The Murder of Marion Parker
Charles Lindbergh was taking his post-victory lap around the world after becoming the first man to fly solo across the Atlantic when he was bumped from his front page, above-the-fold perch by the savage kidnapping and murder of a 12-year-old California girl.
During a brief time around Christmas 1927, the tragic death of Marion Parker generated banner headlines in newspapers across the country because of the brutal nature of how she died. The entire crime and investigation lasted a little over a week, but Marion’s murder has been immortalized in American folk ballads.
Marion was kidnapped and slain by 19-year-old William Edward Hickman, a transplant from Kansas City who later gave several different motives for his crime. At his trial, Hickman was one of the first California defendants to use the state’s new “not guilty by reason of insanity plea” to excuse his behavior. Despite that he admitted committing the atrocities suffered by Marion - which led many people to believe that no one would so such things if he was sane - Hickman was unable to convince a jury that he was crazy.
He died for his crimes on the gallows at San Quentin in October 1928.
The tragedy began on December 15, 1927 when a well-dressed, articulate young man showed up at the school Marion attended with her twin sister in Los Angeles. The man told officials that the girls’ father had been taken seriously ill and that he wanted “the younger daughter” to come quickly to his side. The girls’ teacher was somewhat confused by the request for just one of the twins as well as the man’s request for “the younger daughter.” When queried again, the man corrected himself and asked for “the smaller one.”
He suggested that the teacher contact the bank where Perry Parker worked as assistant cashier to confirm his story, but his good faith suggestion aleviated her concerns. The man, later identified as Hickman, was allowed to take Marion.
Hickman got a good headstart on searchers because no one realized the girl had been kidnapped until she failed to arrive at home and a search turned up nothing.
Hickman said later that when he told Marion she was being kidnapped and held for ransom, she treated it like some sort of adventure.
“We were driving out in Hollywood Friday night, when my car was stopped by a traffic light,” Hickman said in a jailhouse interview. “Marion was beside me and the newsboys waved their papers close by us. Marion seemed to be amused by this.”
After Marion’s disappearance was reported to police, the Parker family received a pair of telegrams, one from Pasadena and the other from Alhambra, signed by “George Fox.” The telegrams told the family to expect further communication and ransom demands. The communiques ominously warned Perry Parker not to interfere with the kidnapper’s plans.
The next day, Parker received the first note from “Fox.” The note began with the header “Δ ε α τ η” meant to spell the word “Death” using Greek characters.
“Fox is my name, very sly you know,” began the first note. “Get this straight. Your daughter’s life hangs by a thread and I have a Gillette ready and able to handle the situation.”
A second ransom note included the ransom demands and was again headed “Δ ε α τ η”
“Fox” told Parker to get $1,500 in $20 gold certificates and be prepared to deliver them that night. He signed the note “Fox-Fate.”
The kidnapper included a plaintive note from Marion to her parents begging them to comply. She warned that Hickman had already threatened to kill her.
“Please, Daddy, I want to come home tonight,” she added as a postscript to the note she signed “Your loving daughter, Marion Parker.”
Parker gathered the money, worth about $17,000 today, and prepared to meet the man he knew as George Fox. Hickman called Parker on the night of December 16 and gave him instructions on how the exchange would occur. However, he spotted police in the area that night and never revealed himself.
On December 17, he sent a third note, blaming Parker for the failure to complete the exchange.
“I will be two billion times as cautious and clever, as deadly from now on,” Hickman wrote. “You have brought this on yourself and you deserve it and worse. A man who betrays his love for his own daughter is a second Judas Iscariot - many times more wicked than the worst modern criminal.
“If you want aid against me, ask God, not man,” he wrote. He included another note from Marion.
The kidnapper and father met at the corner of 5th Avenue and South Manhattan Street in Los Angeles about 7:30 p.m. on the 17th.
“He pointed a gun at me and said ‘You know what I’m here for. No monkey business,’” Parker recalled later. “I said ‘Can I see my little girl?’”
Hickman pointed to a tightly tied package in the car that revealed only Marion’s head.
“He said she was sleeping,” Parker said. “I assumed she had been chloroformed.”
Parker handed over the 75 $20 gold certificates and as they agreed, Hickman drove a block down the road and pushed Marion out of the car.
Witnesses said Parker ran down to where his little girl was lying and picked her up in his arms. Then he let out a soul-shattering anguished cry of grief.
Marion was dead. The package contained just her head and torso. Her arms and legs had been chopped off where they joined her body. A wire had been wrapped around her head just above her eyes. It cut so deeply into her flesh that it left a gaping wound. Her body had been disemboweled and her entrails replaced with rags. She had also apparently been flogged to such an extent that the flesh on her back was flayed.
The autopsy revealed that she had been dead about 12 hours and that there were no signs of sexual assault. The coroner was unable to determine a cause of death - he assumed it was either asphyxiation or loss of blood.
Hickman later confessed that although he strangled Marion and slit her throat, he believed she was alive when he began to dismember her.
On Sunday, December 18, newspaper-wrapped packages containing Marion’s arms and legs were found in a nearby park. By that evening the reward for her killer - dead or alive - had topped $50,000.
Quickly, what would become the largest manhunt in the history of the West Coast began as hundreds of police officers and thousands of angry citizens began looking for a young white man, around 25 years old, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds. He was smooth shaven with thin features and dark wavy hair. At the time, the kidnapper was driving a dark Ford roadster.
Police got a major break when they traced a laundry mark on a shirt in which Marion was wrapped to an apartment house in Los Angeles.
More than 100 cops descended on the apartment building and conducted a room-by-room search. In one room police found a dark-haired young man who gave his name as “Donald Evans” asleep in bed. He allowed four officers to search his room and told them he “hoped they would catch the fiend.” After police left without finding any clues, Evans left the building never to be seen there again.
Police found the Ford Roadster - it had been reported stolen weeks before in Kansas City - and made a major breakthrough when fingerprints in the vehicle turned out to match those of a petty thief and forger named Edward Hickman.
Hickman was a former employee of the bank where Perry Parker was assistant cashier. It turned out that Hickman had been fired from the bank for forging checks at the bank and that Parker not only testified at his trial, but opposed a sentencing recommendation of probation. Hickman served a brief jail term.
His mugshot soon graced the front page of dozens of newspapers across the country, prompting sightings as far east as Chicago.
After seeing Hickman’s mugshot, Evans’s landlady told the press that he and Hickman were one and the same. The sheriff’s department confirmed this, but Los Angeles detectives disputed the claim. Others said they saw Hickman leaving the apartment around the time of the meeting with Parker carrying newspaper-wrapped bundles. During a second, more complete, search of the flat, criminalists found human blood in the apartment.
Despite the unprecedented manhunt - at one point 8,000 local, state and federal officers had made him their top priority - Hickman eluded authorities and headed north from Los Angeles, stealing cars along the way.
On December 21, a man matching Hickman’s description passed one of the marked $20 bills in a store in Seattle. Another turned up in Portland, Oregon, and on December 22, Hickman was arrested by police in Pendleton, Oregon.
(The arresting officers subsequently received dozens of offers to join the Vaudeville circuit.)
Hickman confessed to Oregon officials and was extradited to California within days. He admitted taking the girl, but blamed an accomplice for killing her. No accomplice was ever identified, and the man Hickman blamed had an alibi - he was in jail at the time of the abduction.
“He said she was crying and he tried to stop her or something like that, and he figured that the safest way would be to go ahead and fix it that way,” Hickman told police. “If this fellow had not killed her it would have come out all right as we had planned, because I am sure she didn’t want to die.”
At the time of his arrest, Hickman said he planned the kidnapping because he wanted money for college. Prosecutors speculated that he wanted revenge against the man who sent him to jail. Others believed he simply wanted notoriety.
“Don’t you think I will get as much publicity as Leopold and Loeb?” He asked a newspaperman.
While in custody in Oregon, Hickman began to lay the groundwork for his insanity defense.
“Wonder if I couldn’t pretend that I was crazy,” Hickman said to a jail guard. “How does a fellow act when he is crazy?”
In late January 1928, Hickman went on trial in Los Angeles, and used as his defense a year-old law that allowed a defendant to admit committing a crime, but to excuse his conduct on the grounds that he was mentally ill and not responsible for his actions.
“If the defendant pleads only not guilty by reason of insanity, then the question whether the defendant was sane or insane at the time the offense was committed shall be promptly tried,” the law read. “In such trial the jury shall return a verdict either that the defendant was sane at the time the offense was committed or that he was insane at the time the offense was committed. If the verdict or finding be that the defendant was sane at the time the offense was committed, the court shall sentence the defendant as provided by law.”
The law assumed the sanity of the defendant and placed the burden of proving insanity on the defense.
Numerous “alienists” examined Hickman and came up with varying assements of his state of mind. The majority found that he was sane. The defense put Hickman’s mother on the stand and she recounted that “insanity ran in the family.”
The prosecution put on witnesses who testified to Hickman’s state of mind while behind bars; all of them said he appeared rational to them.
One detective told about riding with Hickman back from Oregon. Hickman asked about the judge who would hear his case.
“He won’t hang me. He doesn’t believe in capital punishment,” Hickman said. “But I guess I’ll throw a fit for him in court anyway.”
