MAN, 35, ADMITS STRANGLING 75-YEAR-OLD REALTOR AND LEAVING HER BODY IN BASEMENT — HE HAD BEEN RELEASED FROM PRISON MONTHS EARLIER

A 75-year-old real estate agent was found dead in the basement of her Indiana home. Now, the man accused of killing her has pleaded guilty, bringing a disturbing case involving a violent criminal history and questions about his release from prison closer to sentencing.

Susan Haynie, 75, was found dead inside her home in Evansville, Indiana, on August 27, 2025. Investigators determined that she had been strangled, and authorities came to believe that the person responsible had entered her house through an unlocked door.

More than a year after her death, Jamerus Parkman, 35, has pleaded guilty to murder and burglary in connection with the case.

Parkman changed his plea on October 23, 2026, just days before his scheduled trial. He is due to be sentenced on December 2, 2026, according to court records reported by Law&Crime.

The case has drawn particular attention because Parkman had been released on parole only months before Haynie’s death, after serving approximately 13 years of a 35-year prison sentence for earlier offenses.

A DISTURBING DISCOVERY IN THE BASEMENT

On the afternoon of August 27, 2025, police officers were dispatched to a home in the 3300 block of East Gum Street in Evansville.

Inside, they discovered Haynie’s body in the basement.

What initially appeared to be a death investigation soon became a homicide case. By the following day, police had identified a person of interest, later revealed to be Parkman.

Investigators believed the suspect had entered Haynie’s home through an unlocked door before killing her.

The circumstances were particularly disturbing because Haynie was 75 years old and had built a life and career in the community where she lived.

As detectives worked to establish what had happened, they examined evidence that would eventually connect Parkman to the scene.

DIGITAL EVIDENCE HELPED LEAD INVESTIGATORS TO THE SUSPECT

One significant piece of evidence was a tablet that investigators said placed Parkman in Haynie’s yard around the time of her death.

That digital evidence helped detectives build their case against him.

Authorities arrested Parkman, and he was subsequently charged in connection with Haynie’s killing. He initially pleaded not guilty.

For months, the case moved toward trial as prosecutors prepared to present their evidence.

Then, on October 23, 2026, Parkman changed his plea and admitted guilt to murder and burglary.

His guilty plea means the case will proceed to sentencing rather than a trial in which jurors would have to decide whether he committed the offenses.

A VIOLENT CRIMINAL HISTORY

Parkman’s background has become a central part of the public discussion surrounding Haynie’s death.

According to reports, he had previously been convicted of burglary, robbery and attempted rape stemming from a series of offenses committed between 2008 and 2010.

He received a 35-year prison sentence and served approximately 13 years before being released on parole in February 2025.

Haynie was killed roughly six months later.

The timeline has prompted questions about the decision to release Parkman before he had completed his original sentence.

However, the fact that he was on parole does not, by itself, establish that his release caused Haynie’s death. The legal proceedings against Parkman concern his responsibility for the murder and burglary.

His upcoming sentencing will determine the punishment imposed for the crimes he has now admitted committing.

REMEMBERING SUSAN HAYNIE

Beyond the criminal investigation, Haynie’s death devastated those who knew her.

A lifelong resident of Evansville, she worked as a local real estate agent and was remembered for her dedication to helping clients and her strong ties to the community.

Her obituary described her as a professional who combined her deep local roots with a personal approach to real estate, offering clients attentive and compassionate service.

It also highlighted her generosity and the joy she brought to friends.

Haynie had a reputation for making gatherings memorable and for finding ways to make the lives of people around her happier.

Her family and loved ones were left to mourn a woman whose life had been cut short inside the home where she lived.

SENTENCING AWAITS AFTER GUILTY PLEA

Parkman is scheduled to return to court on December 2, 2026, for sentencing.

His guilty plea marks a major development in the investigation that began when officers found Haynie’s body in her basement in August 2025.

The case also leaves a broader question in its wake: how should authorities assess the risks associated with releasing people convicted of serious violent offenses?

For Haynie’s loved ones, however, the central loss is deeply personal. A 75-year-old woman who had spent her life building relationships and serving her community was killed in her own home.

As Parkman awaits sentencing, the focus remains on securing a legal outcome for the crimes he has admitted committing — and remembering Susan Haynie for the life she lived, rather than only the violence that ended it.

Source: PEOPLE