Cell Phone Records And Facebook Messages Outlined In Murder Trial

BY ANNA QUENNEVILLE
Miami University journalism student

HAMILTON, Ohio -- A Hamilton police detective on Tuesday outlined a series of cell phone calls and Facebook messages made in the days before and after a 2015 fire that killed a Hamilton firefighter.

Lester Parker, 67, and his nephew, William "Billy" Tucker, 50, are charged with murder an aggravated arson in the Dec. 28, 2015 fire that killed firefighter Patrick Wolterman, 28. Prosecutors have said Parker was in debt and conspired with Tucker to set a fire at his Pater Avenue home for insurance money. Tucker's payment for setting the fire was pills, prosecutors have told jurors.

Parker and Tucker have denied the charges. Parker's lawyer has argued he was in Las Vegas celebrating his 45th wedding anniversary the night his home was consumed with fire. Tucker's lawyer has said her client was in his uncle's neighborhood that night getting pills from a different location.

In the fifth day of the trial, Hamilton police Sgt. Matt Fishwick said he examined the phone records of Parker, Tucker’s brother, Tucker’s mother and a number belonging to a burner phone from Las Vegas in the days leading up to the fire.

Prosecutors also presented evidence of a registration log for Cove Motel in Hamilton, where Tucker's girlfriend, Kim Brooks, was registered on Dec. 29, 2015, to Dec. 30, 2015.

Billy Tucker did not have his own phone number, but it was common for him to use other people’s phones, Fishwick testified in his second consecutive day on the stand.

Under questioning from Assistant Butler County Prosecutor David Kash, Fishwick acknowledged that the call records show only which numbers called or received calls from other numbers. "We don't know who makes these calls," he said.

Nonetheless, Kash asked him to highlight which calls he deemed "significant" in the murder/arson investigation. His list included:

• Dec. 20, 2015 -- Parker's phone called the phone of Tucker's brother, Stacy Tucker, for a duration of 35 minutes.
• Dec. 28, 2015 -- Parker's phone called Stacy Tucker's phone for a duration of two seconds.
• Dec. 28, 2015 -- The Las Vegas number called Stacy Tucker's phone for a duration of 112 seconds.
• Dec. 28, 2015 -- Stacy Tucker's phone called the Las Vegas number and the call went to voicemail.
• Dec. 29, 2015 -- The phone of Tucker’s mother, Mae Williams, called the Las Vegas number for a duration of 699 seconds.
• Dec. 30, 2015 -- A pay phone at a Marathon gas station located walking distance from Cove Motel called Parker's phone for a duration of 99 seconds.
• Dec. 30, 2015 -- Parker's phone called the Marathon pay phone for a duration of 55 seconds.
• Dec. 30, 2015 -- The Las Vegas number called the Marathon pay phone for a duration of 63 seconds.
• Dec. 30, 2015 -- The Las Vegas number called the Marathon pay phone again for a duration of 60 seconds.
• Dec. 30, 2015 -- Three calls came from the Las Vegas number to the Marathon pay phone, but were not answered.
• Dec. 30, 2015 -- Parker's phone called Stacy Tucker's phone for a duration of three and a half minutes.

'Done with job, need to get rest'

Authorities also analyzed Tucker’s Facebook messages with Brooks and his former girlfriend Linda Rose.

In a message to Brooks on Dec. 22, 2015, Tucker asked for a ride to Hamilton saying, “I need to get there Sunday. Got something very important to take care of.”

Tucker asked Brooks for a ride in exchange for pain pills which he described as, “what unc gets.”

Parker is prescribed the pain medication Roxicet and the sedative Valium monthly. Both medications are narcotics and highly addictive.

In another message on Dec. 28, 2015, at 3:17 a.m. Tucker messaged Rose, “Babydoll. Done with job. Gotta get some rest and call you tomorrow.”

Courtney Basinger, a friend of Brooks, offered to drive to Hamilton in exchange for pills. In still frames from surveillance cameras at a Circle K convenience store, located around the corner from Parker’s house, Basinger’s car is seen driving eastbound at 12:41 am.

The prosecution's final pieces of evidence were photos removed from Parker’s SD card before the fire, compared to photos Fishwick had taken at Parker’s home after the fire.

These photos were used to point out missing items that were moved to Parker’s garage and a home the Parkers lived in after the fire.

Among these items were a log cabin, two statues, family photographs, a box of towels, blue china, and a NASCAR jacket.

The trial continues Wednesday in front of Butler County Common Pleas Judge Greg Stephens. A jury of five women and seven women are hearing evidence.

Top photo: Assistant Butler County Prosecutor David Kash outlines the calls in chronological order for the jury. -- Photo by Anna Quenneville.