Houston Man Receives 77-Year Sentence for Fatal Shooting

Cory Cornell Parker, 32, was sentenced to 77 years in prison this week for the murder of 30-year-old Marcus Ealy on August 22, 2019, as announced by Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.

Parker, convicted of murder by a Harris County jury after a four-day trial, fatally shot Ealy in the chest in broad daylight near Willowbrook Mall in northwest Houston. The incident occurred around 10:20 a.m. in the parking lot of a mutual friend’s apartment complex.

Although Parker and Ealy had known each other since high school, the motive behind the shooting remains unclear. Ealy was unarmed at the time of the altercation.

Witnesses to the incident saw Parker flee the scene in his dark-blue 1980s-era Chevrolet Caprice. Law enforcement officials responded promptly, leading to Parker’s arrest and subsequent murder charges.

Assistant District Attorney Heather Axline, along with ADA Tyler Arner, prosecuted the case. Axline emphasized the senseless nature of the crime, highlighting Ealy’s significance within his family and community.

Under the sentence, Parker must serve a minimum of half his term before being eligible for parole.

District Attorney Ogg expressed condolences to Ealy’s family, stating, “We mourn with the family for the loss of this young man who was gunned down in the prime of his life… We sought justice for the victim and the family, and now this defendant will spend decades, and maybe his whole life, in prison.”