Prosecutors will seek the death penalty for the adoptive father a Rowan County girl who was found dead nearly five years after she was last seen, according to multiple reports.
A Salisbury judge confirmed the decision by the district attorney's office to seek the death penalty against Sandy Parsons, according to the Associated Press.
Erica Parson’s remains were found in Chesterfield, South Carolina, on the Parson’s family property in September 2016. The autopsy could not determine how Erica was killed but it showed signs of abuse.
Sandy Parsons and his wife, Casey Parsons, were indicted by a grand jury in February and were charged with the murder of Erica. They also face charges of felony concealment of death, felony child abuse inflicting serious injury and obstruction of justice.
Erica was reported missing in July 2013, although her adopted brother told authorities that he hadn’t seen Erica since late 2011. Sandy and Casey Parsons were sentenced to prison in 2015 for defrauding the government by continuing to accept federal adoption assistance after the girl was no longer in their home.
