Aiman Tariq – Regional News Editor
Douglas County, GA –
According to Douglas County investigators, a third person has now been charged with murder in the death of 37-year-old Jamal Parker, whose body was recovered from the Dog River Reservoir in May and later identified through DNA testing.
Ambria Boyd, described by Parker’s father as his son’s girlfriend, was arrested and charged with murder, false statements and obstruction, according to reporting from WSB-TV. Two other suspects, Brittany Amber Baker and Mario Andre Barber, had already been charged with murder in connection with Parker’s death.
The new charge adds another layer to a case that has already raised difficult questions for Parker’s family: who was involved, what happened before his death, and why investigators say someone close to him may have misled them.
Third Arrest Announced in Parker Case
According to WSB-TV, Douglas County investigators arrested Boyd after determining that a story she gave detectives about an unknown caller and a possible suspect was false. Investigators said Boyd had come forward claiming someone had provided her with the name and number of Parker’s killer.
Authorities later determined that the name was not accurate, according to that reporting.
Investigators also said Boyd was friends with the person they believe was the real killer, had stayed at that person’s home and had been with Parker only hours before he was killed. Those are allegations from investigators and will have to be tested as the case moves forward.
Boyd is being held without bond at the Douglas County Jail, according to WSB-TV.
The case remains active.
Victim Identified Through DNA
Authorities first recovered an unidentified man’s body from the Dog River Reservoir along Highway 166 on May 15, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators later worked with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to identify the man through DNA comparison.
On June 15, the GBI positively identified the victim as Jamal Parker, 37, of Atlanta.
That identification came after deputies had released information about tattoos in an effort to learn who the man was. Atlanta News First reported that deputies shared photos of tattoos before the GBI confirmed Parker’s identity.
The identification appears to have been a turning point in the case. Within days, authorities announced murder charges against Baker and Barber.
Two Suspects Were Already Charged
Before Boyd’s arrest, Douglas County investigators had already charged Brittany Amber Baker and Mario Andre Barber with murder in connection with Parker’s death.
FOX 5 Atlanta reported that both were arrested after investigators identified Parker and continued pursuing leads in the case. At the time of that announcement, officials had not released many details about how Parker died or what allegedly connected Baker and Barber to the killing.
CBS Atlanta similarly reported that investigators had not publicly shared information about the suspects’ alleged connection to Parker or a possible motive.
That lack of public detail matters. It leaves several parts of the case unclear, even as prosecutors now have three people charged with murder.
Father Says Family Wants Accountability
Parker’s father, Charles Parker, told WSB-TV that he wants everyone involved in his son’s death to be held accountable.
“All to pay,” he told Channel 2 Action News, according to the station’s reporting. He said he was especially disturbed by the allegation involving Boyd, whom he described as his son’s “so-called girlfriend.”
According to WSB-TV, Charles Parker said Boyd had been communicating with Jamal Parker’s mother as if she did not know what had happened. Investigators, however, now accuse Boyd of providing false information and obstructing the investigation.
That does not mean a jury has accepted those allegations. It means prosecutors now have another defendant to account for in a case that was already complicated.
Parker’s father has also said the family has struggled with funeral arrangements because of the condition in which his son’s body was recovered. FOX 5 Atlanta reported that an online fundraiser created by Parker’s father described Jamal as someone remembered for his humor, creativity and unfinished dreams.
Search of Douglas County Home Drew Attention
The investigation had already drawn attention before the latest arrest.
WSB-TV previously reported that deputies searched a home on Langdale Chase for several days after Parker’s body was found. The same reporting said investigators later believed Parker was killed at the home, though officials have not released a complete public timeline explaining what they believe happened.
FOX 5 Atlanta reported that law enforcement had not publicly disclosed the exact cause of death or detailed what led up to the killing.
That is where careful language is important. Investigators have made arrests and filed charges. But the public record still has gaps, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
What Investigators Say Boyd Told Them
The allegation against Boyd appears to center partly on what she told investigators after Parker’s death.
According to WSB-TV, investigators say Boyd came forward claiming that an unknown caller had provided information about Parker’s killer. Investigators later determined that the name she provided was false. They also say Boyd had connections to the person investigators believe was responsible.
If prosecutors can prove that claim, it may become important for two reasons.
First, it could affect the obstruction and false-statement charges.
Second, it could help prosecutors argue that Boyd had information about the case beyond what she initially disclosed.
But those are legal questions for court. For now, the public version of events still comes largely from law enforcement statements and local reporting.
Why the Case Remains Unclear?
There are still basic questions that have not been fully answered publicly.
Officials have not released a detailed motive. They have not provided a full timeline of Parker’s final hours. They have not publicly explained all evidence connecting each suspect to the killing.
That does not mean investigators lack evidence. It means the public record remains limited.
In a case this serious, that distinction matters. A murder charge is not a conviction. A law enforcement theory is not a verdict. The court process will determine what prosecutors can prove.
For now, the clearest confirmed sequence is this: Parker’s body was recovered from the Dog River Reservoir on May 15; the GBI identified him by DNA comparison on June 15; Baker and Barber were charged with murder shortly afterward; and Boyd has now been charged with murder, false statements and obstruction.
Family and Community Impact
Parker’s family has been left trying to process both the loss and the uncertainty around the case.
FOX 5 Atlanta reported that Parker’s father created a fundraiser saying his son’s life was defined by more than the circumstances of his death. The fundraiser described Parker as creative, humorous and still “writing his story.”
People also reported that Parker was remembered by loved ones as a “beautiful soul and spirit,” and that he was known for music, visual art and bartending.
That part of the story can get lost when the focus stays only on the charges.
Parker was not just a case file. He was a son, a relative, a friend and a person whose family is now waiting for answers from a criminal justice process that may take months or longer.
What Happens Next?
All three defendants now face murder charges, according to local reporting and law enforcement statements.
The next stage will likely involve court appearances, bond issues, discovery and possible indictment proceedings, depending on how prosecutors move the case forward.
Investigators have also asked anyone with information to contact Douglas County Investigator Natalie Poulk at 770-876-4116 or by email at npoulk@sheriff.douglas.ga.us. That contact information has been included in multiple local reports on the case.
Parker’s father told WSB-TV that detectives have indicated more arrests could be possible. That has not been fully detailed publicly, and any additional charges would depend on what investigators and prosecutors believe the evidence supports.
The Bottom Line
A third person has now been charged in the death of 37-year-old Jamal Parker, whose body was recovered from the Dog River Reservoir in Douglas County and later identified through DNA testing.
Ambria Boyd, described by Parker’s father as his son’s girlfriend, now faces charges of murder, false statements and obstruction, according to WSB-TV.
Brittany Amber Baker and Mario Andre Barber had already been charged with murder in connection with Parker’s death.
The case remains active, and several key details — including a full timeline and motive — have not been publicly released.
For Parker’s family, the latest arrest brings another name into the case. It does not bring closure yet.
The court process will determine whether prosecutors can prove the allegations against each defendant.
