Benjamin James Parker, a 34-year-old self-employed wrecker driver and junk dealer, was last seen in Clay County, Florida, during the summer of 1980. Parker, who resided in Lakeland but worked in Jacksonville, vanished without a trace and was never officially reported as a missing person. For decades, his wife maintained that he had abandoned their family. All activity connected to his driver's license, Social Security number, and other personal accounts ceased in mid-1980.
The cold case took a dramatic turn in 2005 when Parker's wife, in the months leading up to her death, revealed a dark secret to her three children. She confessed that her husband had not abandoned them but had been killed by his son-in-law, Kenneth Wayne Murwin, who then allegedly buried Parker's body on the family's ten-acre property in Keystone Heights. Following their mother's death in 2006, the children reported this information to the police, prompting an investigation into the long-unsolved disappearance.
Law enforcement authorities launched a search of the Keystone Heights property located in the 4700 block of Montana Trail but were unable to locate any remains or physical evidence. Despite the absence of a body, the investigation continued to build a case against Murwin. According to authorities, they had an eyewitness to the murder, and Murwin himself admitted to the crime during questioning.
In June 2009, Kenneth Wayne Murwin was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Benjamin Parker's disappearance. The following year, in 2010, Murwin was convicted of second-degree murder and subsequently sentenced to 20 years in prison. Although a conviction was secured, the body of Benjamin James Parker has never been recovered, and foul play is suspected due to the circumstances surrounding his case.
Last Seen: Jan 9, 1980