Hickman’s comments help contribute to that judge’s decision to disqualify himself from hearing the case. After a 10-day trial, the jury found Hickman was sane and he was sentenced to death by hanging.
A smiling Hickman was asked how he felt about the verdict.
“The state won by a neck,” he quipped.
In the fall of 1928, the California Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the statute and Hickman’s conviction.
“The rule relating to the defense of insanity does not shift the burden of proof from the People to the defendant,” the court held. “But only shifts the burden of introducing evidence and declares the amount or quantum of evidence which he must produce to overcome the presumption (of sanity) and show his insanity.”
On October 19, 1928, Hickman mounted the 13 steps to the top of the gallows. He never expressed any remorse for what he did. His main concern was how he would be buried.
“Warden,” said Hickman, “tell me they’re going to bury me here. Honest I don’t want my old man and my mother to spend a lot of money taking me back east.”
Shameless Self-Promotion
Where is Hickman buried? I would like to spit and piss on his grave.
Comment by Wilbur Wombat — 8/30/2006 @ 11:35 am
I’ll be in line right behind you with a bowel full to dump on the sick f**k’s grave!!!
Comment by Cat — 9/7/2006 @ 4:07 am
I hope that mother f**ker is burning in hell, glad he had his turn swing at the gallows.
Comment by David Diaz — 9/9/2006 @ 3:25 am
man this guy has some issues was he just faking it,but it was really sad wat happened to that little girl i just cant believe it
Comment by Cynthia — 9/10/2006 @ 5:21 pm
I have often wondered if there is some chemical in the brain, or some function of the brain
that allows a person to feel remorse, or an ability to see/understand right from wrong. While
he was determined sane, what is sane to begin with? Too often, we see someone who was “raised
differently” and yet commits crimes such as these. Is something missing “upstairs”? Something
that we, as so-called normal people, have that makes us incapable of such horrific acts?
On another note, it was good to see that rather than 20 years later, he was hanged immediately
for his crime. Now, we have to offer the “poor man or woman” the opportunity to appeal and
they live off of society, in seculuded cells, with good food, TVs and the like. Seems to me
that we’ve taken a step backwards and should pay attention to how it was done in the beginning.
Comment by crf — 9/13/2006 @ 8:39 am
He got what he deserved
Comment by Lyric — 9/13/2006 @ 12:59 pm
Good that the f**ker was hanged. But I always ponder over this thought that there are so many murderers still out there
roaming freely and thousands of innocent victims’ families waiting for justice. I hope technology provides a solution to
this soon wherein the guilty never escape.
Comment by Sunit Mahulkar — 9/13/2006 @ 4:56 pm
The Newspapers, the Televisions shows, the News Stations, the News Magazines all news reports should never show the Pictures of the Killers, the Crimnals, and they should
never treat them like a Film Stars with pictures,photos of the Killers. They should
treat like Crimnals with no respect of Photos, and No recognition of any kind. The
Victim should be with the Pictures and Photos. Never show dignity to Killers of any kind.
Never, Never, and Never ever treat Killers like a Film Star!
Comment by Angel Celest — 9/16/2006 @ 2:07 am
my fucken god, this is disgusting and shocking! who the hell would to that to a poor little girl!
Comment by mexiboi — 9/17/2006 @ 9:15 am
I hornestly think that HANGING HIM is too easy of a way to die for him.
The guy should die the same way or even more painfully than the girl.
That way, people will be more scare to do this kind of crual thing!
That is how I feel.
Comment by justin (THAILAND) — 9/21/2006 @ 9:33 pm
I agree. Same way. I feel horrible as if i could cry. How can anyone do such a terrible thing?
Comment by jessica — 9/22/2006 @ 12:07 am
that sick bastard should be put in some sort of chopping machine while he’s still f**kin’ alive…
Comment by Eddie (Malaysia) — 9/22/2006 @ 12:18 am
I agree, hanging was too good for Hickman. He should have died the exact same way that Marian died. If we made punishment fit the crime,and I mean fit the crime exactly - he cut off her arms and legs…so cut off his arms and legs and do it while he is still alive…perhaps then it might and I mean “might” be a deterant for criminals, although as stupid as men are - I doubt it.
Comment by Darian — 9/22/2006 @ 12:24 am
Sick was the crime, and sick was the punishment. The State is a murderer just as foul.
Comment by Akconstant — 9/24/2006 @ 12:56 am
My grandfather (same name) defended Hickman at his murder trial. He wrote a book about it titled, “In Defence of the Fox”. A must read for those interested in the early days of crimminal psychology. He was one of the first to ask if insanity was hereditary. I believe the grusomeness of the crime clearly showes he was insane. What sane person would do that?
Comment by Richard H. Cantillon II — 9/24/2006 @ 8:53 pm
There are plenty of sane killers out there. Of course he would be of stable mind, all it’s about is morals. Or, in this case, the lack of.
Comment by Lovely Dahlia — 9/30/2006 @ 1:38 am
My family is from LA and my great grandfather was a cop, and I remeber him telling me this story and it always made me sick to my stomache! And to the guy whos grandfther defeneded the guy, you have to be crazy to kill somebody anyway! What sane person even thinks about doing such a thing? Its like Andrea Yates pleading insanity, isint any murder unless self defence insane? My great grandfather said this was the most horrifc things he ever saw.He was one of the first on the scene and he told me all the details of what she looked like.He said her eyes were wired open and she looked so scared it made him have nightmares,Its something he never forgot and that little girls body or rather what was leftof it, haunted his memory til the day he died.
Comment by lisamarie — 10/6/2006 @ 9:12 am
William Edward Hickman’s family had a history of insanity. His grandfather was prone to violent verbal and physical outbursts. Edward’s mother spent time in an insane asylum. His father deserted the family and left his wife and five children to fend for themselves. William Thomas Hickman was so hated by Edward that he would react angrily to anyone who called him “William” and his mother chose to list herself as a Widow in the Kansas City Directory of 1926. Edward was an excellent student, vice president of his senior class, an officer in many of the clubs he joined, was business manager of the Centralian Yearbook and on the Luminary newspaper staff. He tried so hard to succeed, but fell short. He ended up forging checks, robbing drug stores, stealing cars and finally kidnapping a young girl for ransom. He was deep in over his head, he knew Marian could identify him. He and Marian went for drives together, went to a movie at the Rialto. She knew where he lived. He panicked. In spite of the cockiness he showed in the beginning, he knew he was wrong and he was extremely remorsefull. He appologized over and over to everyone he knew. I have one of the letters he wrote from Death Row in San Quentin where he says “I am most heartily sorry to have become such a contemptable wretch”. He said that if anyone deserved the death penalty, he did.
Comment by Edward Hickman — 10/7/2006 @ 2:41 am
At the end of the day, I feel sorry for the guy. None of us know what he was going through and while one can never excuse these horrific acts, I am 100% positive that no serial killer, rapist, child molestor or anything of the sort, ever wanted to be that way and are not much more than a slave to their own twisted minds. I mean, nothing can take away the pain this man has caused and yes, people like him must be inprisoned or executed as a threat to society, but I will never judge anyone because, quite frankly, I didn’t know him.
Comment by Jared Woods — 10/31/2006 @ 4:15 am
Well he sure ain’t no charmer but at least he wasn’t sexually motivated ie. he didn’t rape her. He may be a sick fuck but he’s not THAT sick. Seems to me he intended to let her go but panicked when she wouldn’t shut up then cut her up for the convenience of disposal discovering perhaps he enjoyed cutting her up a little too much.
Funny how she was amused at first by the kidnapping. I suppose back then it was all so romanticised. I can’t imagine a kid these days happy about being kidnapped. I know it was a more innocent time but that’s pretty dumb. It was also ridiculously easy to take the girl from her school. People back in the 20’s were just stupid. “Oh a total stranger would like a small child to go in his car? Why certainly sir we have 3 small children in stock if you’d care to take a look and decide which one you’d like to abduct.” It’s not as though bad things only started happening in 1927. People should have been more aware. Nothing would have happened had he been stopped at the first hurdle.
Comment by Lisa — 11/17/2006 @ 8:47 pm
you should add this to wikipedia, they could use it
Comment by lily tomlin — 12/8/2006 @ 2:57 pm
I think that this is sad both for the girl and her murderer… I believe that once a person dies they are dead… no life after death no spirits lingering on… therefore the only really punished is the family and friends of the colprit… I would rather they spent the rest of their lives behind bars
Comment by Gail — 12/13/2006 @ 12:37 am
I feel so bad for her family. The terror that they musyt have been feeling! Not to mention to terror Marian must have felt. I am usually against the death penalty but in this case I think they should have done to him what he did to her thus letting the punishment fit the crime! Nobody deserves to have their life taken in SUCH a gruesome and horrible way!!
Comment by Trista — 12/23/2006 @ 1:13 pm
I honestly am not surprised, many crimes have been worse. Of course this is one of the sickest from that time period. Personally, I wish the death penalty went as fast as it did for him. What else is it for, people punished him how they saw fit, now the murderers die in their prison cells. (Most still conduct crimes, they have nothing to lose, but a name to gain.)
Comment by Tatianna — 12/29/2006 @ 4:53 pm
I don’t think anybody who can commit crimes this horrendous is ’sane’.
