{"id":19914,"date":"2026-06-22T13:02:31","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T13:02:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fnews55.com\/?p=19914"},"modified":"2026-06-22T13:02:32","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T13:02:32","slug":"where-is-taylor-parkers-family-now-inside-mom-shona-dad-mark-and-brother-zacharys-lives-after-the-maternal-instinct-murder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fnews55.com\/?p=19914","title":{"rendered":"Where Is Taylor Parker\u2019s Family Now? Inside Mom Shona, Dad Mark and Brother Zachary\u2019s Lives After the Maternal Instinct Murder"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Taylor Parker\u2019s mom and brother testified during her 2022 murder trial<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" id=\"figure-article_1-0\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/g93haBUbvWdZOqLwKFJr4R6TFvg=\/1500x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2):format(webp)\/taylor-parker-mugshots-061726-c80c863e11c0498688875f458dd84c0a.jpg\" alt=\"Taylor Parker.\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Taylor Parker\u2019s mugshots.Credit :&nbsp;Texas Department of Criminal Justice; Bi-State Detention Center via AP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">NEED TO KNOW<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Taylor Parker was convicted of killing pregnant Reagan Simmons-Hancock and cutting out her fetus<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Several of Parker\u2019s family members testified about her lies during her 2022 murder trial<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>None of her family members participated in the Netflix documentary\u00a0<em>Maternal Instinct<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Convicted murderer&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/where-is-taylor-parker-now-11996276\">Taylor Parker<\/a>&nbsp;was born and raised in a small town in Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parker\u2019s parents, Shona Prior and Mark Morton, welcomed her in December 1992 and named her Taylor Rene, per&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tdcj.texas.gov\/death_row\/dr_info\/parkertaylor.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">public records<\/a>. The couple also had a son, Zachary, before they divorced in 2005, as Prior testified in court, according to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ktalnews.com\/news\/crime\/taylor-parker-trial\/state-rests-in-taylor-parker-capital-murder-sentencing-trial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">KTAL News<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parker and her younger brother went on to split time between their parents and grandparents\u2019 homes before she became pregnant with her first child when she was 17 years old. Parker went on to have&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/where-are-taylor-parker-kids-now-11998171\">two children<\/a>&nbsp;and get married and divorced twice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In August 2019, Parker met&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/where-is-wade-griffin-now-taylor-parker-11996273\">Wade Griffin<\/a>, and she moved into his home a few months later. By January 2020, she told him that she was pregnant with their child \u2014 even though she had previously undergone a hysterectomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parker lied to Griffin and his family members for 10 months until she was nearly two weeks past her supposed due date. On Oct. 9, 2020, Parker alleged that she was going to the hospital but drove to her friend Reagan Simmons-Hancock\u2019s house instead.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/taylor-parker-reagan-simmons-hancock-murder-everything-to-know-11995977\">She went on to kill Simmons-Hancock<\/a>&nbsp;\u2014 who was 35 weeks pregnant \u2014&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/pregnant-mom-reagan-simmons-hancock-murdered-unborn-child-exclusive-11994182\">cut out her unborn daughter<\/a>&nbsp;and kidnap her. The infant later died.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parker was quickly arrested and charged with the murders after doctors saw that she had not given birth. After Prior and Zachary testified in court, Parker was&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/crime\/texas-woman-found-guilty-of-fatally-stabbing-pregnant-woman-and-trying-to-steal-her-baby\/\">found guilty of capital murder<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/crime\/woman-sentenced-death-stabbing-pregnant-woman-100-times-stealing-baby\/\">sentenced to death<\/a>&nbsp;in November 2022. The case has since been told in the Netflix documentary&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/title\/81766093\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Maternal Instinct<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s everything to know about where Taylor Parker\u2019s family is now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who are Taylor Parker\u2019s family members?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" id=\"mntl-sc-block_17-0\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/tL2bAhGWsT-Fm4UQuek4c0W_rQo=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2):format(webp)\/Taylor-Parker-fake-pregnancy-61126-ffc5af8070f642a6b634221d0ea8a273.jpg\" alt=\"Taylor Parker in Maternal Instinct\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Taylor Parker.Kelley Mae May<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parker was born to parents Prior and Morton on Dec. 8, 1992. The then-couple raised Parker in Titus County, Texas, with her younger brother, Zachary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prior testified that her daughter competed in basketball, baseball and cheerleading while attending Chapel Hill Elementary School in Mount Pleasant, Texas. She described Parker as an average student with good grades, but she also alleged that her daughter had various health issues starting when she was a child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parker and Zachary were also witnesses to their parents fighting, and Prior and Morton split in 2005 when Parker was 12 years old. They initially shared custody, but Prior claimed that Morton\u2019s anger about the divorce made their arrangement difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prior said that the kids went on to stay at her grandmother\u2019s home or they had the option to live with Morton. As time went on, she said, Parker primarily lived with Morton and his mom, while Zachary stayed with Prior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zachary testified that his father\u2019s lifestyle may have had an influence on Parker after he noticed similar traits between the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen dad was chasing other women or drugs, we were put on the back burner,\u201d Zachary testified per&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ktalnews.com\/news\/crime\/taylor-parker-trial\/taylor-parkers-mother-we-figured-the-lie-would-be-exposed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">KTAL News<\/a>. \u201cIt seemed like when Taylor was chasing another man, instead of the focus being on her children, it was on herself. It was all about her at one specific time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Were Parker\u2019s family members involved in her life?