Suspect in custody after deadly stabbing at Waller County business

WALLER COUNTY, Texas – A manhunt for a suspect in a workplace killing ended peacefully Thursday in west Houston. 

Officers from five police agencies, led by Waller County deputies and Texas Rangers, cornered 34-year-old Evan Lyndell Parker Thursday afternoon at his apartment in west Houston. 

When police first made entry to the apartment in the 18100 block of South Parkway, they say he was sitting on a couch pointing a pistol at them.

The officers backed off, then convinced Parker to surrender about 20 minutes later. The pistol turned out to be a BB gun.

“There was negotiation for approximately 20 minutes. He surrendered peacefully, and there were no injuries to himself or any law enforcement personnel,” said Chief Deputy Craig Davis, of the Waller County Sheriffs Office. 

The manhunt began around 7:30 Wednesday night after Parker allegedly stabbed and killed 64-year-old Harry Parnell, his supervisor at Orizon Industries in Brookshire, a metal fabricating plant. 

Witnesses said Parker walked through the building asking for Parnell. When Parker found him in his office, he allegedly stabbed Parnell to death.
 

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#UPDATE: An official with Orizon Industries says the victim killed was a plant manager in his 50s and had been with the...

Posted by KPRC2 Cathy Hernandez on Thursday, January 10, 2019

As Parker fled, a group of employees tried to stop him. One of them, 36-year old Jose Rangel, was badly wounded. He was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital in critical condition. 

Harry Parnell was a family man with 3 grown sons…. One of them, Katy police officer Tim Parnell who says family was the most important thing for his father. 

 “He loved his family very much. He grew up with little family. Growing up in the foster system,”Officer Tim Parnell said.

“Because he had that lack of childhood he cherished his family very much and worked his tail off day after day to provide for his family.” 

The family is still in shock. They gathered this afternoon at the family home in Brookshire to support Parnell’s wife who is recovering from cancer surgery...still uncertain why he was killed. 

“He treated people the way he wanted to be treated. So this is a huge surprise,” Parnell said 
 


About the Authors

Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli has been a digital news editor at KPRC 2 since 2018. She is a published poet and has background in creative writing and journalism. Daniela has covered events like Hurricane Harvey and the Astros World Series win. In her spare time, Daniela is an avid reader and loves to spend time with her two miniature dachshunds.

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