I don’t think this guy was entirely mad, but there HAD to be something going on in his head. I agree that he probably did intend to let her go, but panicked. I also believe that killing murderers the same way they killed their victims is morally wrong. We should NEVER sink to their level, just kill them, they all go the same way anyhow.
I wonder if this man had some form of schizophrenia?
Comment by Jen — 12/30/2006 @ 8:47 pm
Obviously by today’s new methods of slotting people into catagories, Hickman would have been labeled a high-end sociopath. It takes a cruel and evil mind to dismember a child let alone “think up” such a malicious way of reuniting daughter and father. Hanging! Just reward for evil doers.
Comment by LittleMissMuffet — 12/30/2006 @ 9:26 pm
I’ve dealt with this type of beast most of my professional life– he was certainly not schizophrenic (and schizophrenics are no more likely to kill than someone in the general population) This man was a total psychopath—and if he planned to let her go, why did he torture/kill her so horribly? These beasts have no conscience whatsoever– they just totally lack anything resembling empathy. He tortured and killed her because that is what he felt like doing– period! He knew her name, shared time with her, ostensibly shared fun with her, got to know her– very few could ever kill under such circumstances.
I definatly agree with Hammurabi’s Code (”an eye for an eye, etc…) People are terrorized today because criminals/rapists/murderers have far more rights than victims. I say, burn ‘em all!
Comment by Janice — 1/15/2007 @ 4:58 am
Oh my god! how can someone do that to a poor little child! Good thing that guy is dead now..but still it isn’t enough punishment in my opinion. He should have been brutally tortured and then slain with a butcher knife. This guy is crazy and stupid..Also, i think the teacher has some fault in this case as well…if she would have taken more care of her students instead of just letting a stranger take them Marian would probably have survived and never died in such a gruesome way. Oh my gosh!This guy was MAD!!!!
Comment by Daisy — 1/17/2007 @ 11:23 pm
Dear mark my name is rebecca my grandmother Betty sutton gave me some music that her family had wriitten these were dated in the 20s I came across a song written about mariun I believe this is my relation.My grandmothers maiden name is parker and so is my great grandparents.I would really like to know some information.please email me back this is very important to me.
Comment by rebecca mullinix — 1/26/2007 @ 8:31 pm
First off most of the comments posted here I agree with, especially Janice no 27.
I came across this by reading Black Dahlia’s Murder. That was horrible, but like Janice said how fucking sick can you be spend time with someone and know theyre enjoy it and then kill them, the way he did. But then again, people back in 20′ were stupid you can’t just take one twin not the other and they would have surely called another member of her family to confirm that her dad was ill. I believe in eye for an eye, but after reading Jen’s comment no 25. we shouldn’t think like that.
BUT I’m for dead sentence, I’m from WA, Australia and we don’t have it, last year an innocent 8 year old girl was in a shopping center (15 mins from me) with her uncle and brother. it was about 4.45 pm (shops shut at 5) and she needed to go to the toilet (which was right outside Big W (if you don’t know that it’s a big ass retail shop) and she walked down the aile and behind her was this about 20 year old guy he grabbed her and took her into the disable toilet, beated her, raped her, broken both her arms and a leg and suffocated her. He walked out leaving her lying there naked, while her uncle and brother were checking the ladies no one was in there and the car park. the brother went pass the disable toilet and saw her and ran down the back of the ailewhich lead outside the shopping center and saw a man running, he got a description. next day he was caught BUT he’s just in a looney bin, he pleded not guilty and that’s IT
But rip in peace Black Dahlia, Marian and Sophia and all the other innocently killed vitcims
Comment by Rachel — 2/2/2007 @ 2:37 am
i think this guy is insane. the girl had the rest of her life. I think instead of hanging him the guy should of suffred like she did and maybe a little more.Im glad that sick mother fucker is dead and hopefully he is burning in hell for wat he did to her.
Comment by Kyla — 2/7/2007 @ 11:50 pm
killers suck.
Comment by billy — 2/18/2007 @ 3:55 pm
I think it was really wrong what he did to her but the fact remains that he got probably not what he deseved pain wise but still he died. It seems so tragic that a 12 year old could be killed like this and look it still goes on today. I really dont understand how people can kill such innocent people. Murder is nothing but an excuse to get rid of your pain. Murder is a lazy form of anger. I really believe that the man was not mad exactly because maybe her father did something to upset this man other than the ransom incident. For every little girl/bot/ man/ woman out there who knows what its like to lose someone dear to them no matter what the circumstance I’m tuly sorry.
Comment by Kitty — 3/2/2007 @ 11:04 am
Hickman was a copycat murderer/kidnapper in the same mold as Leopold and Loeb’s astonishing crime 3 years before. He wanted the prove to the world he was as clever ,cunning, smart, daring and as good-looking as they were. Once he had the world at his ear after his capture he was right where he wanted to be. The daredevil attitude of the 1920’s and the relatively new medium of motion pictures had a corrolary with MTV of today making the extraordinary the norm. Not excusing for a minute the monstrosity of his crimes, the unfeeling killing of this little girl trumpeted his own sexual inadequacies and his feeling for girls in general. Hickman’s screaming need for attention and adulation is evident in almost all his actions and statements.
Comment by Philip — 3/10/2007 @ 5:55 pm
A person can be perfectly sane and still commit a gruesome murder like this one… some people just don’t have any empathy. Not enough water in the birth chart I guess.
Comment by Candace — 4/18/2007 @ 8:43 am
I have been watching this forum for 2 months now, and now I am going to have my say.
I know what this William Hickman was terribly wrong, and I couldn’t stomach thinking about all the things he did to
poor Marian. But he definitely had to be sick to do something like that.
I was appalled with some of the comments on here because they were so vile and disgusting, like “let’s go and shit on Hickman’s grave”. Why are some of you so angry? I mean, if you were the victim’s family or Marian’s dad, I could see why there would be a lot of anger perhaps. But what did Hickman ever do to you?? First of all, it happened over 80 YEARS AGO. Second of all, he never did anything to YOUR family. Third of all, he was still rather young himself, he was what - 19 years old?? I mean, unless it had some connection to you, I don’t see why one would write such horrbile comments. I see a lot of young people who are so
filled with rage nowadays, and are mean, nasty, and disgusting. I have seen people on Internet forums say they were glad to hear someone died - even if that person was a good, kind, and empathetic person. That’s really pathetic I think. Probably some people wrote that they were glad Mother Teresa or Princess Diana died, with what I have seen people post on bulletin boards, like on Yahoo boards (which are no longer available).
Unless you have a connection to this I don’t see why one would be so angry and vindictive. For example, for me, I was traumatically affected by the Oklahoma bombing because of all the toddlers who died in the bombing and I love and
admire toddlers. Yet, I didn’t want Tim McVeigh to be executed because to me (and several other people that lost loved ones in the Oklahoma bombing), no matter what, even if McVeigh was a monster (which he was, have no doubt), he was still someone else’s little boy. I had seen the pain in Bill McVeigh’s face. I didn’t think that executing McVeigh would make me feel better and I didn’t feel happy or ecstatic that McVeigh was dead. So now instead of 168 grieving families we now have 169. How does that solve things? No matter what Tim McVeigh did, his father didn’t do anything to deserve to suffer grief.
I’m sorry but I’m 30 years old and I’m high functioning autistic, and the attitudes and hatred and nastiness I see
in people that are young adults have made me want to avoid all of them. I have like, 2 friends, between the ages of 10 and 42. And one of them has autism like me. All my other friends are elderly people 55-80 years old (or what my 49 year old children’s librarian friend calls “old farts”), or
they are young toddlers. I admire toddlers because they are so much better than most adults. I have observed behavior in 2-5 year olds for years, and I can say that most 4 year olds are far more kinder, compassionate, caring, warmhearted, loving, nonjudgemental, NONRACIST, and above all, FORGIVING.
If everyone was like a 4 year old, this world wouldn’t be in such a mess it is now. Didn’t the Bible tell people to forgive others?? Revenge and hatred and vengeance…..what some of you are feeling is exactly what William Hickman was feeling. He was angry because Marian’s father testified against him. Revenge and hatred. It really works, people.
I no longer have a peer group my own age, because I’ve noticed so many adults are full of hatred and steal and kill and hate others. My “peer group” is toddlers and elderly people. And the more I see how 4 year olds are like, the more I want to stay like a 4 year old myself. I even use (or I should say, suck) on a pacifier. I have done it for years. It’s far better to be a perpetual 4 year old than be a
hating revenge filled so called “adult”. If that is what being an adult means, I want no part in it. I’d rather see a perpetual 4 year old than see someone like Seung Cho who killed 33 people last week at Virginia Tech. Even those people at Virginia Tech forgave Cho because he was sick and crazy and mentally nuts. What is it with you people and forgiveness.
I am very concerned about how young people are ending up.
Preston - the eternal 4 year old toddler.
