Parrish formally sentenced to death for 2009 slayings

Monroe Co. man who killed girlfriend, young son gets death penalty

Author: 69 News, (follow: @69news), news@wfmz.com
Published: May 16 2012 09:11:19 AM EDT
Parrish to be sentenced Tuesday
STROUDSBURG, Pa. -

A former northeastern Pennsylvania prison guard has been formally sentenced to death in the murder of his live-in girlfriend and their 18-month-old son.

A Monroe Co. jury convicted 26-year-old Michael Parrish last month of first-degree murder in the July 2009 killings of Victoria and Sidney Adams in Effort. He was formally given the death penalty at a sentencing hearing Tuesday.

The defense argued that the slayings happened in a moment of passion because Parrish believed Adams was cheating on him

When asked Tuesday if Parrish anything to say, he only said, ``Allah is the only true god ... and Muhammad is his messenger,'' and then began to speak in Arabic.

The slain woman's mother, Kim, said she had ``wanted to hear an apology'' from the defendant.

Parrish's attorney said his client had apologized in a letter shortly after his arrest.