OCTOBER 5, 2019 – Troy Larue Parker was sentenced to 45 years in prison Thursday for killing his girlfriend in 2018. Parker plead guilty to Murder earlier this year and requested that the Court determine his punishment. The 21-year-old Missouri City man was sentenced after the State presented evidence during a punishment hearing before 240th District Court Judge Frank J. Fraley.
According to Assistant District Attorney Johnny Wen, Troy Parker and Sabrina Herrera were high school sweethearts and dated for approximately five years. On the afternoon of August 27, 2018, Sabrina went to Parker’s house. At some point during her visit, Sabrina went into the kitchen area and Parker followed behind her. Once she reached the kitchen, Parker grabbed a cord from atop the refrigerator and strangled Sabrina to death. The defendant then placed his victim’s body into the trunk of her car and drove around his neighborhood until he reached a dead end street. Parker then abandoned the vehicle.
Sabrina’s family became concerned because she was not returning her phone calls and failed to pick up her relatives from school that afternoon. Using Sabrina’s iPhone location, the family was able to locate her car. The victim’s family called the Missouri City Police Department once the car was found. When the police arrived, they opened the trunk to the car and Sabrina’s body was discovered.
Parker was subsequently interviewed and he eventually gave a full confession to the crime. However, the defendant never provided a clear motive as to why he murdered Sabrina. At the time of arrest, the defendant was 20 years old and Sabrina Herrera was just 19 years old.
“The outpouring of support from Sabrina’s community, friends and family was, and still is, tremendous,” said lead prosecutor Johnny Wen.
“Her tragic death highlights the seriousness of dating violence,” continued Sherry Robinson, Deputy Chief of the Domestic Violence Division. ‘As part of Sabrina’s lasting legacy, Elkins High School now makes dating violence awareness a part of their counseling services.”
District Attorney Brian Middleton stated, “Our community is safer with Troy Parker in prison. The circumstances of this horrible crime should raise the public’s awareness of the seriousness of domestic violence. I encourage parents and young adults to become informed about the warning signs of domestic abuse.”
Murder is a first-degree felony punishable from 5 to 99 years or life in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The Court also fined Parker the maximum $10,000.