Comment by Preston D. — 4/27/2007 @ 5:17 pm
I just wanted to clarify something. I am very much like a 4 year old, partly because I can’t help it. That’s just the way I am - I mean I have autism and emotionally and socially I’m about the age of a 4 or 5 year old. Thus, I can see things from how a 4 or 5 year old might view things. That is part of the reason why I get along so well with toddlers, preschoolers, and younger kids. Also kids at that age are nonjudgemental, unlike some of you people here, and like I said, more compassionate, sharing, considerate, forgiving, etc. What you also might not understand is that global intelligence is not the same as emotional and social age. A gifted child for example, could go to community college at age 6 (I have read several instances where this has happened) and could be doing college level math, but yet have the social and emotional age and needs of a 6 year old, because they are, after all, physically 6 years old. Autistic people are like that way too. Dr. Temple Grandin, who is a professor at Colorado State University, has a PhD but socially/emotionally she’s is where a 7 year old should be, she told me. She plays with Legos and Play Doh and draws stuff. Now, I didn’t get early intevention, I wasn’t diagnosed with autism till age 26 and I’m almost 31 (actually I’m 4 emotionally-socially), and I love playing with baby toys, rattles, I love pacifiers, children’s programmes like Teletubbies (I am a big Teletubbies fan), Barney, Sesame Street, Care Bears, etc.). I don’t like watching TV news because all I hear is about people hurting and killing each other and it makes me sooo depressed. I can’t believe what young people are listening these days on the radio - the music, I mean. Rap, hip hop, alternative, music with swear words in every 4 seconds of it, that’s not music. I opt for PBS on TV, and I opt for oldies and soft rock music on the radio. Oldies from the 1950s and 1960s mostly.
Well just wanted to add that to make you understand my situation
Preston the eternal 4 year old
Comment by Preston D. — 4/27/2007 @ 5:31 pm
This was an extremely gruesome murder and it also tends to remind me of the song “Helena” by The Misfits and of the movie “Boxing Helena”[[the song was inspired by the movie]]. If you listened to the song or watched the movie, you’d know what I mean.
Comment by michelle — 4/29/2007 @ 1:43 am
execution,letting people watch it,is totally not different from what killers did.may be someday you will learn value of human life,he took one but you shouldnt.
Comment by Nihil — 5/3/2007 @ 10:46 pm
God this is gross, how can a human be so cruel to another?
Comment by chris — 5/4/2007 @ 8:17 pm
Oh my gosh! Its so sad that this happend at one point. It doesnt matter when, It happend! And its allways so sad to think that a girl was being killed while people had no idea, not that they should its just something like that could be happening like right now and no one has a clue and people are all happy enjoyng their dinner, or movie exetra. Its just really sad and scary to think about. Does any one know what im talking about? Everytime i read stuff like this i literaly wake up in tears from having a nightmare. I really feel for people. Anyway that is all thanx. Flora
Comment by Flora — 5/18/2007 @ 3:55 am
Oh yeah that guy up there by the last name Hickman, are you related to the guy who comited this crime?
Comment by Flora — 5/18/2007 @ 4:04 am
i agree with preston and yet i agree with some other people too. Preston, dont let your autism pull you down, you are a very insitful person and should be treated as such. I agree that the crime was grusome and wrong, but how can a person who is sane do something like this, well there may be an answer but I am not related to the killer,i dont know why he did it. HOW COULD SOMEONE WRITE SOMETHING LIKE THAT!!!!you werent directly effected. I’m related to Lon chaney sr and Jr.(famous actors) Sr. was cheating on claira(his wife) and she tried to commit suicide, but failed. Sr. left her after that and she never got to see HER son ever again. I am not happy with what sr. did but i dont want to ‘piss’ on his grave.
Leave the poor guy alone,yes he is killer but he is dead and you will be to if you dont forgive the people that have done wrong things. I mean dead figurativly.
Katie
Please e-mail me on my Myspace account
Screen name K@tie
Thanks
Comment by Katie — 5/18/2007 @ 12:22 pm
Well what do you mean about us not being directly efected? It does not matter if it did happen 80 years ago or yesterday. It still happend. So you, katie and preston are basically saying if it didnt happen to someone in our life then it shouldnt really matter to us or make us so sick and so sad and angry so what if people want to shit on his grave, I would want someone to shit on my killers gave why should he rest in peace? Those are all natural feelings well probably not the shiting on the grave. But we cant help the other ones. Would if it happend to you?? Would you want all of the people saying “we didnt know her or him so why should we care” oh my gosh no. I dont know channon christian and chris newsom and they were brutaly murderd in january 2007 in knoxville, and i pray for their parents their family. Any ways thats that. If it happend to one of my kids i would want them to have no mercy on the people or person who did it…. flora
Comment by Flora — 5/20/2007 @ 2:57 am
Flora,
Im not saying that we shouldn’t feel bad or sad about the murders,i’m saying y give this guy his fifteen minutes by saying that he’s a scum bag and all the things those other peopel were saying. I feel horrible that that little girl was murdered, But why dwell on the past when we should be trying to prevent something like this from happening now. I am sixteen and i am terified that something like this could happen to me or anyone else. It’s a shame that today’s world is desensatized by video games and tv shows. I’m sorry if what i said offended you but you took it the wrong way.
Katie
Comment by Katie — 5/22/2007 @ 12:17 pm
i dont understand why she would go ith him. or why the teachers would let him take her.
Comment by Alina — 5/22/2007 @ 1:55 pm
these kinds of things spark up all thse other crimes like the black dahlia.
Comment by Alina — 5/22/2007 @ 1:56 pm
Katie, Ok you are also right im sorry for that. it is so sad that we are so terrified to do anything well at least I am, yesterday i was going on my hike and for a minute I stopped and thought ” im not going today. would if todays the day that there might be someone waiting” but I was like screw that, I was so mad that I was scared and that I almost didn’t go that I hiked with a clinched fist for the fist 1/4 mile just waiting for someone to try somehting. I was ready to throw down, yes we should try to prevent stuff like this from Happening, but how? I’s sad enough that I dont let my son go anywhere by himself he’s always like “mom can I walk down to the store”? I’m like “no i’ll drive you when ever you want” he gets bummed out cause all of his friends get to walk. but really you never know when something like that will happen so I think the best way to protect yourself without being cofined to your home would be to take a self defens class, sounds cheasy but Imagin some guy trying to manhandle you and force you around a corner or into his car. and then imagin yourslf just kicking the shit out of that guy. bet he didnt see that coming. thats what I’m talkin about! So Katie learn how to kick some ass. I’m gonna do the same. Flora
Comment by Flora — 5/22/2007 @ 2:53 pm
Flora,
I have taken self-defense classes and i can kick some ass. i hope that you can try to let your son have a little freedom because i know what it’s like to have to be stuck at home when all you want to do is ‘be free’. Everyone in the world is not dangerous and it’s a shame that we have to live in fear of something that is not as likely to happen as a car wreck. Flora your son is in just as much danger in your car as he is with his friends. If you trust your son to not do stupid things and be responsible he will be safe. Let him go hang out with his friends. Frankly, he will turn to more dangerous stuff when he gets older because he was locked up for so long.
Thanks for the advice.
If you have any questions or comments please e-mail me @
Countsclan@yahoo.com
Katie
Comment by Katie — 5/24/2007 @ 12:17 pm
Your welcome katie. Sorry i forgot to mention my son is only 10 years old and i dont feel like i keep him locked up. We live in lahaina hawaii and we go to the beach almost every day, i dont keep him locked in the house we go to front st where its always happening thats two blocks away. He loves it im pretty shure when hes a little older ill let him go w/friends. also takes boxing lessons. I dont know if i will ever be ready to let him go off alone i think it will come slowly with his age. So i dont want you to think im this controle freak . Oh yeah he also has freinds that come over and he has a little 7 year old brother, his brother has autism. Any advise from Preston would be awesome. My email cherry-bomb-79@hotmail.com any ways i should stop going on i forgot where i was going with this. So katie remember that when you are done with self defense class it doesnt have to stop there you could do some other fighting who knows maybe even turn it into a career. Well good luck katie and take care..Flora
Comment by Flora — 5/24/2007 @ 2:22 pm
Flora,
Sorry i didn’t know that your son was so young. I agree with you and i think that you should listen to your son and give him as many opportunities to suceed(the autistic one)
Katie
Comment by Katie — 5/25/2007 @ 11:08 am
The murder of Marian Parker is absolutely indefensible, but I am mystified at the rage apparently still felt by visitors to this website. Though Marian was suddenly and unexpecteldy strangled, she had not been tortured or mollested. The events surrounding her kidnap and murder pale in comparrison to others where the victim was beaten, raped, electrocuted, stabbed, etc. Can’t your rage be directed at current murderers? Can’t all that energy be turned into something productive like monitarily supporting your police, organizing neighborhood watches, donating to battered women’s shelters? If you’re so consumed by anger, why don’t you take that energy and be enrolled at a community college to become a legal aide helping victims of violent crime?
Ed
Comment by Edward Hickman — 6/5/2007 @ 10:17 pm
What Hickman did to Little Miss Marian Parker is absolutely unjustifiable. He just got what he deserved. For everyone concerned, you can leave some flowers and comments for Marian by following this link: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=parker&GSfn=marion&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=8978&
Thank you.
Comment by Marlon — 6/19/2007 @ 8:55 pm
I feel sooo sorry for the victim and her family. I mean she only lived for twelve years and then had her life taken away! Can you imagine not being able to expiriernce life and not being able to just live your whole life! Man! Who knows she could’ve been the world’s greatest scientist or whatever! So I truly believe that sick bastard deserved what he got!!!
