ATHENS, Penn. – Three individuals involved in the tragic March shooting death of a man in Bradford County are now facing multiple felony charges after a recent preliminary hearing. Terry Parker, Ronda Parker, and Summer Heil have been charged in connection with the killing of 40-year-old Michael Pruitt in Springfield Township.
During the hearing in Bradford County Court, the judge determined that there was enough evidence to proceed with the cases against the Parkers and Heil. The Pennsylvania State Police at Towanda charged the Parkers with criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with physical evidence in relation to Pruitt’s death on March 8.
Heil, initially facing charges of abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence, had additional charges added at the hearing. The suspects allegedly lured Pruitt to a residence, where he was shot, killed, and subsequently dismembered and burned. Terry Parker was accused of shooting Pruitt multiple times inside the house.
Allegedly, the motive behind the killing was Terry Parker’s belief that Pruitt had acted inappropriately towards his young daughters. District Attorney Richard Wilson stated at a news conference that he was considering pursuing a death penalty case against the Parkers due to the presence of a child during the incident.
Wilson has until the formal arraignment in county court to decide on seeking the death penalty. In the meantime, all three suspects have been detained at the Bradford County Correctional Facility. The community awaits further developments in this tragic case as the legal process moves forward.