CLEARFIELD – The star witness during the Michaelis murder trial on Wednesday was his co-defendant.
Bryan S. Michaelis, 49, Morrisdale, is facing charges of criminal homicide, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and tampering with evidence in connection with the shooting death of Kodey Lee Parks, 33, Drifting, in February 2024.
His co-defendant, Danielle Elizabeth Parks, 38, Morrisdale was convicted of first degree murder, criminal conspiracy, recklessly endangering another person and tampering with evidence after a trial in February.
The victim was Parks’ estranged husband. The couple had three children but their relationship was on rocky ground and she had filed for divorce prior to the shooting. Kodey had been charged with strangling her and had violated a protection from abuse order at least twice, according to previous testimony.
During day two of the weeklong trial, First Assistant District Attorney F. Cortez “Chip” Bell III, questioned Danielle about her relationship with both men.
She admitted that she spent a night or two with Kodey after they broke up but “not willingly”. This is while Michaelis was incarcerated for unpaid child support.
“You said he (Kodey) forced you to stay?”
“Yes,” she replied.
Bell pointed out there were other times that she stayed with Kodey after the PFA was in place and had contact with him including a Thanksgiving meal.
With Bell’s prompting, she confirmed she was having a relationship with both men at the same time. He pointed out that she could have stopped, but she responded “It is not as easy as you think.”
Danielle admitted she originally lied to police saying she fought with Kodey and she was the one who shot him. She explained she did this because she “was scared”.
In a second police interview, she changed her story, saying Michaelis was also at the house and he was the one who shot Kodey multiple times during a struggle.
Afterwards, they ran because they were not sure if he was dead or alive or if he was going to come after them, she said.
She put her kids in the house, leaving them with the TV on and her father passed out on the couch.
Danielle and Michaelis then traveled to another residence where surveillance cameras had been disabled. Danielle shot the gun to put gunshot residue on her hands.
When Bell asked if they planned for the shooting trip, she replied, “We did not plan. We just did it.”
As for the disabled cameras, Danielle said she was not aware of that at the time.
Bell questioned why she didn’t initially mention to police that Michaelis was even there that night.
“I was trying to save Bryan. Because he was protecting me.”
Just the day before the shooting, Danielle paid $2,000 for Michaelis’ back child support to get him out of jail. Once he was released, the two of them went to Rural King where they purchased a gun, even though Danielle already had another pistol.
During cross examination by defense attorney Joseph Ryan, Danielle explained during her marriage there were other incidents of domestic violence.
She detailed the shooting which occurred after Danielle had set up a custody exchange for her two younger children with Kodey at 10 p.m. at her father’s house.
She stated that the kids were put in his car as Kodey said he wanted to talk. She did not respond, but went in the house to use the bathroom. When she came out, Kodey came into the house and up the stairs after her.
She said this is when Michaelis ran in after him.
She testified that Kodey grabbed her legs, tackling her, and pulling her hair. He said he wanted to work things out, but she didn’t believe him.
Danielle said she had the gun she had just purchased in her waistband, but it fell out when she was tackled. Michaelis came up the stairs. Kodey picked the gun up, pointed it and shot, with the bullet ricocheting off her, leaving a small red mark.
“If Bryan hadn’t hit his arm, I would have been hit. He protected me.”
The two men wrestled with Michaelis eventually gaining control of the gun and shooting Kodey five times.
The two did not check on Kodey, but instead ran outside. This is when she moved the kids from Kodey’s vehicle into the house before leaving and shooting the gun at the other location.
Danielle did not call 911 until she returned to the home.
Testimony will continue Wednesday morning.
