Caddo Parish D.A's Office: Murderer Convicted In Bench Trial

Press release from the Caddo Parish District Attorney's Office:

Jul 6, 2021

A Shreveport man who killed a man after a parking dispute was found guilty of second-degree murder in a bench trial in Caddo District Court Tuesday, July 6, 2021.

District Judge Chris Victory found defendant Ronald Berry Parker, 67, guilty as charged of killing Roderick Gaut, 39, on July 20, 2019. Gaut had just returned to his mother-in-law’s residence after the funeral of a family member. Parker, who lived next door, complained about one of the family members parking in his driveway, confronting Gaut and becoming verbally abusive with him. Gaut pushed Parker away, whereupon Parker took a .22 caliber revolver out of his pocket and shot Gaut once in the chest in front of Gaut’s wife and 17-year-old son. Parker then went to his house and called 911, admitting to the shooting.

When Parker returns to Judge Victory’s court July 12, he faces a mandatory life sentence.

Parker was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys William Edwards and Kodie Smith. He was defended by Edward Mouton.

This press release was produced by the Caddo Parish District Attorney's Office. The views expressed here are the author’s own.