HICKORY, N.C. — A judge sentenced a Taylorsville woman to spend over 20 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to shooting and killing a coworker and hiding from authorities for months afterward.
Tangela Parker, 52, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Haywood County court on Thursday. She was sentenced to 20 to 25 years in state jail.
Investigators say Parker shot and killed Phelifa Marlow, her coworker, on Jan. 13, 2021, at the TCS Designs furniture factory in Hickory.
The shooting happened during the workday, according to investigators. Coworkers said in court that Parker was known to scream at cuss at Marlow before the shooting happened.
Parker was suspended from her job due to her workplace behavior, investigators said.
Marlow was shot twice by Parker, according to investigators. She was pronounced dead at the workplace.
Parker and her husband, Eric Parker, left the area immediately following the shooting, according to police. Eric Parker was also employed at TCS Designs.
The Parkers used fictitious names and a stolen license plate as they hid from police, according to investigators. The pair evaded the authorities for half a year until they were arrested in Arizona in July 2021.
Eric and Tangela Parker were extradited back to Catawba County, where they were held in jail with no bond.
Tangela Parker initially pleaded not guilty. Her defense argued that she had an altered state of consciousness during the shooting due to her use of Xanax.
Eric Parker faces a felony charge of accessory after the fact. His case is ongoing with a next court date of Dec. 4.