Arizona court to rule on death row inmate's appeal
Web Producer: Mekita Rivas
PHOENIX (AP) - The Arizona Supreme Court rules Wednesday on the appeal of a death row inmate convicted of murdering a north Phoenix couple who lived next door to him.
Steven John Parker was sentenced to death for the Sept. 26, 2005 murders of Wayne and Faye Smith in their home. Wayne Smith died from blunt force trauma to the head while Faye Smith was fatally stabbed.
Their wallets were missing, and somebody used their credit cards in western Arizona and California.
Parker was arrested months later after DNA evidence linked him to blood found in the Smiths' house. He said he'd cut himself while helping Wayne Smith with yard work and gone into the house to wash off the blood.
Parker's defense lawyer argued that somebody else killed the Smiths.
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