Jason Futch, Suwannee Valley Unsolved
Contributor
The morning of Dec. 4, 1989, started out as a normal business day for Parnell Wrecker Service, a tow truck company that operated in Suwannee County. It was operated by the Parnell family, which included 24-year-old Johnny Eugene Abraham Parnell. An Air Force Veteran and former high school athlete, Parnell was considered tough, but inside the tough exterior laid a man who would help anyone in need and not give it a second thought. Around 8 a.m., Parnell was called to mile marker 273 east bound in Suwannee County in response to a disabled vehicle. The call was placed through a motorist call box that was close by. Shortly after, a passerby saw Parnell’s body lying motionless toward the end of the wrecker. The witness reported it to the Agricultural Inspection Station and the officer on duty responded to the scene.
Parnell had been shot dead by a bolt action rifle with an odd caliber that is not common. He was shot in the upper body, and his gloves and glasses laid nearby. The deck to the wrecker was also inclined and the tow wire was also down, which painted a picture that Parnell was preparing to help the disabled vehicle. Parnell’s brother, Charlie, arrived at the scene with a coat his mother gave him to cover Parnell’s body in a gesture of decency. In an upcoming interview with First Coast News’ Katie Jeffries, Charlie states that he remembered hearing the gunshot that killed his brother as he was heading home to pick up his work uniforms. As he picked up his uniform, his mother called and informed him about Johnny lying on the side of I-10.
Evidence in the case suggested that Johnny fought back against the suspect before his death, as there was forensic evidence to provide this clue. He did not go down without a fight. Perhaps this scuffle also helped investigators later obtain a DNA sample from Johnny’s clothing. It was also noted in the original report that a money bag containing $50 was also missing from the truck; however, Parnell’s sister, Denise Knight, has denied this. There have been few clues in the Parnell case, including dead ends in search of the murder weapon that killed Parnell, but that has not stopped the family from seeking answers as to who killed him and why. In 2015, at the request of Parnell’s sister, Investigator Jeff Cameron reopened the case to search for any clues that could have assisted investigators.
Then, in July 2022, Suwannee Valley Unsolved became involved in getting Parnell’s case
reopened and retold to the public. This included a meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 10 with the author, Inv. Chuck Thompkins of the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) and Katie Jeffries from First Coast News. As a result, Parnell’s story was told at the Live Oak Cold Case event on Thursday, Aug. 11 and will soon be aired on First Coast News in October. There will be further efforts to get Parnell’s story to the public through other media formats. As of right now, forensic testing is underway to determine if the DNA sample will be usable for forensic genetic genealogy, a method famously made use of in the Golden State Killer case in California a few years ago. Since then, it’s been used to identify previously unidentified human remains and suspects in decades-old cold cases.
Theories have suggested that Parnell may not have been the target, while some suggested that Parnell either knew his killer or that this was a random act of violence. However, investigators need more than rumor and innuendo. They need true answers and hopefully, someone will come forward and give this family the much-needed closure that they deserve. If you have information pertaining to Parnell’s murder, you are asked to contact Inv. Thompkins at the SCSO at (386) 362-2222. Additionally, you can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1000 by reporting tips to Crime Stoppers of Suwannee County at (386) 208-TIPS (8477).