The Murder of Janee Parsons
For this case, I watched an episode of Meet Marry Murder. It’s season 1 episode 34.
Background
Andrew and Janee Parsons met in Oklahoma in 2002. Andrew was from the United Kingdom, and had moved the U.S. after things hadn't worked out for him career wise. Janee was 21-years-old at the time, and a student.
Early on in the relationship, they went back to the U.K., and Janee enrolled in the Oxford International College of Beauty. After she graduated, she and Andrew went to Las Vegas, and got married in 2004.
They had two sons together, and settled in Oklahoma. Janee opened up a spa there, but by 2009, the spa closed due to financial reasons. By 2010, they decided to move back to the U.K., and rented a house in Bicester, Oxfordshire.
Janee Parsons
Andrew and Janee
A Declining Marriage
After moving back to the U.K., Janee continued to work as a beautician, and Andrew started his own plumbing business. Janee was thriving in her line of work, but the recession hit, so Andrew’s business wasn’t doing that well.
By 2012, Andrew became lazy. Janee would tell her friends that she would come home after work and be with the kids, but Andrew would just sit and watch TV.
Janee eventually told Andrew that she wanted to separate. He was oddly calm about it, and asked her to stay in the house for the sake of the kids.
Andrew acted like he was okay with the separation, but he became more cunning and paranoid that Janee was seeing someone new. Janee had actually met someone new. She had met a man named Daniel, a Belgian businessman that she had met at a bar.
Janee eventually told Andrew that their marriage was over. He reacted by dragging her out of bed by her hair, and keeping her in the house for hours so they could have a discussion.
The Recordings
Andrew also decided to put a voice activated recording device under Janee’s bed. He would download the information, and listen to the conversations on his computer.
Janee would talk to her friends and Daniel about the decline of her marriage and Andrew’s behavior. Janee had also made a comment about how Andrew would probably kill her.
Janee’s friends were very worried about her, and had told her to leave the house. Janee had made comments about how Andrew was weak, and she could take him.
By November 2012, Andrew tried once and for all to win Janee back. He bought her an expensive dress with the little money that he had. Janee had already been planning to go to London to see Daniel, and wanted to be done with Andrew.
The Murder
On December 1, 2012, Janee, Andrew and their 5-year-old son were in the house. Their other son had already left for the day.
The recording device picked up Janee getting ready to leave for London. Andrew was calm at first, and even told Janee that she looked nice. He eventually told her that he didn’t want her to take the car. He also realized that she had packed the dress that he had given to her.
Janee’s last text message was sent to Daniel, and in it she said Andrew was starting with her again. Janee had shut the door on Andrew, which made him angry.
The recording device would end up recording the whole horrific event. After Janee shut the door on him, Andrew came in and punched Janee several times. Andrew then could be heard running down the stairs to grab something. He then returned with a knife.
After Andrew returned, he stabbed Janee about 17 times. Their 5-year-old son could be heard calling for his mom and dad, and asked Andrew if Janee was okay. Andrew said she was fine.
After the attack, Janee was put into the bathtub. After about 7 minutes, Andrew and their son left the house. Andrew asked one of their neighbors to watch their son. He then went back to the house, changed out of his bloody clothes, and cleaned up. He also sent a message to Daniel from Janee’s phone.
As Janee was dying, she could be heard on the recording praying and asking for forgiveness. It was after she had already died, that Andrew finally called 999.
When the first responders arrived, the front door was open. They were immediately hit in the face with the smell of blood. Andrew was found at the top of the stairs. He was “distraught,” and saying, “my wife.” Janee’s body was found in the bathtub. Andrew was immediately arrested, and charged with murder.
The Parsons home in Bicester, Oxfordshire
The Trial
The police hadn’t immediately found in the tape recorder in the house. Andrew had asked for some items to be picked up, and told his sister that the items were under the bed. Andrew’s sister found the device, and handed the device over to the police.
Five months after the murder, Andrew pled guilty to manslaughter. His defensive argued that Andrew had lost control because of something that Janee had said. However, the recording from that day painted a very different picture, and this argument was rejected.
Before the trial began, there were discussions on whether or not the recordings would played at trial. The defense argued that Andrew wouldn’t get a fair trial if they were played. It made the entire courtroom very emotional.
Andrew testified, and claimed that Janee’s infidelity and abuse had caused him to snap. He claimed that Janee had hit him in the face with a phone, and had attacked him with a knife.
Janee’s autopsy revealed that she had been hit in the face several times, and had abrasions from hitting the floor. She had then been stabbed around 17 times. The tip of the knife had broken off, and had been found in Janee.
Andrew claimed to not have remembered stabbing her, or putting her in the bathtub.
Andrew Parsons was found guilty, and sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 20 years. He will be eligible for parole in 2033.
Andrew’s mugshot
FINAL THOUGHTS
I believe that Andrew would have received life in prison if the case had taken place in the U.S. He not only murdered Janee, but did it in front of their young son. The young boy obviously knew something wasn’t right with his mom, but Andrew just kept reassuring him that everything was fine. I really hope he doesn’t remember anything from that day, and it isn’t completely traumatized. I hate to say I think Andrew will kill again, but it’s very likely if he is ever released.
Sources
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-22659300
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-22603734
https://news.sky.com/story/janee-parsons-jury-hears-murder-tape-10445856
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/bella-uk/20210720/283141431754765
