GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Kent Metro Cold Case Team has announced an arrest in the death of a man found bound and gagged inside his home in Grand Rapids nearly five years ago.
26-year-old Teivariol Davonte-Darnell Moore, of Saginaw, was taken into custody Tuesday and charged with second-degree murder in the death of 56-year-old William Parnell.
Parnell's body was discovered in his home at 1131 Diamond Ave, N.E. on Sept. 9, 2009. Investigators say DNA evidence found at the scene matched that of the suspect.
After taking a second look at the case in 2013, cold case detectives were able to find enough probable cause to get a search warrant for Moore's DNA. Authorities said Moore then confessed to the crime.
According to his confession, Moore said he and Parnell had gotten into a physical fight at his home. Moore told investigators that when he realized Parnell had died, he tied his hands and feet together to make it look like a robbery.
Parnell's family said that they want justice.
"He covered it up. He went up against an older guy. He did what he did to him, tied him up, gagged him and left our family to deal with this," said Melanie Taylor, Parnell's sister-in-law.
Parnell's family said that they don't want Moore's limited criminal history influence a lighter sentence.
"Not just a conviction, not just a couple years, we want second degree murder. As stiff as, we are going to do everything in our power to make sure that the judge is aware how we feel," said Taylor.
Moore is set to appear in court on Aug. 26 for a preliminary hearing.
His arrest marks the 17th cold case solved by the Kent Metro Cold Case Team.
