A Man Accused Of Rape Vanished. Then, A Lake Yielded A Grim Discovery

[TTL News 319]

Quote

 

CNN — He was known as very charming, the FBI’s description read: an odd-job man, an antiques peddler, maybe interested in photography.

Then, there was the accusation: Roger Dale Parham was arrested in late 1998 on a charge of rape involving a minor, the bureau said. The crime was alleged in Arkansas, where a court released the 52-year-old on bond. A “trial on various criminal charges” had been set, police later would say.

Soon, though, the laborer – who’d often preferred to be paid in cash – was gone, “thought to have left the area to flee prosecution,” police said. The state court issued a warrant for Parham’s arrest, the FBI said. And the feds a few months later charged him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

Then, as the early stages of the fugitive hunt unfolded, another pursuit began taking shape – this one two states away, on a lake known for its wildlife viewing, boating and hiking trails.

Like the search for Parham, resolving this quest would depend on law enforcement. As worthy efforts so often do, it also would require playing the long game. And in the end, it would reveal new questions that could take years more to satisfy.

But none of that was clear on the Thursday in May 1999 when two fishermen in Kentucky made their discovery.

And it was a strange one.

 

Read more about it here.

[KarenK 384]

I read this earlier today.  Sounds like some vigilante justice was at play.

[Chris 2,238]

Yeah, when @Ars76 told me about it I thought, "Well, justice was served then."

 Of course that's assuming he was guilty.