The family of Lee Parker, the postal worker shot execution-style on I-15 by a young ex-gang member, wept in court Monday as they told the judge of their sorrow at losing a loving husband and father.
But they also spoke of their forgiveness for the killer, Jose Garcia-Miramontes, 21, who probably will spend his entire life behind bars following stiff prison sentences imposed Monday.Lee W. Parker, the father of five, was shot dead on May 21, 1997, by Garcia-Miramontes, an ex-Californian with a seventh-grade education who reportedly came to Utah to get away from gangs and who was high on LSD at the time of the shooting.
Parker, 49, was driving to an early morning shift at the U.S. Post Office when he was sideswiped by Garcia-Miramontes at the 7200 South onramp to I-15.
For no apparent reason, Garcia-Miramontes shot Parker, drove away, abruptly turned around and drove back the wrong way to get to Parker's car, then walked over and pumped four or five more bullets into it.
Parker was hit three times, including an execution-style bullet to the temple.
Garcia-Miramontes also shot at two people who stopped to help Parker, tried to crash into someone with a car and stole a car that morning.
Third District Judge Stephen Henroid sentenced Garcia-Miramontes to life in prison for killing Parker and three more consecutive sentences of five years to life for three other first-degree felonies to which Garcia-Miramontes pleaded guilty. They are: two first-degree felony counts of attempted murder for shooting at the two people who tried to help Parker and one count of aggravated robbery for stealing a car after the shooting.
Henroid also added a maximum of 33 more years for enhancements involving using a gun in three cases, using a car as a weapon in another case and for gang involvement.
Garcia-Miramontes made no statement to the packed courtroom about the crimes. When his face was visible to the audience, he had no expression.
"Mr. Miramontes, you're a fortunate man," said prosecutor Robert Stott as he referred to Maxine Parker, the widow of Lee Parker, and her relatives. "Except for her and her family, we'd be asking for the death penalty.
"I thought we'd grow old together," said Maxine Parker, who sobbed softly from time to time as she addressed Henroid.
The loss of "a good and gentle man" traumatized the family and robbed four grandchildren born since Parker's death of their grandfather, she said, reading from a written statement and pausing occasionally to wipe her eyes.
She hates being alone and misses her husband every day. "But most of all I hate the fact that he's not here to hold me at night and tell me it's all right and that we'll get through this together," Maxine Parker said.
But she also spoke sadly of Garcia-Miramontes.
"My heart goes out to his family, especially his mother," Maxine Parker said. If it weren't for this,"she would still have a son."
John Parker, one of Parker's sons, said he dreads the day he has to tell his own baby son what happened to his grandfather.
Emily O'Brien, one of Parker's daughters, said she struggled with feelings of bitterness and sought counseling to help her overcome being cynical about the senseless death.
Outside the courtroom, Lee Parker's twin sister, Lynne Romrell, said she recently celebrated her 50th birthday without her brother and "it was hard."
"Most of us don't have any hatred toward Mr. Miramontes. We just don't want - if he's this volatile - to have this happen to another family. We would be the first to forgive (in our own case)," Romrell said.
"I don't understand why," Romrell said, "but this last month I've spent more time crying for Mr. Miramontes. He's younger than my youngest son. As a mother, I look at him and think, `How sad.' Two lives were lost here - my brother's and Mr. Miramontes' . "