Comment by Marilyn Manson — 6/24/2007 @ 2:56 am
“Though Marian was suddenly and unexpecteldy strangled, she had not been tortured or mollested. The events surrounding her kidnap and murder pale in comparrison to others where the victim was beaten, raped, electrocuted, stabbed, etc.”
I think the torture, and people’s visceral reaction to it, lies in how Hickman returned Marion to her father. Add to that the mental torture Marion must have felt when forced to write that he would kill her to her parents and her parents mental torture over receiving such a letter. Plus if what Hickman states about Marion still being alive when he began dismembering her body, well, I would include that as torture as well. Ditto on the flogging.
Comment by lmwilker — 6/24/2007 @ 11:18 am
I would never support the death penalty, but a sick f**k like that doesn’t deserve a place on earth…it’s people like that who shake you to the core…
Comment by Phil — 7/15/2007 @ 7:28 pm
Oh my gosh!
Talk about jumping on the bloody bandwagon.
Ok, so he killed a girl and they hung him for it. Big deal.
How is the business of any of you lot?
None of you have the right to spit on his grave, empty your bowels on it, or call him all the names under the sun.
A person’s role in history is interpreted differently by every person. This man is very important as he sets a precident, from which legal scholars can learn a lot.
Do not judge this man you right-wing hypocrits, because you weren’t there, you don’t know all the facts. I wasn’t there either, but as both a historian and an anthropologist, I know that we only ever know half the truth.
To summarise, this is not YOUR issue. The only people who have the right to comment on “how sick this man was” are the family themselves. The only reason why a third party like you lot have any cause to post a comment is by making a comment from a historial or legal studies point of view.
But what would I know? I’m from New Zealand. Perhaps more people graduate highschool here and develop independent thought.
Comment by Scott — 7/17/2007 @ 7:52 am
OMGOSH i completly agree. But i got ‘yelled’ at when i posted something like what you wrote scott. how dare anyone piss on somebody’s grave, it’s not only rude but it is also bad karma.
I say screw them all, if their to narrow minded to grow up.
Just think of it this way, he was murdered too, so the people that executed him were just at as much fault as he was.
Comment by Katie — 7/20/2007 @ 5:10 pm
Scott&Katie RELAX! Damn let people feel the way they feel, it’s not like people are going to actually find out where this guy is buried, and relieve themselves!! This is only a place to talk about an article and you guys are acting like it’s the damn democratic debates! and Katie it looks like you’ve been coming on here for a few months to “check up” and see what people are writing too much. Aren’t you 16? Go to school! and Scott? I’m glad you are from New Zealand, that’s awesome that you are so much smarter than we are!! Whenever I am slacking, and fearing not having an independent thought, I will think of you. I hope that makes you feel better.
Comment by Katy — 7/29/2007 @ 5:18 am
Cheers Katy, I don’t know where your from, but its nice to see someone out there with half a brain.
I wonder how many of the narrow-minded, gormless idiots that frequent this site even know where NZ is without resorting to a map or an atlas and without saying “Oh its near Australia is it?” because thats like saying “Aren’t Canadians, Americans and Mexicans all the same?”
Comment by Scott — 7/30/2007 @ 8:09 am
hey katy, I went on this site during open block AFTER i got work done. Also its summer. Someone said they did piss on the guys grave. And i only was chatting with flora not ‘checking up’ on other peoples responses.okay so pardon me for offending you i was just speaking my mind, so if you are gonna freak out about me not letting other paople speak their minds, which i didn’t say, maybe you should lett me speak my mind too.
Comment by Katie — 8/3/2007 @ 1:54 pm
At this point in time, the question of his guilt by moral sanity or non-guilt by tortured insanity is no longer the case. in our day, we are already aware that it is the insane who commit crimes against society, however, we all have a thought of crime we wish we could do and do not because we choose to do the safe or right thing. the question for us today is: should we be convicting the insane and sending them to prison, or should we be letting them off the hook because they are insane? is it safe for our society to allow the insane criminals to serve time in prison, then let them free on good behavior, entrusting them to behave in our society? not all insane people commit these crimes, however, all criminals are insane, or mentally disordered. they all suffer from psychological, socialogical, or emotional ill health, but the question still remains…should they be allowed to live in our society and prisons just because of their mental disorders? can people like these be saved from their chosen behavior and reformed over time to become productive members of our society? if given a second chance to live, would hickman have ever become a proponent of improving man’s future? did passing the law of the insanity plea truly help our society as a whole, or have we beome more violent because of it? violence begets violence, and for those who are violent in nature against their own children, it stands to prove they will become damaged and choose to become violent as well. Hickman clearly was born into a family where he was not nurtured or cared for, and therefore acted out when he became unsure of his future. if he chose not to commit the crime of murder or kidnapping, he could have easily married and had children, upon whom he could have easily become violent within the safety net of parenting styles which allow violence to control children, and therefore continue the sick cycle found within his family. could he have been saved of all of this if someone had intercepted him beforehand? no one could tell that anything was wrong, because he held such great honors during his school years. sociopaths recognize what behaviors are necessary in order to fake others out to believe they are harmless, and unless they themselves admit to their insanity and ask for help before committing a crime, no one will know to step in and help. so what do we do as a society: kill the ones who commit the crimes in order to stave off the ones thinking of it, or allow them to live in prison in hopes of reformation? though i don’t believe murder is correct or right, i also can see how letting them live has hurt our society as a whole. i cannot agree to a solution here. thanks for reading my wordy dissertation of my thoughts!
Comment by Deanne Mattice — 8/18/2007 @ 9:46 am
uumm!! Let’s see — should this guy be listed among the most incompetent criminals or not? He named an ‘accomplice’ to be the killer and he was in jail!?!? Anyway, this crime was considered very heinous in 1927, and remains so today (Duh!) I am just glad one killer was off the street (even though I wasn’t born yet). Some people believe that things happen for a reason. I only believe that when it’s God’s law, not people’s law. And this was definitely Hickman’s Law. Spit on the scumbag’s grave!!!!
Comment by Kim — 9/14/2007 @ 10:28 pm
I couldn’t beleive what this cowardly of a creature did to this girl….I work in a bank that just got rob and to this day i see that mans face… can’t even imagine or even express how i feel i’m lost for words….Just when you think you have it bad in life just reading this made realize how fortunate we are to not be a victim of this heinous crime….Thank god they got rid of this thing…screw karma he should of been Burned ALIVE…P.S. People who support him you need help…i don’t what to hear ohhwww he had no love,his family left him….bo…who..i live in NEW YORK CITY and we all have problems doesn’t mean you go out and dismember a person body…..He doesn’t deserve to have a grave!!!!! it’s for people to rest in peace..
Comment by Jennifer — 9/23/2007 @ 1:22 am
I think if a person murders even 1 person who deserves death because:
1.He killed 1 innocent life.
2.No one(at least some one)might not repeat it.
3.People will have belief in justice.
4.The killer can’t repeat his mistake(else he might harm others due to the thought that the law will not catch him).
Some people felt the punishment wasn’t enough.That is why there is another world & a judgement day, if there isn’t one GOD isn’t giving justice to mankind.
“Show empathy to whom it requires.If the world shows empathy to criminals there won’t be any security for innocent lives.”
Comment by Fai — 9/29/2007 @ 11:32 am
The above statement is not about the real mad people.
Comment by Fai — 9/29/2007 @ 11:57 am
By the by once a person is dead whatever we say about him or the way we treat his grave is not going to effect him in any way but will heart his family.So it is better to live it to GOD.
Comment by Fai — 9/29/2007 @ 12:07 pm
WE KILL PEOPLE, WHO KILL PEOPLE TO SHOW THEM THAT KILLING IS WRONG. How does this make any sense at all. not everyone is afraid to die so the death penalty is makes no sense. You are releasing them from this crappy world.
Comment by Katie — 10/29/2007 @ 12:23 pm
What’s so wrong about pissing on someone’s grave? I pissed on Ronald Reagan’s.
Comment by Mack — 10/30/2007 @ 7:18 pm
Do you have the words and/or music to a song written about this atrocity? My mother used to sing it to us when I was growing up. The words that I remember are:
Way out in California, a family bright and gay
Were planning for their Christmas, not very far away.
They had a little daughter, a sweet and pretty child,
And all the folks who know her loved Marian Parker’s smile.
She left her home one morning for school not far away
And no one dreamed that danger would come to her that day.
I don’t remember a lot of the rest, except it ended:
This song should be a warning to parents far and near
You cannot guard too closely the ones you love so dear.
Comment by Rose Kirkpatrick — 11/5/2007 @ 2:52 pm
This is unbelievable!
Comment by Janis Reed — 11/6/2007 @ 2:12 pm
I live in the Los Angeles area (Pasadena) and have recently driven by the Parker Family home, which basically looks unchanged from 1927. I also drove by William Edward Hickman’s apartment building, where he committed the murder. Surprised the building still exists, though it was all boarded up because of a fire. I learned that the owners are gutting the inside and turning it into condos.
