Taylor Parker, a 33-year-old woman on death row for the brutal murder of her pregnant friend Reagan Simmons-Hancock, has dismissed the crime as "just one horrible thing" while complaining about her treatment in jail. Parker was convicted in 2022 for attacking Reagan with a hammer, stabbing her more than 100 times, and performing a crude C-section with a scalpel before fleeing with the unborn baby girl. The infant died despite medical efforts, and Parker was sentenced to death for capital murder.
Parker's Jail Complaints Revealed in Phone Calls
Phone calls between Parker and her mother, Shona Prior, obtained by a news outlet and used by prosecutors to argue her lack of remorse, reveal Parker's grievances about life behind bars. In one call, Prior advises Parker about wearing makeup during court hearings, saying, "If they try to discriminate you as a person, that will work in your favor in the long run because they're not giving you a fair chance. You know, they're wanting you to look like a homeless criminal." Parker agrees and complains about the proceedings.
In another call, Parker complains about the charges she faces, stating, "Mom, they would charge me with sh****ng on a fly right now if they could, literally, that's what it comes down to. I mean, there's another girl that's here, and they literally just threw some bogus bulls**t on her just because they could, just because it makes them look better. I mean, it's like [you do] one horrible thing, they'll do anything and whatever. I mean, that's just what it comes down to. They don't give a sh**."
Prosecutors Highlight Lack of Remorse
Parker's defense team argued that the calls were attempts to maintain family ties, as her mother would only allow positive conversations. However, prosecutors countered that most people would be consumed by grief or guilt over murdering a friend and taking their unborn baby, but Parker's calls showed only self-pity, superficial complaints, and anger at being held accountable. The case, which shocked America, was featured in the Netflix documentary Maternal Instinct.
Parker's Current Imprisonment
Parker awaits execution at the Patrick L. O'Daniel Unit in Gatesville, Texas, where she is confined to her cell for roughly 22 hours a day in isolation. The brutal crime involved Parker attacking Reagan, who was 34 weeks pregnant, with a hammer before stabbing her over 100 times and using a scalpel to cut out the baby. Parker then pretended to have given birth at the side of the road and was rushed to a hospital, where the baby died.
