Lee County Jury Finds Defendant Guilty in Cold Case Homicide

A Lee County jury found Michael A. Parks guilty of two counts of Second Degree Murder with a Firearm and Robbery with a Firearm today after a four day trial before the
Honorable Bruce Kyle. Immediately following the jury verdicts, Judge Kyle sentenced Michael Parks to three mandatory life sentences.

The case was tried by the State Attorney’s Office Cold Case Homicide Unit. Assistant State Attorneys Dan Feinberg and Jody Brown represented the state. The Fort Myers Police Department investigated the case. Parks was charged in 2022 for the deaths of Lisa Collins and Steven Rios which occurred on September 14, 2011, on East River Drive in Fort Myers.

Collins and Rios were murdered in their home between 11:00 pm and midnight by Parks, who was known to them. Rios was shot three times and Collins eight times with a .9 millimeter firearm which had been purchased by the defendant’s wife earlier that day.

The wife, Amy Parks, previously entered a plea to Burglary of a Dwelling and Accessory After the Fact for her involvement in these crimes. She is currently serving a prison sentence and testified during the trial. 

The trial included the state calling 20 witnesses and over 120 pieces of evidence were introduced. The State Attorney’s Office Cold Case Homicide Unit worked together with the Fort Myers Police Department after the unit was formed by State Attorney Amira Fox in 2019. That cooperation culminated in the filing of charges and ultimately, these verdicts and sentences today.

“I am proud of the collaborative efforts between the Fort Myers Police Department and our Cold Case Homicide Unit in bringing this 12-year-old case to a successful resolution. I hope the families of the victims feel some sense of relief that this defendant will remain in prison for the rest of his life,” said State Attorney Fox.

State Attorney’s Office