James Parker, a teenager who was involved in the murder of two Dartmouth College professors in 2001, has been granted parole after spending close to two decades behind bars. Parker, who was 16 at the time of the murders, had conspired with his friend Robert Tulloch to kill the professors in a bid to earn money to move to Australia. Parker, now almost 40, expressed deep remorse for his actions during his parole hearing and acknowledged the pain he caused.
The plan to kill the professors was part of a scheme to leave their lives in Vermont behind and start fresh in Australia. The teens planned to burglarize homes by posing as environmental surveyors, tying up the homeowners, stealing their belongings, and forcing them to reveal their credit card information and PIN numbers before killing them. The gruesome crime was carried out at the Zantop house, chosen because it appeared expensive and secluded. The plan went awry when Parker and Tulloch left behind evidence at the crime scene and were unable to return.
After the murder, Parker and Tulloch fled the scene and were eventually apprehended weeks later at an Indiana truck stop. Parker cooperated with prosecutors and testified against Tulloch, ultimately leading to Tulloch’s conviction of first-degree murder and a sentence of life without parole. Parker, on the other hand, was convicted of second-degree murder and received a sentence of 25 years-to-life. In 2018, he sought a sentence reduction but withdrew the petition after objections from the Zantop family.
In 2014, following a Supreme Court ruling deeming mandatory life imprisonment without parole for juvenile offenders unconstitutional, Tulloch and four other men received resentencing hearings. With Parker’s recent parole, the focus now shifts to Tulloch, who is scheduled for a resentencing hearing in June. Susanne Zantop, the head of Dartmouth’s German studies department, and her husband Half Zantop, who taught Earth sciences, were respected members of the Dartmouth community and originally from Germany.
Throughout his time in prison, Parker has taken steps to rehabilitate himself and assist fellow inmates. He expressed deep regret for the crime he committed, acknowledging its unimaginable horror and the suffering it caused. Parker’s parole has sparked mixed reactions, with some believing in his rehabilitation and others expressing concern about releasing a convicted killer back into society. As he begins the next chapter of his life outside of prison, Parker will have to navigate the challenges of reintegration and rebuilding his life after spending the majority of his adult years behind bars.
