Background: The home in Spanish Fork, Utah, where Timothy and Jeannie Parker were found dead in March 2023 (Google Maps). Inset (top): Tryston Erickson (Grand County Sheriff's Office). Inset (bottom): Timothy and Jeannie Parker (Walker Funeral Home).
A Utah man accused of fatally shooting his mother and stepfather is one step closer to trial three years after the alleged crime.
Tryston Erickson, 30, faces numerous charges in connection with the deaths of his mother, 50-year-old Jeannie Parker, and stepfather, 58-year-old Timothy Parker, who were found dead in their Spanish Fork, Utah, home on March 14, 2023. According to charging documents obtained by local NBC affiliate KSL, police were called to perform a welfare check on the couple, who had not shown up for work days earlier.
When police arrived at the home, they found both bodies partially covered with blankets in a bedroom in the home's basement. Both Parkers were dead of gunshot wounds.
While in the house, police said they found two dozen firearms, bullet casings, bullet holes in the walls and blood on the stairs leading down to the basement where the Parkers' bodies were found. Police wrote in the documents that "efforts had been made to clean up the scene," including blood cleanup and clothing in the laundry that had blood on it.
According to the documents, also obtained by local ABC affiliate KTVX, police determined that Erickson, who lived in the house with his mother and stepfather, was missing, as well as Jeannie Parker's Hyundai Elantra, which Erickson was not allowed to drive. Jeannie Parker's phone pinged off a location in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Erickson was found by police in Colorado's Grand County, and he was apprehended after a high-speed chase while he was driving his mother's car.
While he was being interviewed, Erickson allegedly told police that he last saw the Parkers on March 13, 2023, when he had dinner with them. He later admitted to stealing the car and the phone, police said.
Police asked Erickson why he fled to Colorado. He allegedly responded, "I knew I was going to jail anyway, and I thought I would have a little fun."
Police found firearms and bank cards that belonged to other members of Erickson's family. He was arrested and extradited back to Utah.
When police searched Erickson's phone, they found photos of the Parkers' bodies that were taken on March 12, 2023. Police spoke to the Parkers' neighbors, who said they saw Erickson standing outside the house the same day, smoking a cigarette.
Timothy Parker's co-workers told police that he was reportedly trying to evict Erickson from the house shortly before his death.
Erickson was charged with two counts of aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, theft, abuse or desecration of a human body, three weapons charges, and unlawful possession or use of a financial card.
According to reporting by KTVX, Erickson's trial was delayed in early 2024 following a motion to determine his competency to stand trial. After several hearings, Erickson was deemed competent in December 2025. Following hearings on March 17 and May 1, a judge ruled that there was enough evidence to move forward with Erickson's double murder trial.
Erickson remains in custody and will be arraigned on June 10.