FULL PROBABLE CAUSE AFFIDAVIT BELOW
CENTERVILLE, Mich. – FOX 17 has obtained the probable cause affidavit in the case of a man connected to the 2007 cold case murder of Jodi Parrack of Constantine.
On November 8, 2007, Parrack’s body was found in a local cemetery after she disappeared while walking home from a friend’s house. She was 11 years old at the time.
Raymond Emmett McCann, 46, was arrested Friday on a perjury warrant from the St. Joseph County prosecutor’s office. He was arraigned the next day. The probable cause affidavit obtained by FOX 17 News shows investigators have been watching McCann closely for years. At one point investigators asked McCann how it was possible that her DNA could have been found in his pick-up truck and on his clothes. He responded by saying that he pulled Parrick’s mother from the child’s body at the cemetery. Investigators say this was not true. There were also bruises on Parrack’s body consistent with markings from handcuffs.
Constantine Police Chief Jim Bedell told FOX 17 News Monday that the person of interest’s son was a playmate of Jodi Parrack. The chief also said McCann was also a former Constantine reserve officer. McCann was suspended from his job when he became a person of interest. McCann later resigned.
The following is the entire probable cause affidavit obtained by FOX 17 News Monday:
On November 8th, 2007, Jodi Christine Parrack, age 11, failed to return home for her 5:30 p.m. curfew. Family members began a search for her in the Constantine area. At approximately 7:05 p.m., Jodi’s mother, Valerie Jo Carver, contacted the Constantine Police Department and reported Jodi Parrack missing.
At 10:30 p.m. on November 8th, 2007, Jodi Christine Parrack was found dead in the Constantine Township Cemetery. A forensic Pathologist, Dr. Stephen Cohle ruled her death a homicide.
Initial investigators became suspicious of Raymond Emmett McCann who was a reserve police officer for the Constantine Police Department. This suspicion arose in part due to investigators knowledge from witnesses as well as McCann himself that it was his suggestion to multiple people check the Constantine Township Cemetery for the then missing/late Jodi Parrack. It was only after McCann suggested to at least four people to check the cemetery that Jodi Parrack’s deceased body was discovered. It should be noted that over the course of nearly an hour and half of making this suggestion, McCann himself did not ever search this location. Further, McCann’s behavior, after the discovery of the victim’s body, seemed unnatural and investigators became increasingly suspicious of possible involvement. Furthermore, I am aware that the victim’s body contained injuries to both of her wrists, consistent with the application of handcuffs. Given the fact the McCann was a reserve police office at the time of this incident, he would have access to handcuffs.
Multiple interviews were conducted with McCann by both initial investigators as well as members of the 5th district cold case team. I conducted interviews with McCann myself and documented multiple inconsistencies with this account of the events of the evening of 11/8/07 to that of cell phone records and multiple witness statements.
As a result of the documented inconsistencies, the St. Joseph Prosecuting Attorney issued a subpoena for testimony in the matter of the homicide to Raymond Emmett McCann. The inquiry of McCann occurred on September 18th, 2012 in the city of Centreville, County of St. Joseph.
I was present during this proceeding and am aware that McCann was given an oath prior to the inquiry. Additionally, I am aware that McCann was advised of the penalty for perjury prior to the proceeding. McCann answered multiple questions relating to his actions on 11/8/07 as well as additional questions relating to the death of Jodi Parrack. McCann’s sworn testimony was consistent with his earlier police conducted interviews and therefore contained the same inconsistencies as previously documented.
This affidavit is intended to meet the burden of probable cause. It should be noted that I am aware of additional information regarding false testimony provided by McCann than will be documented within the affidavit. It is my belief that this affidavit will contain sufficient information to meet the burden of probable cause.
Specifically, McCann was asked about his actions during late afternoon, early evening of 11/8/07. McCann, under oath, indicated that he and his two children, Raymond McCann III and Zachary Bittner had been to the Dollar General Store in Constantine Michigan on the date in question after the boys returned home from school. It should be noted that this time is in close proximity to the time Jodi Parrack disappeared and was not seen again until her dead body was found in the Constantine Cemetery. I interview both Bittner and McCann III who denied that this trip to the Dollar General ever occurred. They both indicated that after returning home from school on 11/8/07, they (the two boys) never left the residence again.
