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A Vanderburgh County man faces decades in prison after a jury convicted him last week of murdering two men in 2023.
The Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office announced that a jury found John Cameron Parker guilty of murdering Michael Blankenship Jr. and Mitchell Greathouse.
Parker could face up to 65 years for each count of murder.
According to court records, on the evening of October 21, 2023, Parker and his two coconspirators drove to 2658 Mt Vernon Avenue where Parker shot the two victims.
Surveillance footage picked up the Parker walking into the residence at approximately 7:50pm and leaving hastily at 7:51pm.
The footage also picked up a vehicle in the alley behind the residence with three individuals – a driver, a “lookout”, and Parker. Human blood was later located on the vehicle’s handles.
After the murder, Parker and his “lookout”, Caden Harms, burnt their clothes in a grill. Harms admitted his involvement to Evansville Police Department Detectives soon after the shooting and later plead guilty to aiding in a murder.
The state presented video footage from the crime scene, coconspirator testimony, DNA and ballistic evidence at trial. After less than three hours of deliberation, the jury found Parker guilty.
“This case is a representation of excellent detective work led by the Evansville Police Department Detective Dillon Powers which was followed up in the courtroom by Deputy Prosecutors Stan Levco and Brett Niemeier to swiftly gain a conviction for both murders in under three hours,” Moers said in a news release, adding, “This case underscores the absolute risk those willing to commit murder undertake in today’s Vanderburgh County. Each murder makes our community worse. Victims’ families suffer, children suffer, and we are less safe. People will not tolerate living and working in a community that is violent. No stone will be left unturned when continuing to decrease violence – and for my part- we will be ready for any battle in court to gain convictions in these cases on behalf of the victims’ families and the community at large.”
Sentencing is scheduled for July 23 in Vanderburgh County Circuit Court.
The Courier & Press reported that Parker is one of three men who faced charges in this case.
Harms reached a plea agreement on two murder charges in May and was sentenced to 45 years in jail on each count to be served concurrently.
The third man, Richard Dee Garrett, has a change of plea and sentencing filed for Aug. 16 in Vanderburgh County Superior Court. He was the first arrested by police, according to the Courier & Press.
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