In the late hours of March 31, 2026, a fatal encounter in a parking lot in the 3700 block of W. Belvedere Avenue in Baltimore cut short the life of 43-year-old Garreth Parks Jr. Tragically, the day of his death was also his birthday. Parks was with his girlfriend, having arrived at the location around 10 p.m. After stepping out of his silver vehicle to speak with a friend, he returned to the car.
Shortly after, another vehicle, driven by his estranged wife, 49-year-old Rene Parks, pulled
up alongside them. According to the account given to police by Garreth Parks Jr.'s girlfriend, Rene Parks brandished a purple handgun and fired a single shot, striking her estranged husband in the neck. She then fled the scene.
Police officers arrived to find Garreth Parks Jr.'s girlfriend applying pressure to his wound. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead. The investigation into the shooting, which authorities quickly identified as a domestic-related dispute, led them to Rene Parks.
The day after the shooting, on April 1, 2026, Rene Parks was arrested at her home in Lutherville, Maryland. A gun was recovered during a search of her residence, though it was noted in charging documents that it did not match the description of the firearm provided by the witness. Rene Parks was taken to the Central Booking Intake Facility and charged with first and second-degree murder, assault, and firearm violations.
