Victim's Grandmother: Don't Reduce Killer's Sentence

By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

A Green Country grandmother is concerned her grandson's killer might get a reduced sentence next week. The killer has been in prison for less than a year, but is up for a sentence review. 

Grace Parker is one worried grandmother - not because of the judge on her case, who warned the suspect at his guilty plea not to expect a shorter sentence – but because of other recent decisions to shorten killers' sentences in Tulsa County.

Patrick Parker was an only child, which made him an only grandchild. He spent summers at his grandparents' home until moving in with them and his father as a teenager.

He attended Sapulpa High School.

Related Story 3/30/2008: Teen Killed During Drive-By Shooting

"He was looking forward to being a senior and just got a little pickup and started driving," said Grace Parker, Patrick's grandmother. "He was looking forward to life, period, and he was a very good kid. It took our whole life because he was our life. He was the most important thing in our life."

In March of 2008, Patrick was at a relative's home with his Dad and three others when some men drove up who had a dispute with Patrick's father earlier in the evening. One man shot into the home nine times. Patrick was hit in the chest and killed.

"Patrick was an innocent person - just coming in the back door - and it went through the walls, windows and was just an awful thing for him to lose his life for no reason," his grandmother said.

Kevin Pigeon Jr. was arrested, and in January of this year, pled guilty to first degree manslaughter. He got 25 years in prison and a judicial review set for this month.

Grace wrote a letter to the judge and sent petitions signed by people asking Pigeon's sentence to remain.

"I have faith in the judge, really and truly I do. She is a very fine judge," said Grace Parker, grandmother of murder victim Patrick Parker.

She's afraid, however, that there's a trend toward reducing killers' sentences since one judge has done it twice in the past few weeks - reducing one sentence by five years and another by 26 years.

"I think 25 years is a very fair thing, and he should thank God for what he got," Grace said.

The review is Monday at 9 a.m. Grace says she was impressed the judge took the time to write her back, saying all things would be taken into consideration.

 Pigeon's defense attorney didn't get back with The News On 6 by deadline.

Related Story 4/15/2008: Charges Filed In Fatal Shooting