MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories Personal Business (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
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Nov 17, 2025 In a chilling tale from Merrillville, Indiana, a nervous man walks into a police station, trading information for his freedom. The story unravels the murder of businessman John Parker Jr. and the tense confrontation with a disgruntled ex-employee. As detectives dig deeper, family betrayal surfaces, revealing shocking ties to the crime. Multiple confessions lead to convictions for Judy, her son Daniel, and daughter Christina. This dark saga highlights a web of manipulation and deceit that culminated in a tragic family tragedy.
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Successful Business Owner Shot After Work
- John Parker built a vacuum-sales empire and worked relentlessly to keep it running.
- He returned to the office after dinner to grab homework and was fatally shot in the parking lot.
Wife Witnessed The Shooting
- Judy saw her husband fall after two gunshots and watched a masked figure sprint away from the car.
- First responders found John with a gunshot behind his ear and missing wallet, suggesting a staged robbery.
Crime Scene Pointed To A Planned Execution
- Detective Donald Toth noticed John's jewelry and the remote office park, which made robbery an unlikely motive.
- The clean scene and precise shot suggested an efficient, planned execution rather than a random mugging.