Joshua Williams and Amarise Parker (Chicago Police Dept.)
A 24-year-old man in Illinois was arrested over the weekend for allegedly strangling a 15-year-old girl to death, then performing a series of incriminating internet searches which included “strangulation,” “the death penalty,” and “how to explain an asphyxiation death.”
Joshua Williams was taken into custody on Saturday and charged with one count of first-degree murder in the slaying of young Amarise Parker, who was found dead with a necklace “lodged” in her throat, court documents obtained by Law&Crime show.
According to information in a detention proffer, prosecutors said that Williams and the victim had been in a “dating relationship” prior to her death. Parker’s family had previously filed several missing persons reports relating to their daughter running away from home.
Prosecutors said that Parker had been staying at Williams’ home for several days when, on Dec. 10, she went to the home of one of Williams’ neighbors and asked to use a phone. Parker called her mother and asked to be picked up at Williams’ home. Parker’s mother said she drove to Williams’ residence but was unable to locate her daughter.
Parker called her mother again on Dec. 11 and asked to be picked up at Williams’ home. This time, she got in the car with her mother and the two drove back to their home. That day, Parker revealed to her mother that Williams “would not let her leave” his home, saying she “escaped when he thought that she was in the restroom.”
However, Parker’s mother left the house to pick up her other daughter from school at about 2:15 p.m. and when she returned home, the 15-year-old was gone.
Authorities say Parker returned to Williams’ residence and stayed there overnight. Several of Williams’ neighbors told authorities that they could hear the two arguing “into the early hours” of Dec. 12.
Williams at about 7 p.m. on Dec. 12 called his cousin and a friend and “indicated that (Parker) was foaming at the mouth, and he did not know what to do,” prosecutors said. Williams’ cousin then called 911 and reported the situation.
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“Paramedics arrived and found (Parker) lying in an open closet with a blanket covering all but her head. Paramedics found a necklace lodged in (Parker’s) throat,” the proffer says. ” (Parker’s) neck was red and cut. (Parker) also had cut/scratches on the right side of her face leading down her neck.”
Parker was pronounced dead on the scene by medics. A subsequent autopsy found that Parker’s windpipe had been crushed. Her manner of death was ruled a homicide and the cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation/strangulation.
In an interview with police, Williams allegedly said that he and Parker fell asleep together on the night of Dec. 11 and claimed that he “panicked” when Parker did not wake up the next day. He also asserted that he and Parker did not argue the previous night.
Police then executed a search warrant for Williams’ cellphone which is where they allegedly found the incriminating Google searches as well as multiple videos of Williams “touching (Parker’s) dead body at appx 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 12.”
“In addition, (Williams’) Google search history included 50 searches related to: strangulation, the victim by name, the death penalty, murder, how to explain an asphyxiation death, the penalty for murder and overdosing on medication, texts, various ‘inculpatory’ web searches, and PDF downloads,” the proffer states.
Authorities also learned that Williams had a warrant out for his arrest in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in connection to an assault case involving strangulation.
Williams appeared before a judge on Tuesday where he was denied bond. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Jan. 10.
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