Cold Case Files of Stacy Mccray: Results in Indictment

From the Office of United States Attorney John L. Brownlee:

April 4, 2006

GLADE SPRINGS MAN INDICTED ON DRUG AND OBSTRUCTION OFFENSES INVOLVING THE NOVEMBER 2002 DISAPPEARANCE AND DEATH OF STACY MCCRAY

United States Attorney John L. Brownlee announced today that Mark Jason Parris, age 35, of Glade Springs, Virginia, was indicted by a federal Grand Jury sitting in Abingdon, Virginia.
Parris was charged in a three count indictment with drug and obstruction of justice offenses.

These charges arose out of an investigation into the disappearance of Washington County resident Stacy McCray in November 2002 and the discovery of her skeletal remains in the Jefferson National Forest two years later. It is charged in the indictment that Parris was engaged in a drug conspiracy which included the distribution of drugs to McCray. It is also charged that Parris disposed of McCray’s body in an attempt to cover up and obstruct any investigation into this drug dealing activities. The government has not charged the cause of McCray’s death in this indictment.

If convicted on all counts, the maximum penalty faced by the defendant is 45 years imprisonment and/or a fine of $1.25 million.

The investigation of the case was conducted by Detective Mike Martin for the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and Special Agent Tim Burke for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Criminal Chief Thomas J. Bondurant, Jr. will prosecute the case. For further information, please contact Mr. Bondurant at 540-857-2379.

A Grand Jury indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.