Suspect arrested in Jacksonville killing; police say act caught on video

He claimed to have found boss dead


Closeup of silver handcuffs detaining crime prisoners. Shot on the wooden table arrest tile arrests / Getty Images
Closeup of silver handcuffs detaining crime prisoners. Shot on the wooden table arrest tile arrests / Getty Images

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 South 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., he told police he had arrived at the scene around 11:15 p.m. and found Parliament dead, at which point he left the scene and told the woman who called 911.

At the scene, detectives found one 9mm shell casing near the victim. They interviewed Richards June 18, when he reportedly admitted to them that he got his gun before entering the RV and finding Parliament dead, and 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 on Tuesday Lt. Cassie Blackerby was reviewing footage of the interview when she reportedly saw Richards notice an object on the floor while alone in the interview room.

Richards reportedly bent to pick up the object, swearing and saying "They don't need to see that!" He reportedly held the item in his hand out of sight when the detective re-entered the room.

Police believe the object appeared metallic, and 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 in a taxi around 11:15 p.m. June 17 and enter Parliament's RV.

Then, two muzzle flashes are supposedly visible through the front windshield of the RV, and 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 held Wednesday evening in the Pulaski County jail on a $500,000 bond, an online inmate roster shows.


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