McCann testified under oath that he contacted his sister Ann Dupree by phone after having been contacted by the victim’s mother, Valerie Jo Carver. Carver was aware that her daughter, Jodi Parrack, had a crush on McCann’s son and had stopped by McCann’s residence to determine if McCann III possibly knew where Jodi Parrack could be. It was after this contact that McCann II testified that he contacted his sister from his cellular phone to acquire additional information to assist in the “search” for the then “missing” Jodi Parrack. Cellular telephone records obtained from McCann II’s cellular account indicate that this call did not occur. It should also be noted that this was further corroborated by Dupree. When interviewed, she advised that she did not ever receive a call from her brother (McCann II) until much later in the evening and the nature of the conversation of that call consisted solely of checking the Constantine Township Cemetery. This is significant due to a call McCann did make after Carver had stopped by his residence.
Cellular telephone records indicate that the first call McCann made from his cellular phone was to the on duty Constantine Police officer, Marcus Donker. During this call, McCann advised Donker that he had been contacted by Carver and asked to help in the “search” for Jodi Parrack. During this call, Donker specifically recalls instructing McCann not to bring his firearm. McCann testified under oath that he made this call from his residence prior to leaving to begin his part in the “search” for Jodi Parrack. This testimony has been contradicted by multiple discoveries during the investigation. First, McCann’s firearm was found under the seat of his vehicle after a consent search was conducted by evidence technicians in the early morning hours of 11/9/07. Further, photographs were taken of the interior of McCann’s pickup truck. One explanation for this would be the hasty removal of the firearm which had been attached to it. This would have been removed after receiving the instruction from Donker not to bring the weapon and therefore after McCann had left his residence. It adds suspicion as to McCann’s involvement as to why he would need to be deceptive as to what he was doing for a time period he cannont be accounted for after departing his residence.
Further, I am aware that McCann testified under oath about a car to car meeting he had with Officer Marcus Donker on Fifth Street near S. Washington St. As indicated by McCann this meeting occurred at the south end of Cannon Park. Officer Donker inquired McCann about having his firearm. As previously indicated, Officer Donker had informed McCann of this during his first telephone call.
Additionally, McCann testified under oath that he left his residence and went directly to D&S Market after placing a call to his nephew Travis McCann. McCann did place a call to the residence of Travis McCann, however, when interviewed, he denies ever speaking to his uncle Raymond McCann. Furthermore, without the call to McCann’s sister (Dupree) as previously documented as having not occurred, any knowledge by McCann II of Travis McCann having been one of the last persons to see Jodi Parrack would not be possible.
As indicated Travis McCann states he did not speak to his uncle that evening. Jodi Parrack was later found dead in Constantine Township Cemetery.
In regards to McCann II’s testimony that the first place he “searched” for Jodi Parrack was D&S Market, this has been determined by the investigation to also be false. McCann is observed on D&S video surveillance as entering te establishment at 8:43 p.m. The call initiated by McCann to Donker was at 8:18 p.m. and has already established that this call was after McCann had left his residence. The distance between McCann’s residence to D&S Market takes approximately 2-3 minutes by vehicle and less than one mile. By McCann’s sworn testimony, it apparently took him 25 minutes to travel this distance. As 25 mph, McCann could have travelled over 10 miles in the time period.
McCann testified under oath that he only ever possessed one set of handcuffs, which the police had seized in the early morning hours of 11/9/07. These handcuffs have the name Keith Cantrell engraved on them. McCann testified that Cantrell gave them to him as a birthday present and that is the only set he has ever possessed. This has been determined as false by the investigation. Cantrell, when interviewed, indicated that he provided McCann with a set of handcuffs during a defensive tactics class because the set McCann already had were not very good. Additionally, when this exchanged occurred, McCann was a reserve with the White Pigeon Police Department. Sgt. William Burgoyne became their first defensive tactics instructor and gave his first class in early 1999. I have obtained a video of McCann on a traffic stop while working as a reserve for the White Pigeon Police Department dated September 1998 in which McCann reached into a handcuff case, retrieves a set of handcuffs and applies them to a subject being placed into custody. Additionally, to this point, McCann must have already possessed a set of handcuffs as he would not send a reserve office out on assignment without first being properly equipped with all the necessary equipment.
