JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Tyree Parker, the man convicted of murdering Coast Guard member Caroline Schollaert last year, was sentenced to life in prison Thursday.
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Schollaert was shot to death by Parker in August 2021 during an attempted car burglary in Riverside.
Parker, now convicted of second-degree murder, heard from Schollaert’s friends and family before learning his fate.
Schollaert’s father held back tears as he delivered his victim impact statement.
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He said his daughter felt a deep obligation to defend herself, even from a very young age. Although her life was cut short, he said that she made a difference in her 27 years on Earth.
“The world has lost a very rare and special person all because of a cowardly criminal act of brutality simply for gain by theft,” said Patrick Schollaert.
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A clinical psychologist also testified, stating Parker had an IQ of 66, which would qualify him as mildly intellectually disabled, and that his life had been filled with tragedy, abuse and crime.
“I found him to be both emotionally immature, intellectually immature,” said Dr. Harry Krop.
Parker’s grandfather attested to his grandson’s rough upbringing, saying it was a situation filled with violence.
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“He was very much aware of that violence. Sometimes he was actually a part of it,” said Darren Respess.
But Caroline’s fiancé, who found her after the shooting and watched the life leave her eyes, asked for the maximum sentence of life in prison.
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“His cowardly and reprehensible actions took, have disrupted and devastated the lives of countless people who adored Caroline,” said Nathan Hendricks.
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