Jefferson County Sheriff Investigates Festus Child Murders | Best Stories

(JEFFERSON COUNTY, Missouri) The Jefferson County, Missouri Sheriff's Office released a statement on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, indicating that a double homicide investigation was underway involving juvenile victims.

According to the release, on Tuesday around 10:30 a.m., a woman went to the Festus, Missouri Police Department (FPD) and admitted to officers that she had shot one of her children and drowned him. 'other.

FPD officers discovered the shooting victim inside a vehicle parked outside the station and attempted to save his life, but the victim ultimately died.

FPD found the drowned victim was “probably” located in the 4800 block of Highway 67 at Timber Creek Resort. They notified the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and deputies responded to the scene.

Jefferson County deputies located the second victim and attempted life-saving efforts, but the second victim ultimately died as well.

The woman was taken into custody and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office took over the case.

Arrest warrants were served through the Jefferson County Prosecutor's Office, and Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak scheduled an update Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Sheriff Marshak provided an update at a press conference Tuesday at 4 p.m., where he confirmed that a 36-year-old woman came forward to the FPD earlier in the day and confessed to the murder of their children.

Sheriff Marshak confirmed that FPD discovered the locations of both victims simultaneously, that a nine-year-old victim was found in a vehicle outside of FPD with a gunshot wound, and that sheriff's deputies from Jefferson County traveled to the second location where a two-year investigation took place. The elderly man was found in the water near the Timber Creek Resort, life-saving measures were administered to both victims, but both children ultimately died.

The woman is being held at the Jefferson County Jail, evidence was discovered in St. Francis County, which the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office believes was the initial site of the shooting incident, and Sheriff Marshak confirmed that local St. Francois authorities and other law enforcement partners were assisting in the Jefferson County investigation.

When answering questions from the media at the press conference, Sheriff Marshak clarified that the Jefferson County Sheriff's investigation is ongoing, but that deputies believe the nine-year-old girl was shot in Jefferson County. Saint-François, at the exit of highway E, before the two years. an elderly drowned man in Jefferson County and the woman arriving at the FPD in Festus, Missouri at 10:30 a.m.

Hours after the press conference, another statement was released by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office in which Sheriff Marshak identified the suspect in the murders and explained information about the charges attributed to the double homicide.

Ashley Parmeley, 36, of Pevely, Missouri, is charged with one count of second-degree murder stemming from the drowning of her two-year-old son Tuesday near De Soto, Missouri, according to Sheriff Marshak.

Sheriff Marshak said Parmeley was being held without bail in the Jefferson County Jail, the investigation into the death of Parmeley's nine-year-old daughter was ongoing and additional charges were being filed by the Sheriff's Office. St. Francis County Prosecutor.

Sheriff Marshak thanked the FPD, Jefferson County 911 Dispatch, Joachim Plattin Ambulance District, Jefferson County Prosecutor Trisha Stefanski's Office, the St. Francois County Sheriff's Department and the Office of the St. Francis County Prosecutor. He also offered his condolences. to the families and first responders who were affected by Tuesday's events.

As of Wednesday, May 29, 2024, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office had not released any updates on the double homicide investigation, other than to thank its public information officer, Grant Bissell, d 'kept everyone as informed as possible.

This is an ongoing investigation, stay with KQ2 for updates.