It was a quiet Thanksgiving weekend in 1998 when the life of Corey Parker was violently taken in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. She was only 25. A popular waitress and a dedicated college student, Corey was known for her reliability. When she didn't show up for her shift at the Ragtime Tavern, her friends knew something was wrong.
Basically, the scene they found was a nightmare.
Investigators discovered that Corey had been stabbed over 100 times. It was overkill—a sign of deep, personalized rage or a terrifying obsession. Yet, despite the brutality, the case went cold for years. There were no witnesses. No one heard a scream. For a long time, it felt like the person responsible might actually get away with it.
The Neighborhood Shadow: Who Was Robert Denney?
The name Robert Denney didn't immediately jump to the top of the suspect list, but he was always right there. He lived in the same apartment complex as Corey. In fact, he could see her apartment from his.
Denney was just 17 at the time of the murder. He was a teenager who reportedly harbored a dark, quiet fixation on his neighbor. People in the complex mentioned he was "a bit off," but being awkward isn't a crime. Police didn't have enough to arrest him. They didn't even have enough for a search warrant.
So, the case sat.
✨ Don't miss: Franklin D Roosevelt Civil Rights Record: Why It Is Way More Complicated Than You Think
Years passed. Corey's family waited for answers that didn't come. You've probably heard of cases where the killer hides in plain sight, and honestly, Denney was the textbook definition. He eventually moved away, trying to leave his past in the Florida sand. He relocated to Maryland, likely thinking the Jacksonville Beach Police Department had forgotten his name.
They hadn't.
How a Piece of Gum and a Spit Bubble Changed Everything
The break in the case of Robert Denney and Corey Parker didn't come from a dramatic confession or a new witness. It came from garbage.
By the early 2000s, forensic technology was evolving. Detectives Melissa Nelson and Angela Corey—who would both later become high-profile State Attorneys—refused to let the file gather dust. They knew Denney was their man, but they needed his DNA to prove it. Since he wouldn't give it voluntarily, they had to get creative.
Undercover investigators followed Denney in Maryland. They watched him like a hawk. They waited for him to discard something—anything—that might contain his genetic code.
🔗 Read more: 39 Carl St and Kevin Lau: What Actually Happened at the Cole Valley Property
- The first attempt: They tried to get DNA from a cigarette butt, but the sample was too degraded.
- The breakthrough: An investigator saw Denney spit on the ground.
They literally scraped the spit off the pavement. That tiny, gross sample was enough. When the lab results came back, the DNA from the spit matched the DNA found at the crime scene in Corey's apartment. Specifically, it matched skin cells found under her fingernails and a small blood drop on her window. She had fought for her life, and in doing so, she made sure her killer left behind the one thing that would eventually convict him.
The Trial and the Verdict
When Robert Denney finally stood trial in 2005, the defense tried everything. They argued that the DNA evidence was contaminated. They suggested that because 20 people had walked through the crime scene after the body was found, the "tiny amount" of evidence shouldn't be trusted.
The jury didn't buy it.
It took them less than an hour to reach a verdict. Guilty of first-degree murder.
During the trial, the details were harrowing. Prosecutors painted a picture of a young man obsessed with a woman he barely knew. He had watched her. He had waited. On that November night, he climbed through her window and unleashed a level of violence that shocked even veteran detectives.
💡 You might also like: Effingham County Jail Bookings 72 Hours: What Really Happened
Why the Corey Parker Case Still Matters in 2026
You might wonder why we’re still talking about a 1998 murder. The truth is, the story of Robert Denney and Corey Parker is a landmark for forensic science. It was one of the first high-profile "surreptitious DNA" cases. It proved that law enforcement could use discarded DNA—stuff we throw away or leave behind—to catch killers who think they’ve outrun the clock.
Kinda scary? Maybe. But for Corey's mother, Liz, it was the only path to justice.
Even today, this case is used as a training model for cold case investigators. It highlights the importance of "overkill" as a profiling marker. When a victim is stabbed 101 times, it tells police the killer had a psychological need to destroy the victim, not just rob or hurt them. That profile led them straight to the neighbor with the voyeuristic tendencies.
What to Take Away From This Story
If you’re following true crime or just curious about how these cases resolve, there are a few practical realities to keep in mind regarding safety and the legal system:
- Trust the "Gut" Feeling: Neighbors in the Jacksonville Beach complex later admitted Denney made them uncomfortable. In modern community policing, "see something, say something" applies to more than just suspicious packages; it applies to behavioral red flags.
- The Power of Persistence: Cold cases aren't always solved by "new" evidence. Often, they are solved because someone looked at old evidence with new technology. If you are supporting a family through a cold case, keep pressure on for re-testing DNA.
- Digital and Physical Footprints: In the 90s, it was a spit bubble. Today, it’s touch DNA on a doorbell or a digital trail on a fitness tracker. The "perfect crime" is becoming statistically impossible.
Robert Denney remains incarcerated, serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Corey Parker’s legacy lives on through the advocacy of her family and the legal precedents set by her case. It’s a somber reminder that while justice can be incredibly slow, it is rarely as blind as a criminal hopes it will be.
Next Steps for True Crime Enthusiasts:
To better understand the forensics used in this case, research the legal standards for "abandoned DNA" in your specific state. Laws vary on whether police need a warrant to collect DNA from trash or sidewalks. Understanding these privacy boundaries is key to following how modern criminal investigations operate.