UPDATE: Feb. 23 3:35 p.m.
Eric Parker--the man accused of raping and shooting a woman at a Johnson City park--was in court today for his preliminary hearing today.
Judge Nidiffer bound Parker over to the grand jury on the attempted 1st degree murder charge, but he couldn’t find enough probable cause to charge him with rape or robbery. Those charges were dismissed.
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Police said Eric Parker raped a woman, shot her several times and then left her in a Johnson City park.
Tonight, she's in critical condition. Earlier today her alleged attacker appeared in court. Johnson City investigators arrested Parker late last night. The charges against him: attempted first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated rape and one count of especially aggravated robbery.
Investigators told us an officer found the victim around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday unconscious in a parking lot in Lion's Park. Since they believe she is the victim of a sex crime, police are not releasing her name. The only info they are releasing on her is that she is from the Tri-Cities area and is in her mid-20's.
“Investigators found inside the vehicle a 9 mm Feg Hungary loaded with 9mm ‘Marakov’ bullets and appeared to have blood on it, the victim's cell phone stuffed under the passenger seat and trace amounts of blood throughout the vehicle," said Judge Robert Lincoln during Parker’s arraignment hearing as he read what police said they found inside Parker’s car.
What they discovered at the scene of his alleged crimes: six shell casings, several empty beer cans and an unconscious woman.
"The victim was also found to have a belt wrapped around her neck, her right hip appeared to be dislocated and several gunshot wounds to her body,” said Lincoln.
"It seemed pretty brutal,” said Peters.
Sgt. Kevin Peters said police found the woman at Lion's park early Tuesday morning wearing only a t-shirt and tennis shoes.
"We know that she was there for at least an hour before she was found by the officers,” said Peters.
Investigators believe she and Parker met for the first time at an area bar Monday night, and then left in his car ending up in this parking lot.
"It's a little unnerving yes, but we believe an isolated incident,” said Elaine Devusser.
The crime scene is practically in Devusser's backyard.
"We didn't hear anything, that was the strange part,” said Devusser.
Yet she and other neighbors told police they didn't hear any commotion.
Devusser did however hear the news of Parker's arrest.
"We are very relieved, very comforted my husband did call me this morning and share that with me and it was an answer to a prayer,” said Devusser.
Johnson City police said they don't believe Parker has a violent criminal record, only some driving citations. They also said he moved here from New York.
The victim is still in the intensive care unit. Investigators say she scheduled for more surgery today. They also said they want to talk with her to find out if Parker acted alone.
Parker still remains in jail on a $200,000 bond. He was appointed a public defender today in court, and his preliminary hearing was set for Feb. 23.
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