate of speed, according to a police report.
Several 9mm shell casings were found at the scene, Barnes said, noting the murder has never been solved, and the
“We have been in contact with Little Rock Police as recently as last week,” Barnes said in January, 2014. “I think they consider the same person a potential suspect in that case as we consider an additional suspect in the Millstein murder.”
Jerry Parks owned a security business that provided protection for the campaign headquarters of
After Jerry Parks’ death, his wife, Lois Jane Parks, who later married Dr. David Millstein, inherited a significant amount of money along with a business, according to Barnes.
After Millstein’s death, Lois Jane Parks Millstein received $500,000 from a life insurance policy taken out on Millstein, according to court documents.
Investigator not totally satisfied
Barnes spent almost seven years working on the Millstein murder case, and while he said he was relieved to see Parks go to prison, he was not entirely satisfied with the outcome.
“Personally, I didn’t feel it was enough,” Barnes said at the time Parks was sentenced. “But, I also understand why the prosecutor did what he did. I respect him and stand with him.”
