Two Georgia residents have been charged with murder after authorities say they killed a bartender and dumped his dismembered remains in a lake outside Atlanta, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Mario Andre Barber, 46, and Brittany Amber Baker, 42, were arrested Monday in connection with the death of Jamal Rashad Parker, 37. Investigators found Parker’s remains in May at the Dog River Reservoir, about 30 miles outside Atlanta. DNA testing confirmed the victim’s identity after his father reported that tattoos on the body matched his son’s ink, WSB-TV reported.
Investigators believe Parker was killed inside a home in Douglasville where Baker lived. Surveillance footage from late last month shows investigators leaving the residence with a reciprocating saw and cleaning supplies, according to the television station. Authorities have not disclosed whether Parker knew his alleged killers.
The suspects appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty. They are being held without bond. Both have extensive criminal histories, reports say.
Parker’s father, Charles Parker, expressed his frustration outside the courthouse. “I want them to be punished. And I don’t even think a life sentence is good enough,” he said. “It’s the kind of stuff you see on TV, but I mean… they had no remorse.”
Parker, who worked as a bartender at Ms. Icey’s Kitchen & Bar in Atlanta, was also a musician and visual artist. A GoFundMe page created to cover burial expenses described him as having “a beautiful soul and spirit.” The page noted that Parker loved life and enjoyed creating new drinks, and that his death has left family and friends devastated.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
