Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Inmate, warden’s wife found By RICHARD GREEN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS OKLAHOMA CITY — A convicted murderer and a deputy warden’s wife who disappeared nearly 11 years ago have been found living together and raising _ chickens in Texas. The woman said she was held captive the whole time, staying with the killer out of fear her family would be harmed if she fled. Bobbi Parker, 42, was reunited with her husband Tuesday as authorities tried to piece together details of the strange case. “It looked like a husband and wife who hadn’t seen each other in 11 years,” Texas Ranger Tom Davis of the emotional reunion. A tip generated by the TV show “America’s Most Wanted” led law enforcement to a mobile home in Campti, Texas, where escaped convict Randolph Dial was arrested Monday, said FBI agent Salvador Hernandez. Parker was found a short time later working at a nearby chicken farm; the two I were living under assumed names in the trailer outside Campti, a tiny town near the Louisiana border. The couple has two daughters, who were 8 and 10 at the time of the disappearance. The family still lives in Oklahoma, where the escape occurred. Tanya Joy Parker, the sister of Randy Parker, said the two children did not make the trip to Texas. “They are elated, but after 10 years you’d be a little stunned,” she said. Sheriff Newton Johnson had said that Bobbi Parker wanted to stay on the chicken farm, but Hernandez said this was a misinterpretation. Hernandez said that while it is unusual for someone to be held against one’s will for so long, it is not unprecedented. “There have been cases of this kind and typically this will result when someone believes family members might be in danger,” Hernandez said. The FBI continued to question Bobbi Parker on Tuesday in -1 Texas. Residents of Campti thought something wasn’t quite right about the pair over the years. They kept to themselves, never engaged in any personal conversations and avoided going to the nearby town of Center. Their trailer is secluded, near a red dirt road and sitting on a wooded lot across from five long metal chicken houses. “We just thought they might have a couple of warrants or something,” said Renae Almaguer, who once worked at a convenience store where the couple shopped for beer, cigarettes, gas and quick groceries. She said she told co workers “something ain’t right with them people.” Dial, a sculptor and painter, was convicted of the 1981 murder of a karate instructor. He had obtained trusty status at the Oklahoma State Reformatory, and he ran an inmate pottery program with Bobbi Parker and had access to the couple’s home during the day in staff housing on prison grounds. Bobbi Parker’s mother received a phone call from her the night of the 1994 disappearance traced to Hurst, Texas. “I can’t talk now,” she said, crying. “I’m OK. Tell the kids I’ll see them soon.” A day later, she made a second call, this time from Fort Worth to a friend. It was the last message her family got from her. “Tell the kids I love them and I’ll be home soon,” she said. Texas lawmaker takes action after episode of stolen identity By BRANDI GRISSOM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AUSTIN, Texas — State Rep. Helen Giddings recalls marching down to her bank last year, eager to catch whoever had the nerve to steal checks from a Texas lawmaker. “These guys don’t know who they’re dealing with,” the Dallas Democrat thought to herself. Six months, 300 checks and more than $40,000 later, a tearful Giddings admitted she was no match for the identity thieves. The ordeal spurred Giddings to write 11 pieces of legislation to combat identity theft. The House on Tuesday approved one of them, a measure calling for jail time for certain offenses. “It is very, very, very emotional when you feel so helpless, and there seems to be nothing that you can do to put an end to this or to get your reputation back,” she said. About 10 million Americans reported identity theft in 2003, according to the most recent figures available from the Federal Trade Commission. On average, each case costs the victim about $500 and costs businesses and finaficial institutions about $4,800, an FTC study found. Giddings’ troubles started when she ordered checks in September. When they failed to arrive in the mail, she called the bank and discovered two had already cleared her account. As the weeks wore on, checks came in from Wal-Mart, Walgreen, Dollar General, even Neiman Marcus and Ralph Lauren. Police, banks and merchants all said there was little they could do. The thieves became more brazen. They made fake driver’s licenses using Giddings’ information. They paid utility bills and even paid for a pizza delivery. “I couldn’t get anybody to do anything,” she said. Finally, she contacted the Dallas County district attorney and Texas Department of Public Safety. The case was quickly solved with two arrests, thanks to the utility and pizza payments. “Those were some lucky breaks for us,” Maj. Lawrence Cuny said. Thumbing through a stack of returned checks, letters to merchants and creditors, newspaper clippings and police reports, Giddings is still flabbergasted at the toll of the crime. “This crime is something that no matter what you do to protect yourself it could happen to you, and we’ve got to find ways of shutting it down,” she said. The most vital bill for Giddings would require companies that produce checks and send them in the mail to get customers’ signatures on delivery. Another bill would require stores that use internal check verification systems to clear a victim’s account within 30 days of notification of fraudulent activity. That, Giddings said, would prevent humiliating incidents such as when her check for Christmas dinner groceries was declined at a store as her constituents looked on. Giddings said she still does not use personal checks and even hesitated to provide her driver’s license number to security officials for a luncheon at the governor’s mansion. “It is just a paralyzing experience,” she said. TEST PREP COURSES ON CAMPUS I Mli get Preppeol! ATTEND A FR.EE ff STRATEGY WOR.K-SHOP &• GRE STRATEGY WORKSHOP • April 19, 6:00 pm GMAT STRATEGY WORKSHOP • April 19, 7:30 pm LSAT STRATEGY WORKSHOP • April 20, 6:00 pm Hosted by former C$t£r bJMAT, fluid LSAT question, writer • prep courses designed by former test question writer • 24 hours of instruction • presented in PowerPoint • GRE, GMAT, and LSAT sample items used in class • taught by qualified instructors with classroom teaching experience e ns>y\ online registration http://ced.sc.edu • 803-777-9444 Can you sell beachfront property in Arizona? If so, we wantfo talk to you. The Office of Student Media’s advertising department is now hiring sales reps and one office assistant. Interested students please come by Russell House room 343 for an application or email sarahs@gwm.sc.edu for more information. THOMAS TERRY/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Rep. Helen Giddings, D-De Soto, right, speaks with Rep. Tracy King, D-Batesviile, left, at the Capitol on Tuesday. -1 Awesome Leasing Specials! m— w— ■— ■ I 1*4 4 • tkcc mgn speeu miernei • FREE Cable*/HBO* • FREE Shuttle to campus • FREE Washer/Dryer • FREE Fitness Center • FREE Computer Lab • FREE Hot Tub • FREE Tanning • FREE Water/Se(wer — — , $0 Security Deposit Special f-" STERLING UNIVERSITY 215 Spencer Place 739-0899 ^ www.myownapairtment.com |