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Parker started dating Griffin in the summer of 2019, she allegedly told him that she and her mother were estranged, because Prior had refused to give her her multi-million-dollar inheritance. However, Parker was lying about her background \u2014 including that she came from a family of wealthy syrup moguls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to pretending that she was expecting a massive fortune, Parker also lied about being estranged from her mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wade Griffin Had Never Seen Taylor Parker as \u2018Mad\u2019 as on the Day She Stole an Unborn Fetus. Inside His Life After His Girlfriend\u2019s Horrific Crimes<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/JBoqhPWeHu8_DhvlEKXxIbeFbmY=\/300x200\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)\/wade-griffin-now-061226-a880e07889424da19dacaac084e37b06.jpg\" alt=\"Wade Griffin; Wade Griffin and Taylor Parker.\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prior testified that she often watched Parker\u2019s children, Emersyn and Trey. In the midst of Parker\u2019s relationship with Griffin in 2019, Prior was helping her with some medical bills and was unaware of Parker making big purchases with her new boyfriend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although Prior wasn\u2019t totally estranged from her daughter, she testified that she mainly saw Parker when she picked up her grandkids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Did Parker\u2019s family know about her fake pregnancy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" id=\"mntl-sc-block_42-0\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/YfbP0aUlTFgFzDvz7zwMs0uDQDo=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(499x0:501x2):format(webp)\/Taylor-Parker-police-061126-1-d02b8a2c28c246b3b1a3c8e0a4629e5d.jpg\" alt=\"Taylor Parker\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Taylor Parker.Netflix<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In August 2015, Parker underwent a hysterectomy as a result of an ectopic pregnancy, an ovarian cyst and scarring from endometriosis. Prior testified that she was present for the surgery and gave consent \u2014 along with Parker\u2019s then-husband Tommy Wacasey\u2014 for the doctors to perform the procedure while Parker was under anesthesia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t think she was upset until after they got home,\u201d Prior said. \u201cShe expressed a little bit of anger about having a hysterectomy. I think she was planning on having more children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prior reflected on the decision and said that the ordeal \u201ccould have\u201d changed their relationship dynamic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Five years later, Parker went on to fake being pregnant. Prior testified that her daughter didn\u2019t look like she was expecting when she saw her in 2020, but she found out through social media that Parker was pretending to be pregnant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prior said that she never directly spoke to her daughter about the lie, but she had a conversation with Griffin\u2019s mother, Connie, during which she confirmed Connie\u2019s suspicions that Parker couldn\u2019t be pregnant. When asked why she never talked with Parker about the fake pregnancy, Prior said she figured other people would handle it, namely her boyfriend, Griffin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe figured the lie was going to be exposed, there were so many people who knew it was a lie and just kept on buying it,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m not shifting the blame, I just figured he [Griffin] would figure it out. His mother was aware of it, his brother was aware of it. It\u2019s like everyone around them was aware of it. We did not feel the need to call them up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, Taylor\u2019s father, Morton, attended Parker and Griffin\u2019s March 2020 gender reveal party, even though he knew she was unable to become pregnant, Prior testified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although Parker\u2019s parents never confronted her about the fake pregnancy, Zachary testified that he questioned his sister about the lies she was telling Griffin about their family\u2019s inheritance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI was tired of the lies,\u201d he said. \u201cIf she wants to lie, feel free, but the moment you bring me into a lie it becomes my problem, and I don\u2019t want anybody misrepresenting me or lying and bashing me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Zachary called Griffin and told him the truth, he claimed that Griffin told him he wouldn\u2019t believe anything he said. Zachary testified that Griffin blocked his phone number and Facebook account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parker\u2019s aunt, Molly Glass, also testified that Parker blocked her on social media after she tried to expose the lies. Glass proceeded to call Griffin\u2019s close friend Stephanie Ott and tell her that it was impossible for Parker to be pregnant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where is Taylor Parker\u2019s family now?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" id=\"mntl-sc-block_66-0\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/17wnIigJcN22sHYq9KrailDorSs=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(499x0:501x2):format(webp)\/Taylor-Parker-mugshot-061126-1-e92126d0a55d4f5295e95b236b99a90a.jpg\" alt=\"Taylor Parker.\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Taylor Parker.Idabel Police Department<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parker\u2019s family members have kept a private life in the years since she murdered Simmons-Hancock. Although several of them testified during Parker\u2019s 2022 trial and sentencing, they have since stepped away from the public eye and didn\u2019t participate in&nbsp;<em>Maternal Instinct<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prior gained custody of Parker\u2019s daughter Emersyn, for whom she sought counseling, while Trey has been in the custody of his father for years. Prior later denied having a \u201ccustody battle\u201d over Trey with Wacasey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey love her,\u201d Prior answered when asked how Parker\u2019s kids feel about their mother, per KTAL News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prior added that Emersyn \u201cdoes not know the horrific details\u201d of Parker\u2019s crime but \u201cshe knows that two people have died at the hands of her mother.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Taylor Parker\u2019s mom and brother testified during her 2022 murder trial Taylor Parker\u2019s mugshots.Credit :&nbsp;Texas Department of Criminal Justice; Bi-State Detention Center via AP NEED TO KNOW Taylor Parker was convicted of killing pregnant Reagan Simmons-Hancock and cutting out her fetus Several of Parker\u2019s family members testified about her lies during her 2022 murder trial &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":19915,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fnews55.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fnews55.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fnews55.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fnews55.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fnews55.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19914"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/fnews55.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19914\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19916,"href":"https:\/\/fnews55.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19914\/revisions\/19916"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fnews55.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/19915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fnews55.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fnews55.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fnews55.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}