Dateline: Rear Window - What happened to Corey Parker? Disturbing details of the 1998 murder, revisited

Dateline's "Rear Window" reports on the grisly and well-documented 1998 homicide of 25-year-old Corey Parker, stabbed to death in her Jacksonville Beach, Florida, apartment at the end of November 1998. A Rochester, New York, waitress and student by profession, Parker's senseless killing shocked the local community and led to a long, complex investigation that ultimately relied on forensic science.

Dateline looks at the case through facts, evidence, and unresolved questions. Corey Parker's body was found on November 27, 1998, the day after Thanksgiving, by a colleague who was worried when she didn't come to work as planned for her shift. She had been stabbed more than 100 times, 101 wounds, though some court filings record 84. The venue of the crime suggested angry personal fury.

But the crime scene showed no evidence of breaking, no defensive wounds, and no evidence of robbery or r*pe, though the body had been positioned in a s*xually suggestive manner. Dateline unfolds it in agonizingly slow motion, as one can't help but visualize a case that is difficult to crack despite the abundance of forensic evidence.

Corey Parker: Life and background as shown in Dateline

Corey Parker had recently moved to Jacksonville Beach from upstate New York for college and enjoyed the area's nightlife. She worked at Ragtime Tavern, a beachside restaurant and bar. Described as pleasant, smart, and independent, she lived alone in a small seaside flat. Colleagues and friends described her as responsible and reliable, noting that she would sometimes disappear secretly at work, which added a sinister tone.

Dateline portrays her as a typical young woman in her 20s, with a future and social life, and with no signs of danger, making her fate on the Thanksgiving weekend a complete surprise. A life that was tragically cut short.

The crime scene and initial investigation

Police reached Parker's apartment and were greeted by a scene of sheer brutality. She was stabbed several times, the assault was in her upper body and face, and she was found naked in her bed. The absence of forced entry signs led officials to suspect that the murderer entered the building through the window or the kitchen door. The attack took place while Parker was believed to be asleep, and detectives thought the attacker must have harbored intense hatred since the assault was extremely violent.

Dateline reports that multiple individuals were interviewed, including co-workers, neighbors, and residents of the nearby area. One such person was 17-year-old neighbor Robert Denney, who was in the area at the time. He was evasive during the initial interviews and provided no helpful clues at that time. Shortly afterward, no one was brought in to face charges for the crime, and the case went cold.

The crime scene showed biological evidence, but forensic technology available in the late 1990s was not advanced enough to identify the killer.

How forensics flipped the case

At the start of the 2000s, advances in DNA analysis renewed hope for detectives. The police began requesting DNA samples from men in the area. Denney, who was living in Maryland at the time, refused to voluntarily provide a sample. During later visits to Florida, undercover detectives followed him while he was at work on a break and collected a cigarette he had dropped. The DNA from the cigarette matched the biological evidence found at Parker's crime scene.

This marked the turning point, showing how new investigative techniques and persistence ultimately cracked the cold case. The show demonstrates how science, combined with careful planning, became the key to solving what was once an unsolvable murder.

Arrest, trial, and conviction

After DNA identification, Robert Denney was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Prosecutors accused Denney of stalking Parker and developing an obsession. Although his motive was never explained, neither during police questioning nor during trial, the forensic evidence was undeniable. Denney had no prior criminal record, yet he lived close enough to observe Parker's daily routine, which was revealed at trial.

He was legally sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. As Dateline makes clear, police and prosecutors relied almost entirely on DNA evidence to establish his guilt. The Denney case was not based on eyewitnesses or confessions but on an exact match of forensic details.

What Dateline reveals

Dateline reimagines the story of "Rear Window" through the lens of journalism. The series eschews sensationalism and instead presents a documentary-style account, grounded in court records, police files, and interviews. It highlights the difficulty of solving a brutal crime when leads are scarce, but also shows how determination and technology can ultimately bring justice, even years later.

The show also emphasizes that motive, often a key piece of information in a murder case, remains unknown. Detectives and Denney's friends were all confused about why Denney had acted the way he did. There was no prior encounter between Denney and Parker that could explain such savagery. Dateline introduces this off-stage psychological factor as one of the final mysteries of the case.

A lasting legacy

The Corey Parker murder case is the most well-known murder in Jacksonville Beach's history. Twenty-five years later, it still features in discussions on true crime forums, investigative reports, and criminology textbooks at the university level. Dateline's "Rear Window" segment remains a textbook example of how DNA evidence reopened a cold case and led to a conviction despite an unclear motive and the absence of direct witness testimony.

With its respectful presentation, Dateline highlights the brutality of the crime and the unwavering dedication of law enforcement officers who pursued the case for decades. The program avoids sensationalism and graphic re-enactments, instead using official documents and interviews to tell the story effectively. The episode will force the viewer to ponder over the heartless crime.