TOWANDA, PA (WENY) -- Two of the three people charged in connection to a Bradford County, Pennsylvania murder were scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, October 15th. Ronda Parker appeared on Zoom; however her estranged husband Terry Parker refused to meet on Zoom from the Bradford Co. Jail for separate pretrial conferences.
"It's a time for parties to report to the judge where they're in terms of negotiations if any, but also scheduling any motions, and dealing with [any] issues before the case is listed for trial. In this case, the defense attorney asked for an additional 60 days to file pretrial motions. I wanted to move the case along a little bit and ask for 30 days. The judge scheduled it for 45 days to file any pretrial motions," said Bradford Co. District Attorney, Richard Wilson.
According to jail authorities, Terry Parker refused to attend on Zoom from the Bradford County Correctional Facility, because he didn't want to "lose it."
The Parkers are facing criminal homicide and criminal conspiracy charges in the death of Michael Pruitt in March. Authorities alleged the pair lured Pruitt to Ronda's home on Sawyer Rd. in the Springfield Township where he was shot and killed by Terry. According to state police, Terry and Ronda then wrapped up Pruitt's body, put it in the trunk of Terry's car, and drove to Harrisburg where they spent the night. They later returned to Ronda's home on Sawyer Road in the Springfield Township, along with Summer Heil, Terry's girlfriend, who is also the third co-defendant.
Heil is accused of tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse, after she allegedly helped Terry dismember and burn Pruitt's remains in a burn pit on Ronda's property.
After Parker, Parker, and Heil were taken into custody by authorities, statements given to Pennsylvania State Police alleged that Pruitt had masturbated under a blanket when he was in the presence of two of Ronda's young children, about two weeks before the murder. Regarding this allegation, the D.A. said he "looks forward to the Commonwealth's day in court."
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D.A. Wilson said he filed notice to seek the death penalty for Ronda and Terry Parker, but it will be up to a jury to decide and ultimately the governor if they're convicted.
"If there is a jury trial in this case, a jury would decide whether or not the defendants [are] guilty. Then, if they find the defendants guilty of a crime that warrants the death penalty, that same jury will be given the task of deciding whether the appropriate punishment is life in prison or the death penalty," said D.A. Wilson.
D.A. Wilson added, "...The current administration of the death penalty is really in the hands of our governors. Recently, our governors have posed moratoriums on the death penalty, so they aren't enacting it... It doesn't change the overall sentence. They are eligible for the death penalty if a governor finds it appropriate to administer that punishment."
If Ronda and Terry Parker's case goes to trial, they will appear together.
Heil is scheduled to appear on Thursday, Oct. 17th in court for a plea hearing.
ALSO: Three Charged in Connection to Murder Appear for Preliminary Hearings in Bradford Co. Court