Moscow man gets 40 years for killing wife, baby

A Moscow man who admitted killing his wife and unborn daughter received a sentence today of 40 years in prison. Of that sentence, 20 years must be served before he can be considered for parole. Silas Parks, 26, previously accepted a plea agreement in which he admitted killing 28-year-old Sarah Parks and her 20-week-old fetus on June 24, 2009, said Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson. “We are very happy with the resolution. The fact that the judge imposed the maximum sentence was very important to us,” Thompson said. “We have every expectation that the Parole Board will not release Mr. Parks after 20 years.” The case started when Moscow firefighters responded to Parks’ apartment on June 24, 2009, on the report of a fire. They found the body of 28-year-old Sarah Parks after extinguishing the flames. An autopsy revealed that Sarah Parks was dead when the fire started. Parks had been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree arson in connection with his wife’s and unborn daughter’s deaths. As part of a plea agreement, Parks instead pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree manslaughter along with the arson charge. Parks’ defense attorneys asked District Court Judge Jeff Brudie to sentence their client to 10 years with five years fixed. Thompson said he asked for the maximum sentence of 40 years and Brudie sided with the prosecution. Parks “did make a statement to the court expressing remorse. He said appropriate things,” Thompson said. “I’m not sure anyone has accepted the level of responsibility he has taken for himself.”