At a sentencing hearing for Brianna Warner, found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder late last month, the family of Jai Parker-Ford spoke about their grief of losing a 20-year-old they said was deeply committed to his family and who loved creating rap music in a recording studio.
“None of the statements is more poignant that the simple drawing provided by the family member, a child, a wish that will never be filled,” said Superior Court Justice Al O’Marra after hearing from the victim’s family.
A picture sketched in crayons was shown in court, drawn by Parker-Ford’s youngest sibling who was two-and-a-half years old at the time of his murder.
The words “I miss Jai. I want Jai to come back alive,” are scrawled along the top of the picture. Two stick figures, a heart and a dog, are depicted underneath.
Parker-Ford’s mother Lesley Griffiths told court in her victim impact statement that her daughter, now five years old, can’t understand that her brother isn’t coming back.
“What hurts me most is the why. You tried to dim my son’s light. Basic. Fail,” she said. “Jai’s death was never going to be a win.”
It was Dec. 16, 2022 around 4:40 a.m. when Parker-Ford was shot once in the head outside his family’s 14th floor apartment on Lawrence Avenue East near Orton Park Road. He died in hospital two days later.
Cell phone records from Parker-Ford’s cell phone showed there were communications between him and another individual believed to be Warner, in the hours and minutes leading up to the shooting.
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On April 6, 2023, an undercover police officer who Warner only knew by a pseudonym was driving Warner and her mother in the undercover officer’s car. The officer, posing as a friend, was wearing a secret recording device and overheard Warner telling her mother she had shot someone in the head.
The following day, the undercover officer went to Warner’s house.
While the two were sitting chatting in Warner’s bedroom, the 18-year-old told the undercover officer specific details about the shooting and showed her news articles about Parker-Ford’s murder. She also told the undercover officer she wrote a rap called “Brain Dead” about the crime.
The secret recording was played at trial. At times, Warner could be heard joking about what she had done and told the undercover officer she had killed Parker-Ford because he had taken advantage of her when she was 12.
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The following day, after police arrested Warner, officers seized writings, including the lyrics of the rap, “Brain Dead.”
Assistant Crown attorney Terry Rutherford read a victim impact statement written by Nicole Samuels, Parker-Ford’s aunt.
“How can someone be so demonic as to take Jai’s life and callously laugh about it and literally say, ‘I’m so happy?’ This hurts me to my core,” she wrote.
Kaliss Spence-Ford’s half-sister cried as she talked about growing up alongside Parker-Ford. The two were less than a year apart in age.
“The safety and protection that Jai brought has been replaced with fear and pain because of Brianna’s actions. Brianna is a danger to society and I fear with her out of jail, someone else may lose their son, brother, or friend like the people who love Jai did,” Spence-Ford said.
Parker-Ford’s mother spoke about the sacrifices she made to raise her son, one of five children.
“My heart breaks for what he could have been, if only he’d been given the chance. Twenty-five years to life will never truly be enough time to heal my family,” said Griffiths.
O’Marra had already sentenced Warner to the mandatory life sentence with a parole ineligibility of 25 years, calling it “the maximum penalty allowed in law after a trial of her peers.”
“It is very clear from the statements that Jai Parker-Ford’s death tore into the very fabric of his family and left a void that cannot be filled,” O’Marra said.
Warner declined when the judge asked her if she wanted to address the court.
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