Man sentenced to more than 20 years in death of Miamisburg man found burnt

Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

Credit: JIM NOELKER

Credit: JIM NOELKER

Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

A man was sentenced to at least two decades in prison in the death of a Miamisburg man whose body was found burnt in Dayton two years ago.

Dana H. Parks, 41, of Dayton, was sentenced to 23 years to life, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.

In November, a jury found him guilty of three counts of tampering with evidence, two counts each of murder and felonious assault and one count of attempt to commit arson, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records. A gross abuse of a corpse and misdemeanor arson charge were dismissed prior to jury deliberations during his trial.

Parks previously waived his right to a jury trial for one count of having weapons while under disability. A date for the bench trial, or trial by judge, has not been set.

Dana Parks

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

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Credit: Montgomery County Jail

On July 4, 2021, Dayton police were called to a report of a body found in the wooded area near Wolf Creek. The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office identified the body as 38-year-old Kevin L. Hughes.

Detectives determined Hughes was shot after an argument outside a Valencia Drive house.

“The victim’s body had been burnt,” read a press release previously issued by the prosecutor’s office. “Further investigation determined the victim had been fatally shot elsewhere and the body had been taken to the wooded area for disposal.”

Hughes’ car was found parked in Trotwood on July 6, two days after his body was discovered.

Parks’ brother, 53-year-old Ernest Parks, was charged with tampering with evidence, gross abuse of a corpse and a misdemeanor count of arson in the case, according to court records. In December 2021, Ernest Parks pleaded guilty to all three charges. He was sentenced to three years in prison, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Ernest Senior Parks

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

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Credit: Montgomery County Jail

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