Murder of Catherine Carroll
An autopsy report revealed that Ms. Carroll had 53 serrated blade knife wounds, and was not sexually assaulted, which led police to believe that her murder was more likely motivated by hate or anger rather than an act of passion.
Police also believed, based on the dilution of blood and water found at the scene, that Carroll's murderer had showered, while she lay dead on the bathroom floor.
As police investigated the gruesome murder, they learned that Carroll was a single mother, who had raised Parsons without spousal support, and struggled with alcoholism and her own mental health.
Police also learned, that in the year's preceding the murder, Parsons and several of his friends had formed a heavy metal rock band, and often hung out in the basement of the home, practicing and listening to music, recording songs and drinking beer.
[4] Based on that theory, and the steadfast belief by the police that Parsons had murdered his own mother, NL prosecutors brought the matter to trial in 1994.
The appeals court quickly overturned the conviction and Parsons was granted bail, after serving 68 days at Her Majesty's Penitentiary, to await a second trial.
The new testing revealed that the samples retrieved at the crime scene were from an unknown male, and did not match Parsons, and he was conclusively cleared of the charge against him.
The sting involved the use of an undercover police operative, who posed as a black market dealer selling alcohol and cigarettes out of his pick-up truck.
After several days of baiting the accused, Doyle saw an opportunity to make extra money, acting as a middleman, by buying directly from the operative and selling to his co-workers.
Unbeknownst to Doyle, Johnston and Peel Regional police inspector Mike McMullin were sitting in an adjacent room video and audio recording the entire interaction.
[8][failed verification] In 2001, Brian Doyle was arrested and returned to NL, where he provided police with a confession to the murder of Catherine Carroll.
[citation needed] In April 2005, during hearings for the Lamer inquiry, the Newfoundland and Labrador Crown Attorney's office apologized to Parsons for the role they played in his prosecution.
[citation needed] In January 2007, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported that the government of NL had spent upwards of $11 million in relation to the mishandling of the Parsons, Druken and Dalton wrongful convictions, and noted that costs would continue to mount.
[22] In April 2010, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary became the first North American police department to introduce the use of the PEACE interviewing technique, in relation to the interrogation of individuals suspected of crimes.
[28] Parsons is a vocal advocate for the wrongfully accused, and continues to raise questions in relation to the handling of his mother's murder case and prosecution.
[32] Parsons regularly attends, and provides victim impact statements at parole hearings in relation to Doyle, where he continues to speak out against his release.
[36] In April 2020, Brian Doyle was granted day parole from the minimum security William Head Institution in British Columbia.