Comment by Carl — 11/9/2007 @ 8:39 pm
I am a relative of his and was named after him by his brother that trusted his remorse. I have lots of things from the family including the high school graduation program, yearbooks, Victrola and some furniture from the house in Kansas City, a letter from him in San Quentin and other stuff like original 78s that came out during that time named “The Fate of Edward Hickman” and “Little Marian Parker” and “The Hanging of the Fox”. I’ve been to our original farm in Hartford, Arkansas where the family used to live, I’ve been to the sites in Kansas City and Los Angeles and to other sites like the Herald Hotel in San Francisco where he stayed one day after his crime. There is nothing you can do to change what your ancestors have done in the past, the only thing you can have control of is your own actions in the present time. I wish I could go back in time to talk him out of it, but that is impossible. I am sorry for what happened and it’s effect on the Parker family.
As an answer to the request for the lyrics to the song written to honor Marian Parker and tell her story, here is one of the versions:
Away out in California
Lived a family bright and gay.
There were planning for their Christmas
Not very far away.
When along came a murderous stealer
With a heart as hard as stone,
Took little Marian Parker
Away from friends and home.
He took her to the movies,
He gave her candy too.
He told her every promise
That he would be kind and true.
I only want the money
That your daddy can give.
And if he’ll give the money
His little child can live.
But late in the evening
She found that he had lied,
For before the evening sunset
The little child had died.
O there is a great commandment
Thou shalt not kill,
And those who do not heed it
Must suffer unto God’s will.
This song should be a warning
To parents far and near.
You can’t guide too closely
The ones you love so dear.
Edward H.
Comment by Edward Hickman — 11/14/2007 @ 10:45 pm
To Edward H., I find it interesting that you’re a relative of William Edward Hickman. I recently ordered and received a book (apparently now out of print) from Amazon.com, “Stolen Away: The True Story of California’s Most Shocking Kidnap-Murder,” which chronicles the kidnapping of Marian Parker and trial of W.E. Hickman, based on testimony, etc. I haven’t read it yet, but I wish that an epilogue was included on what became of the Hickmans and Parkers. Obviously if you’re a relative of W.E. Hickman, then there must be relatives and descendants of the surviving Parker family members.
Comment by Carl — 11/15/2007 @ 3:35 pm
My (great) uncle George Watson was deputized by the sheriff at Marion Parker’s autopsy and he made pictures of the remains. His photos were marked as evidence and shown to the jury. Many of those serving on the jury passed out after seeing the photos. They were, to say the least, grizzly. I never saw them, but as a child (in the 1950’s) I heard the story from my uncle. I was warned by my parents to be very cautious when looking through the photos my uncle kept in his office…and believe me - I did not want to see those photos. George came to know Hickman. Hickman handed him a rubber cigar and said to him: “Are you coming to my necktie party, Mr. Watson?” As a member of the press he did attend. When Hickman arrive at the scaffold, he turned and smiled at the crowd that had gathered to watch his execution. My uncle in a taped interview described it this way: “As he looked up and saw the new rope tied in a noose waiting for him, his knees buckled under him and he passed out.” They had to carry him up the 13 steps. He never regained consciousness. As they were putting on the noose and black hood the hatch he was standing on opened. Hickman dropped. On the way down, he hit his head. It took him 14 minutes to die. He strangled to death…the coroner stood there for 14 minutes with a stethoscope on Hickman’s chest. George said, “The body continued to sway and the coroner stayed on him with the stethoscope until Hickman’s heart stopped.” My uncle - although in favor of capital punishment - was horrified at what he saw. He was a very seasoned news photographer - he had seen the worst of the worst - including the remains of that little girl. But he had nightmares for weeks. Could never get that image out of his head. If there is a good side to this story - maybe this is it: During the 20’s children were not targets as they are today. But after Marion Parker was kidnapped, a law was passed that required parents to list the names and relationships of persons allowed to remove the parents’ child from school. If you aren’t on that list - you can’t take the child out of school. Plain and simple. I don’t know what happened to the Parkers. But I often thought about them as I grew up - and I often thought about Marion’s twin sister. These are the facts that my uncle provided to me.
Comment by md — 11/15/2007 @ 11:53 pm
To Carl. “Stolen Away” was a good book. The only complaint I could find about it while looking at reviews was that it had “too much information”. I know that the book ended with the execution and talked about the legal aftermath. As for an epilogue, the people that were alive at that time have passed away. Marian Parker’s twin sister Marjorie has died. Welby Hunt, Edward Hickman’s friend, died in 1995 after being released from prison. I have some distant memories of the family when I was a kid. My great uncle Horace and aunt Fern at their house for Thanksgiving one time, etc. I wish I was more curious then. A lot of time has passed. My great grandfather, William Thomas Hickman, moved to New Mexico after divorcing Eva and he married a Mexican woman half his age and had two kids. Eva’s children (3 surviving boys and one daughter) grew up and moved out and Eva moved to a boarding house and our family sort of scatterd into the wind after that.
Edward H.
Comment by Edward Hickman — 11/16/2007 @ 11:26 pm
Hi Edward H., thanks very much for the follow-up. I was also curious to know what happened to Welby Hunt, thanks for mentioning that. If I may ask, would William Edward Hickman be your grand-uncle?
Comment by Carl — 11/17/2007 @ 5:27 pm
I think that all muderer’s(sp) should be put to death! Why let them linger here on earth what is the point of that? The people they murdered sure are not here. Would you like someone who murdered your loved one to be here, while the loved one is in the ground?I don’t think so.
But what a sad story!
Comment by Sarah_cat75 — 11/23/2007 @ 4:09 am
WHY DO PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE THAT KILL PEOPLE, JUST TO PROVE THAT KILLING PEOPLE IS WRONG?{is that what you were tryin’ to say katie?. It’s good that you have such strong opinions and you are not afraid to voice them, but also try to respect the opinions of others especially of those that are 20+ years older than you. more life experience, which also could mean that something similar to this story has happened to them or someone they love. That is an understandable justification for the “anger” that some of us have toward child-killers and rapists. If you are not outraged by crimes like these, then you must not be paying attention. however, forgiveness is definately very important factor. Forgiving my sexual offender has served as a cure for me, personally. But, it took a long time to be able to start the process of forgiveness.{and might i say, it is a process- a work in progress.} It allows us to have some real closure, if only just a little.
Comment by courtney — 12/20/2007 @ 1:35 pm
How horrific and incredibly sad.That poor little girl wondering why this happened to her. A bad chain of events… I’m guessing this made it hard to get family men to testify against criminals in L.A. for many years after it happened.
It’s also wierd that schools took so long to be cautious about who was picking kids up after this. It’s just really awful.
Comment by Vicki M, — 1/16/2008 @ 2:46 pm
I just read the other comments and someone said a law was passed making it impossible to pick a child up without being registered.
Well I’ve been in childcare for 30 years and there have been some more lax preschools and gradeschools where you just pull up and they jump in…I’ve always lived in small towns and cities, Lahaina, Hi included, Flora, Aloha … so maybe that’s why, but I agree with the song, you can’t be too careful.
Comment by Vicki M, — 1/16/2008 @ 3:04 pm
I happened upon this info because I was looking at the Black Dahlia murder(having looked at a list of Neo Noire films). What a terrible thing. I wish I never looked. Im still against the death penalty in every way, but Im not sorry that SOB got dead. Of course, I understand how seeing an execution would have an effect on any feeling person. That is what distinguishes us from people like Hickman, not the desire to piss on a grave. I think Im going to have nightmares just reading all this. But thank goodness that the event has closure because Hickman was found. How much worse are the cases like the Black Dahlia were the murderer is still on the loose. Personally I doubt there are many unsolved murders out there. With the technology now it seems unlikely. But it happens. As for figuring out just why some people feel no empathy and so much anger, I doubt we will figure that out any time soon.
Comment by Maria — 1/19/2008 @ 8:35 am
rest in peace marian and i hope ur in hell william and all the kidnappers and the killers in this world .. but i’m really glad that this case was solved and they cought the killer but i feel sorry for the unsolved mysteries and murders i hope some day someone can solve them …and thank you
Comment by dalal al.q kuwait — 2/6/2008 @ 10:18 pm
I see on your web page that you have a song about Marian Parker.
My mother had different words and I am trying to find a copy of them. I don’t rememeber very many of them but it goes like this. The melody is the same as Floyd Collins.
Little Marian Parker left her home one day. She started toward the school house her heart was light and gay.
This is all that I can remember. The author maybe a different one than what you have posted. This story is the came that you have posted.
Thanks
Bobby
Comment by Bobby — 2/10/2008 @ 8:45 pm
Bobby. There were a number of 78s being sold at that time, including “Little Marian Parker”, “The Murder of Little Marion (spelled with an “o”) Parker”, “The Hanging of the Fox” and “The Fate of Edward Hickman”. Ballads about current news events were popular. The singing was bad, but the stories they told were brought to life for the people that bought those records. A couple of versions of the Marian Parker song were produced. The version sung by “Blind Andy” was recorded in February of 1928, the same month the trial ended and the sentence was pronounced.
Here are the words to the second version that I know of. I only have the 78s of the two versions, I haven’t heard of the exact phrasing that you mentioned.
‘Way out in California,
A family bright and gay
Were preparing for their Christmas
Not very far away.
They had a little daughter,
A sweet and pretty child.
And everyone who knew her
Loved Marian Parker’s smile.
She left her home one morning
For her school not far away.
And no one dreamed that danger
Was lurking near that day
But then a murdrous villain,
A fiend with heart of stone,
Took little Marian Parker
Away from friends and home.
