Previously unreleased phone calls between Texas death row inmate Taylor Rene Parker, 33, and her mother expose her chilling indifference following the brutal stabbing of her pregnant friend and the removal of her unborn baby. Parker was convicted of the October 2020 murder of Reagan Simmons-Hancock, 21, and her stolen newborn in 2022, receiving capital punishment. The case recently featured in the Netflix documentary "Maternal Instinct."
Brutal Attack and False Claims
Parker bludgeoned her friend with a hammer before slicing open her abdomen and extracting the infant. She subsequently absconded with the child and falsely claimed to police she had given birth at the roadside. Now, telephone recordings demonstrate her striking absence of remorse.
While detained at Bowie County Jail in 2020, Parker frequently rang her mother, Shona Prior. Their bond was characterised as troubled at best, with the mother acknowledging she only spoke to her daughter every few weeks. Prior did provide financial assistance following her daughter's arrest and is understood to remain in touch with her.
Focus on Herself, Not the Victim
Throughout numerous recorded prison calls from 2021–2022 (as reported by the U.S. Sun), Parker's attention consistently returns to her own circumstances. She repeatedly moaned to her mother about the seriousness of the charges, cell inspections, her accommodation conditions, and being prohibited from wearing cosmetics during court appearances.
At one stage, she describes the killing as a "one horrible thing," while dwelling on the charges against her, without articulating genuine remorse for her friend's death. When her mother questions whether there might be something psychologically amiss, Parker swiftly shifts to accusing prosecutors of overloading her with charges.
Conversations Reveal Lack of Remorse
According to the Sun, Parker told her mother: "Mom, they would charge me with sh****ng on a fly right now if they could, literally, that's what it comes down to." She added: "I mean, there's another girl that's here, and they literally just threw some bogus bulls**t on her just because they could, just because it makes them look better. I mean, it's like [you do] one horrible thing, they'll do anything and whatever. I mean, that's just what it comes down to. They don't give a sh**."
Her mother challenges this, arguing Parker isn't viewing the situation correctly and highlighting that it's not simply a case of committing "one horrible thing" and subsequently facing unjust persecution. She presses Parker to discuss a psychiatric assessment with her lawyer, stating: "When you see your attorney, you need to find out when they're going to be able to do a psychiatric evaluation because something is not right here."
Victim's Family Left Devastated
Reagan Simmons-Hancock was 35 weeks pregnant when she lost her life and left behind a now 5-year-old daughter called Kynlee. Parker had first met Simmons-Hancock while working as a photographer at her wedding, with the pair developing a close friendship. Her mother, Jessica Brookes, discovered her deceased in her flat and made the initial distressing 911 call. Her stepfather Marcus Brookes had to collect her then 3-year-old daughter, who was concealed in the bedroom during the killing.
