Jacksonville police on Tuesday arrested a man who is charged with fatally shooting his boss earlier this month, according to a police report.
Joseph Richards, 51, of Jacksonville, is charged with first-degree murder in the June 17 shooting death of Charles Parliament, 75, at 620 S. First St.
Parliament was found in his trailer shortly after 11:30 p.m. June 17. He had been shot twice. The call came from one of Parliament’s employees, who said Richards had found their boss dead.
When Richards returned to the scene just before 12:15 a.m. June 18, he told police he had arrived at the scene around 11:15 p.m. June 17, an hour earlier, and found Parliament dead. Richards said he then left the scene and told a woman, the employee who called 911.
Detectives found one 9mm shell casing near the victim. They interviewed Richards on June 18, and they said Richards admitted to them that he got his gun before entering the RV and finding Parliament dead. Richards also reportedly said that they had not called 911 until he saw how the other employee reacted to news of Parliament’s death.
No action was taken June 18, but Lt. Cassie Blackerby was reviewing footage of the interview on Tuesday when, according to the police report, she saw Richards notice an object on the floor while alone in the interview room.
According to Blackerby, the video shows Richards bending down to pick up the object, swearing and saying “They don’t need to see that.” Richards held the item in his hand out of sight when the detective reentered the room, according to the police report.
Police believe the object appeared metallic, and they suspect it to be the second shell casing from the crime scene.
Furthermore, a review of the surveillance footage from a nearby tire shop reportedly showed Richards arrive at the scene in a taxi at around 11:15 p.m. June 17 and enter Parliament’s RV.
According to the police report, two muzzle flashes are visible through the front windshield of the RV. Richards is seen leaving the parking lot around 11:20 p.m.
In addition to the murder count, Richards is charged with felony tampering with evidence, according to the police report.
Richards was being held Wednesday evening in the Pulaski County jail in lieu of a $500,000 bond, an online inmate roster shows.