The world was horror-stricken,
The people held their breath,
Until they found poor Marian,
Her body cold in death.
They hunted for the coward,
Young Hickman was their man.
They brought him back to justice,
His final trial to stand.
The jury found him guilty,
Of course they could not fail.
He must be executed
Soon in San Quentin jail.
And while he waits his sentence,
Let’s hope he learns to pray
To make his black soul ready
For the great judgement day.
There is a great commandment
That says, “Thou shalt not kill”
And those who do not head it,
Their cup of sorrow fill
Comment by Edward Hickman — 2/28/2008 @ 11:22 pm
I think they were right 4 hanging this man but it still didnt bring happiness 2 the girls family that is the sad part about losing a loved one that way i mean they were happy he was brought to justice but nothing could rid them of thier pain
May that rotten mother fucker rot in hell
Comment by Marie — 3/25/2008 @ 5:45 pm
This is a very sad case, I was reading about black dahlia and then I came across Marian Parker, who in the world would kill someone like that.
Comment by Ashjurae — 4/10/2008 @ 4:43 pm
Hey Marie, that happened to me too! I was reading about The Black Dahlia and I found something about Marion Parker. This guy is so stupid, I glad he’s in hell, why would you ever do that to a girl — a 12 year old girl. Thats messed up
Comment by Sara — 6/26/2008 @ 2:21 am
I’m wondering about the twin sister. What did she do with her life….how long did she live etc.
She must have had some strange feelings about being the one who survived in a 50/50 shot.
Comment by Brian — 7/27/2008 @ 2:12 pm
Christ said that those that mistreat would be better off with a mill stone around their neck and to be thrown into the sea. Certainly Hickman is paying even now for this evil.
I think those of us that believe in the death penalty would say that it is better that God dealt with the murderers than for the tax payers to keep paying for a murderers meal. That his how I feel, and I have no guilt in my heart.
Those who feel no one should pay for murder with the loss of their life has no real idea as to how the world works, and must believe in the Utopian and subsequently unreal and fallacy of the win-win situation. Deluded people, and more likely the same type of people that would commit such a heinous crime.
Rest in peace dear Marian, some of us remember you are the victim here, not the cold hearted murderer who stole you from your family, held you in captive hell, tortured you, beat you and dismembered you while you died, wondering, I am sure, why this was happening, and where your daddy was. Rest in peace little darling.
For you who feel sorry for the murderer, well birds of a feather. Rot!
Comment by Darryl — 9/10/2008 @ 1:02 am
Has anyone read In Defense of the Fox? someone above said something like he panicked and killed her, well thats exactly what happened. Hickman had kept Marion happy by giving her candy and letting her listen to records but she got very homesick and frustrated that she had not been returned yet so it got the the point where Hickman strangled her.
If you’ve read the book, he worked in a chicken slaughterhouse before he moved to L.A, so he knew how to cut up bodies and deal with a carcass. He had to dispose of the body, he didnt cut her up for fun; he did it so he could get rid of each part of the corpse.
hope that clears some things up. btw i have zero sympathy for Hickman and i feel incredibly sorry for the Parker family but i just felt that this needed to be said
Comment by Mason — 10/9/2008 @ 8:13 pm
I have read ” In Defense of the Fox”. I found it to be a very interesting and informative book, wrtten by Hickman’s attorney some 40 years after the crime. Another good book on the subject was Newton’s ” Stolen Away”. “In Defense of the Fox” primarily puts forth the arguement that Hickman was insane and should not have been given the death penalty. “Stolen Away” is based mostly on the trial transcripts and newspaper articles from the Los Angeles and New York Times. My only critisism of the first book is that it glosses over some things that would put Hickman in a bad light, while “Stolen Away” suffers in a few places from poor research (Newton claims there was no autopsy on Hickman after he was hung, when in fact there was. The autopsy was preformed to determine if any insanity could be found. It was discovered that while Hickman’s brain weighed 200 grams more than the average, he suffered no oganic abnormality which would render him insane).
The cold blooded murder of anyone can not be defended, much less that of a little girl. However, those who would judge Hickman should be aware the he repented before he died and sought God’s forgivness. Those of us who believe in Christ’s word believe in His mercy. Damnation is resevered for the unrepentant.
Marion’s father, Perry Parker, refused to attend Hickman’s execution claiming he wasn’t interested in vengence, but understood that the law must be followed.
Comment by S.J. — 11/1/2008 @ 5:03 am
It is evil what Hickman did to that 12 yr old girl. I wanna do more research on this case because these things are interesting to know
Comment by Taylor — 1/31/2009 @ 7:17 pm
My Great Grandmother can recall when all this happened and used to sing the ballad to me and my cousins when we were younger… She used to finish with it was the first really aweful murder this country had ever seen. She was just a girl when it happened. I know sing that ballad to my daughter o 2 years old. It was a horrific murder; Isn’t it terrible how common it is these days. Children being drowned, raped, dismembered and thrown in house appliances by their own mothers! Let us all say a prayer for our world’s children. Hickman was only the begining to many many more horrible deaths before the end of our world. May God bless us all and have mercy on these descusting individuals that can do such thing to children.
*I miss you my “Bet” and wish I could hear you sing the ballad to me again. I love you! R.I.P. Oct 14, 1915-Jan 1, 2006. (the month my precious daughter was concieved)*
The ballad as my “Bet” used to sing it…
Lil’ Ol’ Marion Parker
She left her home one day
and started to the school house
her heart was light and gay.
She and her little sister
kissed her Mama goodbye,
but little did the “per” (poor) child know
that soon she’d have to die.
She took her loving sister
and started down the street.
Poor lil Marion Parker
an aweful fate to meet
Onward to the school house
where Edward Hickman went
to tell lil Marion Parker
of her Papa’s accident.
He took her from the school room
and carried her away
and wrote to her dear Papa
I’ve kidnapped her today.
If you want you daughter
a ransom you must pay.
Bring 1500 dollars
unto a meeting place.
Her papa took the money
just like the letter said,
but when he found lil Marion
his darling child was dead.
It was an aweful murder
the blackest in the state.
At the hands of Edward Hickman,
Lil Marion met her fate.
Comment by Krystal — 2/9/2009 @ 11:20 am
hey mark just saw you on tv hey do you think there is a recorded interview or any thing with big al capone speaking? i would love to hear what he sounded like if you ca find something let me know
thanks
Comment by eric burns — 2/27/2009 @ 11:31 pm
OMG I totally peed on that dude’s grave and it was awesome. Like I had to pee sooooo bad. I was like Sea Biscuit right after the last race. It was an amazing moment in urinal history. The waves of urine were like woven gold into a far and distant sunset only known in the most beautiful dream.
Comment by JJJJ — 3/1/2009 @ 7:42 am
” and i pray for their parents their family. Any ways thats that. If it happend to one of my kids i would want them to have no mercy on the people or person who did it…. flora ”
I wonder what God you Pray to.
My God gave his own Son so that we might all know Mercy.
If we ask the State to kill a criminal in order to satisfy our own desire for blood and vengange, we cut short the time in which that person is able to repent and accept Christ.
What will Christ have to say to those who sent a Soul to Hell, when that Soul may have found its way to Him had those who claim to follow His Word done so, and shown the Mercy He commanded?
Comment by Marcabian — 3/27/2009 @ 9:23 pm
You know, I work for a Vintage Black and White Photo Archive Company… I was pulling photos off of ebay and I noticed a photo lot we did of Hickman. Then, I saw that a guy named “Edward Hickman” bought it for like, 700$!! I KNOW this is either his son or grandson. What a sick fuck he was. The poor grandson probably bought the lot for so much because he didn’t want anyone to see it, or he was ashamed. We need to hang people like Hickman more often…
Comment by Amanda — 4/1/2009 @ 2:13 pm
Its sad… I don’t understand how people can do such things…
Comment by Edwards — 5/15/2009 @ 10:11 pm
I researched and put together a book on the Parker case. I am quite fascinated that relatives of Edward Hickman and Richard Cantillon (whose book I did read) are represented in this thread, which has stretched over three years of comments. I am guessing that Mr. Hickman is the grandson of William Edward Hickman’s sister (correct me if I am wrong).
It is also interesting that relatives of police and news photographers have been represented here.
I do not write True Crime, I am a film historian. But I ran across the Marion murder while researching something else, and it hooked me right away. At first it was reported as a kidnapping and I wanted to know if the little girl had been found. Then I read further, and wanted to know if the killer was captured. It engrossed me, so I wrote a book about it entitled Butterfly In The Rain: The kidnap and murder of Marion Parker. To be honest, I have not aproached publishers with it, despite it being completed (while I continue to write and publish books on films history). Maybe I should dust it off and see if anyone would be interested.
Comment by Jim — 9/23/2009 @ 4:19 pm
JIM
Yes you should
Comment by BubbaGump — 10/19/2009 @ 2:20 am
William Edward Hickman was hanged 81 years ago today. Jim, I would be interested in reading your book. you should leave a way to contact you (email)
Comment by sjc — 10/19/2009 @ 4:33 pm
I just came across an article from 1927 about a 12 year old girl who was kidnapped from her school and dismembered. How disgusting and tragic. Didn’t think crimes like this existed in that era. My heart goed out to her and family. May her soul rest in peace. Does anyone know where Marion parker is buried? And where did she live when she was kidnapped? I live by Elysian Park in Los Angeles, where her arms and legs were found.
