CLEARFIELD- A jury deliberated about 90 minutes on Thursday before finding a Morrisdale man guilty of the murder of his girlfriend’s husband.
Bryan S. Michaelis, 49, and Danielle Elizabeth Parks, 38, also of Morrisdale were accused of conspiring to murder Kodey Lee Parks, 33, Drifting, in February 2024 at a Morris Township home during a child custody exchange.
At the end of the four-day trial, Michaelis was convicted of first degree murder, criminal conspiracy/homicide, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and tampering with evidence.
In Feb. Danielle was found guilty of first degree murder, criminal conspiracy, recklessly endangering another person and tampering with evidence after her trial.
Following the announcement of the verdict, District Attorney Ryan Sayers commented that he was thankful for the jury weighing all of the evidence and coming to a just decision.
“Two panels reviewed the evidence with both defendants being convicted on all charges. I hope this brings closure to the family.”
He also commended the work of the state police who could have accepted Danielle’s initial story that she shot Kodey after he attacked her. The investigators looked at it more closely and realized the way she shot Kodey did not match the physical evidence. Eventually Danielle admitted that Michaelis was with her at the home and he shot Kodey after a struggle.
During the trial, it was stated that Kodey and Danielle’s marriage was on rocky ground with her filing for divorce prior to the shooting death. Kodey had been charged with strangling her and had violated a protection from abuse order at least twice, according to previous testimony.
In his closing arguments, Sayers stated that because Joseph Ryan, Michaelis’ defense attorney had conceded that Michaelis fired the fatal shots, the jury only had to consider the claims that the shooting was in self-defense.
He reminded them that the initial shot appeared to come from left to right and another grazed him as he was falling. Once Kodey was down, Sayers said, Kodey was shot again three times in his side.
Although both Danielle and Michaelis said that they didn’t know if Kodey was alive or not when they left the home, a forensic pathologist testified that with the extreme blood loss, Kodey would not have been able to get back up as they claimed he did.
Sayers also noted there was no sign of a struggle in the hallway where they claimed it happened.
The timeline of the crime provided a bounty of circumstantial evidence.
Michaelis had been jailed for not paying child support not long after Kodey was released from the county jail for his PFA violation.
On Feb. 23, 2024, Danielle paid Michaelis’ back child support for him and he was released around 5 p.m. They then traveled to Rural King where she purchased a pistol that Michaelis carried out of the store. It was used as the murder weapon the next day.
After the shooting, Danielle and Michaelis went to another location where she fired the gun so she would have gun shot residue on her hands. Michaelis also burned his clothes and a blanket. Cameras at this home were inoperable. But, another surveillance camera nearby caught the pair’s activities.
Cameras at Danielle’s father’s home where the shooting occurred were taken down after the murder, before police arrived and were unable to provide any information on the activities there.
Danielle returned to the home more than 45 minutes later when she finally called 911, telling police she shot Kodey.
Later, in a “coded” letter to Danielle, Michaelis wrote that he didn’t regret killing Kodey.
Sayers commented that they used the abuse and the PFA as a cover for their crime.
In his closing, Ryan presented Michaelis’ version of the story. He stated Michaelis saw Kodey chase Danielle into the house after the custody exchange and Michaelis followed.
Michaelis testified himself that when he entered the home he heard Danielle say “you’re hurting me.” He went upstairs where he saw Kodey had Danielle on her back. Michaels said he grabbed Danielle and pushed her toward a bedroom. He claimed Kodey struck him in the face. He didn’t strike back as he had both hands on the gun which Danielle had dropped, he said.
Kodey struggled with him and pointed the gun toward Danielle as it went off. They struggled before Michaelis shot Kodey. Michaelis said he grabbed Danielle and they ran past Kodey who had stood up. They didn’t look back to see if Kodey was hit or okay, he claimed.
Denying the premeditation of the murder, the two said they only talked about a plan for Danielle to take the blame, something Ryan described as “a stupid decision.” He asked Michaelis why they didn’t just call 911 immediately.
“I wish we had,” he responded, but explained their reactions being due to shock.
As the trial wrapped up, Ryan stated, “He acted wholly in defense of Danielle and defense of himself. His actions were justified.”
In his closing, Sayers responded to this commenting, “This is not a justified killing. It was an execution.”
DA Sayers said Michaelis will be sentenced within 60 days while Danielle is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday morning. First degree murder has a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.