McCann testified that while “searching” for Jodi Parrack, he located a bicycle behind the Falcon Food Mart in Constantine. He testified that he informed Donker about his discovery. Donker indicates that this is simply not true. At that point in the search for Jodi Parrack who had been last seen on a bicycle, had McCann informed him of such a discovery that had been located by McCann at nearly the same time in which Donker immediately arrived to investigate. This bicycle, coincidentally, was found to be in such a condition that it had not been moved in a very long time. Everyone who was witness to this bicycle discovery was in disbelief that McCann would even consider this particular bicycle could possibly have been the one Jodi had been riding due to its condition. Everyone came to the conclusion that this discovery was nothing more than a diversion.
McCann testified that he had only been to the cemetery on 11/8/07 at the time of Jodi Parrack’s body discovery. This was at approximately 10:30 p.m. This investigation has shown that McCann should have been at the cemetery as early as 10:07 p.m., yet he denies this. A cellular call placed by McCann’s cellular phone to his friends Ed and Rosena Steinbach at 10:07 p.m. who reside directly adjacent to the Constantine Township Cemetery. This call would be at a time when McCann should have already arrived at the location. Coincidentally, a similar call is placed to Ed and Rosena Steinbach at 10:30 p.m., at the time of the discovery of Jodi Parrack’s body. It should be noted that McCann reported being the only person in his vehicle the evening in question. Officer Donker indicates that McCann informed him he was heading to go check the cemetery at approximately 9:37 p.m.
Again, this is less than a mile distance from McCanns departure point (Constantine Police Department) and it took McCann nearly 53 minutes to get there if we are expected to believe his sworn testimony. As it relates to a question posed to McCann during the subpoena proceeding, McCann was asked how it would be possible for Jodi Parrack’s DNA to be on his person or how it could be possible that his DNA could have been found on Jodi Parrack. McCain testified that he had pulled the mother away from Jodi Parrack at the time of body discovery. This investigation has determined that this did not occur. Further, McCann was asked how Jodi Parrack’s DNA could have been discovered in his pickup truck. McCann testified that Valerie Carver had given him a hug and also she sat in his vehicle to get warm. This investigation had determined that neither of these incidents occurred. McCann’s explanation regarding these questions has been determined to be fictitious and would potentially indicate that he fully expected this DNA evidence would be found linking him to this crime and he began to explain its possibility with accounts of events that continually changed.
McCann testified under oath that at one point during his “search” for Jodi Parrack, he walked up to a location where Valerie Carver and several other witnesses were inspecting a hole. This hole was a foundation of a new construction home located at Water Street and Mill Street in the Village of Constantine. Five witnesses at that location indicated that McCann did not walk to this location; rather he arrived in his pickup truck. This is significant in that in McCann’s own testimony he is claiming to be searching for Jodi Parrack yet nobody ever witnesses him doing so. He could not have searched the park and boardwalk on foot near this location as he testified to if he was in his pickup truck.
McCann testified that he searched several locations during his involvement prior to Jodi Parrack’s body discovery. It should be noted that other than D&S Market where he was captured on video surveillance, other locations cannot be confirmed. Furthermore, McCcnn provided Donker with information he reportedly received from Travis McCann that Jodi Parrack was possibly enroute to D&S Market to make a purchase. As previously stated, Travis McCann denies this as factual. By the time of this relay of information to Donker, D&S Market was significant enough to entice Donker to go there, however, McCann kept his search of this area secret from the one officer responsible for locating Jodi Parrack.
As previously mentioned, the purpose of this affidavit is intended to meet the burden of probable cause to substantiate a review on charges of perjury regarding the underlying offense of homicide. I am awre of additional information which would further substantiate this, however, based upon the above facts, I respectfully believe that probably cause exists and to expound further could potentially risk exposing facts that would be crucial in continuing the investigation of Jodi Parrack’s murder.
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