Prosecutor Closes Case In Teenager’s Death Autopsy Shows Blow To Head Killed Boy, But Authorities Uncover No Evidence

The death of 16-yearold Robert Parker, who died from a head injury at a drinking party, will likely remain a mystery.

Bonner County Prosecutor Tevis Hull was investigating the teen’s death as a homicide. Autopsy results show the teenager was killed by a blow to his head, possibly during a fight at the March party.

But Friday Hull said the 3-month-old case is closed and he will not file charges.

“It is a case that could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt as a homicide,” Hull said. “There is insufficient evidence to show which blow of the many he received that night caused the (head injury).”

Sandpoint authorities have tried for months to get information from more than 25 people, mostly juveniles, who were at Parker’s home March 2.

The teenager threw a drinking party that night while his parents were out of town. The next morning Parker was found dead in his bedroom. Authorities said the boy had bruises on his face and looked like he had been beaten.

Other partygoers told police Parker was in several fights - including one involving his older brother - and drinking heavily.

But an autopsy by Spokane pathologist George Lindholm showed Parker’s blood alcohol level was well below the legal limit. Lindholm listed the cause of death as “blunt trauma” to the head, an injury that was unlikely caused by a fall.

“Barring any other explanation of traumatic injury, the manner of death should be listed as homicide,” the autopsy report said.

Parker’s parents, Mark and Pat, could not be reached Friday, but they have maintained their son’s death was a “tragic accident” - not murder.

“In our dealings with these kids we can’t find where anything wrong was done,” Mark Parker said shortly after the incident. “I don’t feel anyone here that night would have intended to hurt my son and I fully expect them (authorities) to find that out.”

The prosecutor also said there was no evidence to entirely rule out Parker’s death was accidental, maybe caused by a fall.

“The autopsy confirmed there were a number of different types of blows, but we are not sure who or what did it,” Hull said.

When police pursued the case as a possible murder, the other partygoers became uncooperative and gave conflicting stories about what happened at Parker’s home.

To get statements from the juveniles, Hull convened a magistrate inquiry in May. It’s a seldom used court proceeding that is closed to the public. Hull called 21 witnesses to testify before a judge, but failed to find enough evidence to file a criminal charge.

“I have declined prosecution on it and the case is closed for my office,” Hull said.

Parker’s death was one of two that shocked Sandpoint High School this year. Travis Carter, a junior at the high school, was killed by a train less than two months after Parker, a sophomore, died.

The decision not to prosecute in the Parker incident has left Bonner County Coroner Dale Coffelt stumped as to what to put on the youth’s death certificate.

“It really hasn’t been decided,” Coffelt said. “I guess I will have to review Hull’s findings along with the autopsy report before I make my final decision.”

, DataTimes