South Jersey man gets life term in murder of woman dismembered, burned

LAWRENCE, N.J. — A man convicted of first-degree murder in the death of a woman whose remains were found dismembered and set on fire at a South Jersey farm four years ago has been sentenced to life in prison.

The Cumberland County prosecutor's office said 57-year-old Dennis Parrish will be ineligible for parole for more than 63 years following Friday's first-degree murder sentence in the July 2018 death of 32-year-old Tonya Cook.

Authorities said Parrish killed Cook at his home before dismembering her body and setting her remains on fire in a field in Lawrence Township. A moving company box found with the remains was traced back to the defendant, and his blood was found in the victim's home and his DNA under her fingernails, authorities said.

At trial, the defense argued that someone else murdered the victim, although defense attorney Alex Varghese said his client acknowledged having disposed of the body.

Prosecutors said Parrish was also sentenced to a consecutive 10-year prison term for desecration of human remains. A county jury in August also convicted him of hindering prosecution, obstruction and evidence-tampering.

Shortly after the killing, at least a hundred people gathered for a vigil to remember Cook at the field where her remains were found, NJ.com reported.

“The Cook family and the world lost a beautiful soul with the death of Tonya Marie Cook,” a family spokeswoman said at the time alongside Cook’s mother, Faye. “As a mother, Faye has felt the kind of pain that no mother should ever have to feel.”