Parker Watson, accused of killing 4 in 2 Alabama counties, pleads not guilty due to mental disease
The man suspected of killing four people in two Alabama counties has entered pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect to capital murder charges.
Daniel “Parker” Watson, 29, entered the pleas during his arraignment before Jefferson County Circuit Judge Shanta Craig Owens on Monday.
He was indicted two months ago in the March 14 shooting deaths of Tiffany Michele Hernandez and Jason Joseph Brown, both 40, in Birmingham.
Watson appeared before Owens Monday with his attorneys, Jeffrey Dummier and Louvenia Borom.
Jefferson County prosecutors Joe Roberts and Neil Zarzour are prosecuting the case.
A trial date has not yet been set. Watson remains held without bond.
Watson is also charged in St. Clair County with capital murder in the shooting death of 37-year-old wife and mother Amber Manning and with murder in the fatal shooting of 62-year-old Timothy Davidson.
The St. Clair County cases are still awaiting grand jury action.
Two men were found shot to death Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in the 8400 block of Eighth Avenue South in East Lake. (Carol Robinson)
Hernandez and Brown were found shot to death that Tuesday at a home in South East Lake.
They are believed to be the first pair of slayings committed by Watson, police said.
Authorities have said Watson approached a Leeds police officer at about 5 a.m. that day and told him that he had shot two people in Birmingham, and two people in St. Clair County.
St. Clair County Sheriff Billy Murray said at about 12:01 a.m., deputies responded to a disturbance call at 1 Ivy Drive Ragland.
When they arrived, the deputies found Manning dead in the driveway.
Tim Davidson and Amber Manning were fatally shot at a St. Clair County residence. (Special to AL.com)
Davidson was inside the residence and still alive. He was flown by lifesaver to UAB hospital and later pronounced dead.
About 6 a.m., Birmingham police received information from the Leeds Police Department that Watson had confessed to shooting two people in Birmingham.
Watson was able to provide general information about a house in South East Lake where two of the killings took place.
Officers made entry and found an adult male and found Hernandez and Brown dead.
A motive has not yet been released but Watson knew at least some of the victims.
He shares the same last name as the owners and/or residents of the South East Lake home, property records show, but any relationship between Watson and any of the victims has not yet been disclosed.