William Thomas Parrish III?s family knew he was holding a woman captive in his grandfather?s Finksburg home. But no one told police for fear Parrish, 25, would make good on his threat to hurt 72-year-old Lawrence Thompson if the woman tried to escape.
“He threatened to harm his [grandfather,]” said one of his family members, who wished not to be identified before court proceedings. “She stayed there as long as she did to protect him. She was brave for him. We knew she was being physically abused, but [Parrish] wouldn?t let us take her. He wouldn?t let her out of his sight.”
Parrish forced the woman, with whom he had a social relationship, to stay at his Thompson?s house in the 2100 block of Bethel Road from Feb. 20 to March 30, according to charging documents.
During her captivity, Parrish tattooed his name on her skin, gagged her with socks, burned and raped her, the documents show.
She told police Parrish threatened harm to her children and “other family members,” presumably Thompson, if she didn’t submit.
The woman also said Parrish beat her face, arms, legs, back and chest area with his fists and struck her in the head with a large glass bottle.
“We could see the marks and bruises on her body on her face,” the family member said.
She escaped Friday at around 9:00 p.m., while out in Westminster with Parrish, the family member said.
“He left her for a minute or two and she ran off to a stranger?s house and they, in turn, helper her call the police,” the family member said.
State police arrested Parrish Saturday morning and charged him with false imprisonment, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and three counts of malicious destruction of property, said David P. Daggett, Carroll County deputy state’s attorney.
Parrish was denied bail Monday in district court.
The family said Parrish had been staying with Thompson, who has a pacemaker and a heart condition, since his wife died about two months ago.
“It was only supposed to be for a few days,” but in the fog after the funeral, Parrish?s extended stay wasn?t a point of serious concern until his family found out he was holding a woman at the house against her will.
“We are supporting the girl,” the family member said.
Parrish is being held at the Carroll County Detention Center. A court date has not been set.
