When Murder Invades Your Hometown

In April 2009, people living near Towson, Maryland, were shocked to learn that a murder-suicide had occurred in a Sheraton hotel across from a newly renovated shopping mall, the Towson Town Center. This was shocking because although Towson is near Baltimore City, it is not known for its violent crime.

The developing details became worse with every update. We soon learned that New York tax attorney William Parente had murdered his wife and two daughters in the hotel room and then killed himself with a knife. A seemingly happy family was destroyed by domestic violence. Later information revealed that the Parente bought the knife at an upper-scale home decor store at the mall, most likely after he killed his family.

Who Was the Parente Family?

The Parente family lived in Garden City, New York (part of Long Island), and they lived in an upper-middle-class area. They were in Towson to visit their daughter, who attended college in Towson. William Parente was an attorney practicing real estate law (operating out of the borough of Queens in New York City). Unfortunately, he was also apparently involved in a financial scheme, and that seems to be why he murdered his family and then committed suicide.

The real victims here are his immediate family. His wife Bettyanne (Betty) Mazzarella Parente was a homemaker who organized fundraisers for charities and was active in her church and activities like the Girl Scouts. Their youngest daughter, Catherine, was just 11 years old when she was murdered by her father…