Comment by Norma — 10/31/2009 @ 7:22 pm
She is buried at Forrest Lawn Glendale, Ca. She was cremated and her urn is in the mausolium there. The Parkers lived in the 1600 block of So. Wilton, L.A. The house is still there, as well as the apartment where she was dismembered.
Comment by sjc — 11/4/2009 @ 5:53 pm
Ayn Rand’s hero, William Hickam. ‘Rand wrote great stretches of praise for him, saying he represented “the amazing picture of a man with no regard whatsoever for all that a society holds sacred, and with a consciousness all his own. A man who really stands alone, in action and in soul. … Other people do not exist for him, and he does not see why they should.” She called him “a brilliant, unusual, exceptional boy,” shimmering with “immense, explicit egotism.” Rand had only one regret: “A strong man can eventually trample society under its feet. That boy [Hickman] was not strong enough.’ from Slate.com http://www.slate.com/id/2233966/
Comment by Beefsteak — 11/9/2009 @ 9:14 pm
u kno dis gurl named Elizabeth Short died soo badly almost lyk Marion did. she waz cut in HALF, da CORNER of her MOUTH SLASHED 2 HER EARS nd more gruesome stuff i cannot say
Comment by Barbara — 11/17/2009 @ 8:33 pm
The book I wrote about the Marion Parker murder is titled Butterfly In The Rain (a popular song at the time). I have had eight books published on various aspects of film history, but never did anything with this True Crime manuscript, although I completed it back in 2005. I even, through research, dug up the death dates of Marion’s sister, father, brother, and mother. Maybe I should try doing something with it after I finish my current project.
This series of comments, espeically by the ancestors of those involved in the case, has resparked my initial interest. The case is heartbreaking, but compelling. I think I will look it over. Thanks to all.
Jim
Comment by Jim — 12/1/2009 @ 3:30 pm
Murdered 82 years ago today. Marion, rest in peace.
Comment by Mike — 12/17/2009 @ 7:59 pm
I came across this article through a link from Wikipedia, while reading an article on the Wineville Chicken Coup Murders in California (the movie Changeling was based on these events)where young boys were viciously murdered by a sociopath. Having children of my own, I am mortified at thinking of the terror that Marion Parker experience during the last moments of her young life. Remembering how as a child I was terrified of monsters and to know that Marion actually met a real monster brings me immense sorrow.
I only pray that she is reunited with her mother and father in heaven.
Comment by Yolanda — 12/26/2009 @ 12:29 pm
Jim I hope that you will eventually publish that book, I would love to have it.
Comment by Autumn — 1/18/2010 @ 7:05 am
William Edward Hickman
Burial:
Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery
Colma
San Mateo County
California, USA
Plot: Section A, Row 30, Grave 118 (indigent area; no marker)
Comment by scodoha — 2/26/2010 @ 5:29 pm
I was 6 years old at the time and lived not too far from Marion Parker. This tragedy so frightened my parents that I was not allowed to walk to and from school for months. This atrocity made it legally required for the school to receive a note signed by the parent for anyone to take a child from the school for any purpose.
Comment by Lois Preston — 3/31/2010 @ 12:10 pm
JIM
I would like to discuss the book with you. Contact me at colscott@hotmail.com.
Comment by ColScott — 4/5/2010 @ 12:08 pm
Over and over, I have seen comments that say people in the 20s were ’stupid.’ They weren’t stupid at all, they just lived in a very different world than ours. They were more innocent than we could ever be, but don’t slam them for it.
Comment by Carol — 6/7/2010 @ 6:11 pm
ppl in da 20’s wer sooooooo stooopid. dems shooda kno dis man da killa. he shooda been fried in da big pan wif dem beenz and dem onion. feed hims to da udda killaz on death row. dat teach himz a good lesson!!!
Comment by I M Koont — 7/30/2010 @ 10:09 am
I recently started researching the Marion Parker case to include a profile of her and this case on my website, www.cemeteryguide.com. I have found most of the information I’ve been searching for, but I have a few questions for the people who certainly know so much more about this case than I do:
1. Whatever happened to her twin sister, Marjorie Parker? I’ve read that the family remained in the house until 1948, but I haven’t been able to find any information about Marjorie. Did she remain in the Los Angeles area? Did she marry? Have children? Did she ever talk about the crime? When and where did she die?
2. Although Hickman said revenge against Mr. Parker wasn’t his motive, Hickman worked as a messenger at the bank where Parker worked, and was fired after he was arrested for forgery. When he tried to get his job back, Parker was the one who told him him no. When Hickman tried to get a job at another company, Parker refused to give him a reference, and he didn’t get the job. Does anyone think revenge wasn’t his primary motive?
3. Why did Hickman confess so quickly and completely on the train on the way from Oregon to Los Angeles after his arrest? He had presented a detailed story about two accomplices, and admitted that he had kidnapper Marion, but that he didn’t kill her. All of a sudden, he gave the full and complete story to detectives. Why? What would he gain from that? Perhaps he just wanted the attention and notoriety of having carried out the crime by himself.
4. Was Marion’s death accidental? Did Hickman attempt to put her to sleep with the drugs he had stolen from his many drugstore robberies, and she accidentally overdosed? Did he strangle her because he knew she could identify him and where he lived? Was he overcome with an uncontrollable desire to kill her? Or was he trying to commit the ultimate “perfect crime”?
I have enjoyed reading your comments so far. Thanks for your thoughts.
Comment by MarkM — 8/6/2010 @ 12:41 am
Thank you so much for this information! My grandmother (born in 1926) and I were talking on the phone and she told me what little she could remember of Marion Parker’s murder, based on the ballad that her mother had heard and sung to her when she was a child. While we were talking, I looked it up (found on Wikipedia) and told her some of the parts she didn’t know (who killed little Marion, why, how she was kidnapped). As a true crime fan, I became more intrigued with the story, and found your page with even more information. I’d print it up for my Grammy, but at 84, I don’t think she’d appreciate the more gruesome details as much as I do.
Suffice it to say, I’ll be poring through more of your blog. Thanks again!
Comment by Bonnie — 8/11/2010 @ 4:46 pm
Should have gotten the same penalty someone would have received for high treason in medieval England.
Comment by Warr — 8/12/2010 @ 5:10 am
The link for “American Folk Ballads” near the top of this page is incorrect. I have placed a temporary forwarding page at that URL for you, but you would be better off correcting your link. By the way, Marian is not spelled Marion and is not capitalized within the URL which is what caused the error. You will find her name is correctly spelled with her image at the end of that paragraph. Cheers, GEST
http://www.wtv-zone.com/phyrst/audio/nfld/13/marian.htm
I corrected the link. The folk ballad may have Marion's name spelled with the second 'a,' but her name is spelled with an 'o.'
Comment by GDGEST — 10/7/2010 @ 10:17 am
I live just across the street from this creepy apartment house. It’s being converted into an apartment/loft space just off the 101. It’s always given me the creeps and now I know why. This is the best, comprehensive account I’ve found of the account. It makes me wonder what other hidden history lurks around Angeleno Heights.
Comment by CR Wright — 10/21/2010 @ 5:30 am
I just think he was seeking revenge for the jail time,
I cant imagine the terror this little girl went through in her last hours, he was nothing more than an thrill seeker, and i would say of very low intelligence why would you mount a mental instability defence and then ask the gaurd how people look or behave when they are insane? her poor father must have been driven insane, finding your childs body in that condition. I just cant stand the pictures of him smiling fron the jail house pictures.
Why on top of it all would someone want to write a balad about this poor childs murder! I realy dont get it.
Comment by asoba — 2/28/2011 @ 4:36 pm
I too, would like to know what became of twin sister Marjorie. She actually suffered a more severe sentence than Hickman—living a likely normal span life without Marion—and the awful memories of the brutal kidnapping and murder.
I thought maybe I had read that Marjorie was still living in the 1980’s but I’m not sure.
Comment by Mark — 3/12/2011 @ 9:25 pm
I have to take this opportunity to correct some of the statements made in your account of this crime. 1. Marion wasn’t “flogged to such an extant that the flesh on her back was flayed.” I know that this “fact” appears on another website, but it just isn’t true. Hickman did not torture Marion before he killed her. 2. Perry Parker did not testify against Hickman in the forgery case because there was no trial. Hickman pled guilty in juvinile court and was granted probation. Perry Parker stated that he did not oppose the probation. 3. Hickman’s comment about Judge Hardy did not contribute to the Judge recuseing himself from the insanity trial. It was Hardy’s own comments at a party and his later actions that caused Hickmans attorneys to file a motion to remove Hardy from the case.
I appreciate your message. My account was drawn from the press accounts at the time and from details of the trial. I did not lift any facts from other websites, as we all know that there are some exaggerations. I'm interested in your sources.
M.G.
Comment by sjc — 3/15/2011 @ 3:11 pm
I wish he were alive today so I could kill him.
Comment by Jack — 5/28/2011 @ 4:16 pm
I am so glad this page is back up. It has been almost a year. Will the guy who was doing the Butterfly book please tell us the status?
Comment by Col Scott — 9/10/2012 @ 11:56 pm