Reagan Simmons-Hancock trusted Taylor Parker fully. Parker was not only a friend and her wedding photographer but also another expectant mother. However, what Simmons-Hancock saw as a genuine friendship was deception that led to her murder.
In 2022, Texas courts convicted Parker of capital murder for the 2020 killing of 21-year-old Simmons-Hancock and the abduction of her unborn daughter. The unborn child, cut from her mother’s womb, later died. The case is the focus of a Netflix true-crime documentary titled Maternal Instinct, directed by Jessica Dimmock and produced by Liz Garbus.
“What Taylor did is a type of cold-hearted manipulation that could make your blood run cold,” Dimmock shared with Fox News Digital.
The documentary reveals chilling details about Parker’s actions, showing how she faked a pregnancy before murdering Simmons-Hancock and taking her unborn baby. This crime is also explored in the documentary Maternal Instinct now streaming on Netflix.
Simmons-Hancock, who hailed from Arkansas, initially connected with Parker while searching for a budget-friendly photographer for her wedding to Homer Hancock. With high recommendations, Parker appeared perfect, sparking a friendship between the two. Their bond seemed to grow stronger when both claimed to be pregnant. Parker maintained that she was expecting her third child, although it was a lie. Only Simmons-Hancock was pregnant, enduring her third trimester.
Parker had undergone a hysterectomy years earlier, making pregnancy impossible. Yet, she convinced her boyfriend Wade Griffin and others by wearing a silicone bump, sharing counterfeit ultrasound images, and appearing to attend medical appointments. She even held a gender-reveal party and documented her supposed pregnancy online.
This deception aimed to maintain her relationship with Griffin. Despite exposing cracks in her story, Parker continued creating fake medical records and pregnancy updates, exploiting pandemic restrictions to her advantage.
“Her main focus seemed to be keeping her relationship intact rather than having a baby,” Dimmock explained.
The tragic turn of events unraveled on October 9, 2020. In the final weeks of her pregnancy, Simmons-Hancock was found dead in her home. Authorities reported she suffered over 100 sharp-force injuries, her skull crushed with a hammer. Her unborn baby, Braxlynn Sage, was removed using a scalpel. Simmons-Hancock’s three-year-old daughter was in the property but unharmed.
Later the same day, police stopped Parker for erratic driving. She falsely claimed childbirth on the roadside, though medical professionals discovered no signs of her giving birth. DNA tests confirmed the infant belonged to Simmons-Hancock, leading to Parker’s arrest.
The documentary highlights the ongoing struggle of Simmons-Hancock’s family to come to terms with the tragedy. Her family, with strong faith, found some solace in support but continues grappling with the senselessness of the crime.
Wade Griffin, Parker’s boyfriend, faced guilt for not recognizing the deceit earlier. However, he was not the perpetrator. The narrative underlines Parker’s spiraling actions in her desperation to keep Griffin.
Parker’s attorneys contested the alive status of the baby, aiming to reduce charges. Yet, prosecutors emphasized witness testimonies affirming the baby’s heartbeat and detailed Parker’s premeditated actions.
As of now, Parker is on Texas death row, convicted of capital murder in 2022.
This story unveils an atypical perpetrator and victim within unusual circumstances, warning of how danger may not always appear obvious. The case remains a shocking reminder of manipulation and betrayal.