5 chilling details about Bryan Capnerhurst's death ahead of Dateline

Dateline revisits the Ascot Estates double murder, centering on the death of Bryan Capnerhurst during the April 2012 shootings inside Brett and Tammy Parker’s Irmo, South Carolina home. The case became a test of self-defense claims, gambling ties, and forensic proof.

A re-air of Dateline: Mystery at Ascot Estates is set on Oxygen for Saturday, September 20 at 5:00 am ET. The Dateline episode looks back at the evidence trail and courtroom outcome tied to Capnerhurst’s death.

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Case background for Dateline: Mystery at Ascot Estates

Responders found two victims on April 13, 2012: Tammy Jo Parker, 44, and Bryan Capnerhurst, 46. Brett Parker told investigators that Capnerhurst shot Tammy during a robbery attempt, then Brett shot Capnerhurst in self-defense. Detectives processed the scene, collected the two firearms at the house, and reviewed home-surveillance and phone records.

Detectives reviewed home-surveillance footage and phone records during the inquiry (Image via Unsplash)

The inquiry soon widened beyond the initial account. Investigators learned of Brett Parker’s bookmaking activity and disputes over money linked to Capnerhurst. Three months later, Parker was charged with two counts of murder, and the case moved toward trial.

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5 key details about Bryan Capnerhurst’s death on Dateline

1) Investigators first weighed self-defense, then pushed a homicide theory

Early on, the scene and statements appeared to fit Brett Parker’s claim that he shot in response to an armed threat. As more evidence surfaced, the working theory shifted, and the state moved to charge Parker with both killings, according to The State.

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2) “Stand your ground” was considered, then dropped by the defense

South Carolina’s law allows deadly force in narrow circumstances. Parker’s lawyers examined that route but did not pursue a hearing, since the statute bars protection if the person is engaged in unlawful activity, and his betting operation posed a legal issue, according to CBS News (January 2014). The jury ultimately heard a straight self-defense claim at trial.

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3) Testimony described Capnerhurst’s bookmaking role as clerical

Witnesses portrayed Capnerhurst as answering phones and taking bets, framing him as a lower-level helper in Parker’s gambling business, per WACH (May 2013). That picture conflicted with the image of an armed robber driving events inside the house.

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4) Charges followed months after the shootings, with staging alleged

Parker turned himself in more than three months after the killings. Investigators said he shot his wife, then used a second gun to kill Capnerhurst and staged the scene to mimic a robbery, according to the Associated Press (July 2012).

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5) Verdict and appeals confirmed the outcome

A jury returned guilty verdicts in 2013, and later appeals were denied (Image via Pexels)

A jury convicted Parker of both murders in 2013, and the court imposed two consecutive life terms without parole. The state appeals court later rejected his appeal, so the conviction and sentence stand, reported WIS (2015).

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Oxygen lists the re-air of Dateline: Mystery at Ascot Estates for Saturday, September 20, at 5:00 am ET.

For on-demand listening, Dateline’s Mystery at Ascot Estates is also available as a podcast episode across major platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with interviews and trial audio that track the full timeline from the 911 call to the verdict.

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