LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Five weeks after being found guilty of murder and three lesser charges, William Parker Brown was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday morning in Fayette County Circuit Court.
“I hope he uses that time in jail to get right with the Lord,” Ricky Rector said following the hearing. Rector is the brother of the victim, Ava Creech.
Creech went missing for about three weeks in September 2020 before being found beaten to death inside her home on Victoria Way in October 2022. It took the Fayette County Coroner several days to make an identification. Due to the pandemic and other legal matters, it took time for the case to get to trial, but once there, jurors arrived fairly quickly at their verdict and recommended the life sentence, which Judge Thomas Travis accepted.
“Finally the end of this chapter and being able to see that the person who committed this horrific crime is held accountable,” said James Judge with the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office.
Mr. Rector said he’s concerned about parole, for which Brown will be eligible in a little more than 16 years as he was given credit for time served. Kentucky law allows for parole after twenty years when there’s a conviction on only one violent crime.
“(Brown) takes a little woman, scoliosis so bad she’s bent over, and busts her head with a hammer, tapes her up and put her into a closet to die,” Rector explained of what happened to his sister. “I don’t know if justice was served,” he continued.
Rector said the verdict and sentence would allow the family to heal, but in reality, that process started a while ago.
“After four years waiting, all of the emotion from that is gone. Gives you more time to reflect. Time heals all things,” he said in a not-so-convincing manner before leaving court for the final time..
