CT woman gets prison for lying to federal grand jury about brutal 2015 kidnapping and murders
A New Haven woman was sentenced to prison Thursday for lying to a federal grand jury about her knowledge surrounding the kidnapping and murder of two men and the related murder of a third man in 2015, federal officials said.
Laquasia Samms, also known as “Quasia,” 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 90 days in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for making false statements to a federal grand jury, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. She is currently out on bond and is required to report to prison on May 11.
On Nov. 16, 2015, Edward Michael Parks was in Samms’ apartment on Shelton Avenue in New Haven selling illegal firearms. When an unnamed person left the apartment with guns they didn’t pay for, Parks held Samms, Damian Connor and Tamar Lawrence at gunpoint, according to court records. Parks took money and valuables from Connor and Lawrence and forced them to drive in Connor’s car to Hamden where Connor said he could get more money.
The three were followed in another car by Devante Williams and another person. After they all arrived at the Broadmoor Apartments in Hamden, Parks shot and killed Connor and Lawrence, according to court records. Parks then left the scene with Williams and others and drove back to New Haven.
According to court records, Parks believed Williams was anxious about the murders of Connor and Lawrence, so he shot and killed him as well.
As this was all going down, Samms sent several text messages to a person about what was happening. During her appearance before a grand jury in New Haven on March 19, 2019, Samms repeatedly claimed she did not recall sending any text messages.
On Oct.1, 2020, Samms pleaded guilty to making false statements after admitting that she sent the text messages and withheld information from the federal grand jury.
Parks wasn’t indicted until December 2019, when law enforcement tracked him to a prison in North Carolina, where he has a history of gun and drug arrests.
Parks, also known as “Lee” and “Trouble,” of Raleigh, North Carolina, was found guilty of two counts of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of witness tampering by killing on Jan. 19, 2023. He is facing a life sentence in prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.