Billy Parent

There are eleven first-degree murder convictions against Juan Manuel Alvarez for the murder of Billy Parent and ten other individuals killed during the January, 2005, Metrolink crash which also injured 180 persons: The jury also found Alvarez guilty of arson and a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders that makes him eligible for the death penalty which is being sought by Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley. Testimony is ongoing from the victims' family members and friends during the penalty phase of the trial and I deliberately begin writing this brief paragraph with the name of my lifetime friend, Billy Parent, because I just don't want to pay any attention to Alvarez. According to the prosecution, the Metrolink murders were committed by Alvarez who sought attention for his horrific crimes. The prosecution and defense have now both delivered their closing arguments to the jury.

I don't want Billy to get lost and become invisible as has been the circumstance of the victims during this highly publicized and emotional trial. Billy's sister Elaine and his brother Robert testified Tuesday, 08 July, 2008, and while this penalty phase continues my heart goes out to both of them and all the victims' families and friends.

I knew Billy since my pre-teen years and we remained friends, communicated, and visited each other throughout the decades until his death which was a shocking event for all his longtime friends.

I was watching the news during 26 January, 2005, when the live events of the crash and its aftermath were being reported by NBC's Los Angeles Station. I learned from a brief statement by Paul Moyer, (NBC news anchor), that another of the injured was being transported to hospital, specifically, one 35 year old William Parent.
Parent is such an unusual name to hear on broadcast news, but I didn't put the William together with it right away, and the 35 year old description didn't ring bells, but a minute later, I realized that it might be Billy Parent because I knew he loved the trains and rode them to work everyday.

I tried to contact Billy's lifetime friend, Eric Doberstein to see if he knew anything as well as Eric's sister, Janice, because I didn't know how to get in touch with Robert or Elaine fast enough since Billy had moved to Canoga Park from Simi. I left phone messages for Eric and Janice and none of us were aware of the fact that Billy gave his brother's phone number to a stranger at the scene and asked this witness to call Robert and let his family know that he was injured in the crash and being taken to a hospital. The man called per Billy's instructions and said that Billy was injured but that was all he knew and the caller didn't leave his name or a number for call back.

Robert and Elaine searched all day and contacted all the emergency personnel and agencies as well as the hospitals in order to find Billy. They went to the station and found Billy's car and kept hoping that he would return to it. They could find out nothing about Billy until the next afternoon.

Billy expired en route on the ambulance ride to the hospital and was eventually sent to the Coroner, however, Billy was so fit and youthful in appearance, that he was listed as a 35 year old John Doe male. Robert and Elaine had to identify him the next day when they finally connected with the Coroner's office which needed an indentification by family member(s).

I want to write about Billy and his lifetime friends, Eric and the Doberstein twins, because Billy lived with the Doberstein family for a long time when we were all in school, however, since the penalty phase is ongoing right now I choose to write about Billy sometime in the future because I don't want him to disappear as so much attention now is geared toward the murderer and the horrific, tragic events known as the Metrolink crash.

I know Billy was very brave as he always had much courage throughout his life, a phenomenal sense of humor, great loyalty, a thirst for knowledge, and he was always prepared to accomplish whatever he wanted to do. Billy was the intellectual jester and not for the faint of heart. The Dobersteins, Billy, and I went to the Rolling Stones summer concert at the Forum during 1972 when it was almost impossible to get tickets, however, Billy scored and we all went to the terrific show which was opened by the artist known at the time as 'Little Stevie Wonder', ("Fingertips"). Naturally, we were seated in the 'nosebleed' section and happy as can be to be able to attend the event under any circumstance. All of a sudden, Billy hooks all of the keys available to the buckle loop on his pants so it would make a lot of noise, looks at us, yells, "SECURITY", and starts running down the aisles. Of course we had to follow Billy and nobody stopped us. We got all the way to the front of the venue and had a great time until the end of the show when Billy started running to the back and we all followed him and got to watch the 'Stones' leave after the show. Yep, Billy had major league guts and smarts.

The same jurors who convicted Juan Manuel Alvarez of eleven counts of first-degree murder has reached a verdict that Alvarez be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole; the jury deliberated a little more than 3 hours before their recommended sentence was read 1:30 p.m. the 15th of July, 2008 and their verdict has been affirmed by the judge at official sentencing hearing the 20th of August, 2008.