Last Friday, April 17, the Parisot family of Wilton finally heard the words that they have waited almost seven years to hear: the admission from 18-year-old John “Tully” Knight that he was responsible for the death of their son, Nicholas Parisot on June 13, 2008.
With a slight, soft voice, that at times couldn’t be heard, Tully answered the question from the judge by saying, “Yes, my conduct was responsible for the death of Nick Parisot.”
That admission marked the end of a seven year quest the Parisot family had to find out the truth of what happened to their son in the woods behind their home. It also ended the wrongful death lawsuit the family had filed against Tully and his parents, Glenn and Barbara Knight, as the admission was the final condition sought by the Parisots to withdraw the civil case.
Nick’s parents, Ricardo S. Parisot and Katherine E. Throckmorton, released a statement in an email to GOOD Morning Wilton:
“We again extend our deepest thanks and gratitude to our family, friends and the community who have supported us over the past seven years, especially the Stand Up for Nick group, and the person who initiated it. The release of court records is available to the public on the website “StandUpforNick.org.” The court ordered redactions can be viewed by a link within the article by GOOD Morning Wilton. And lastly a special recognition is again extended to the Wilton and Placentia Police for their work, which was invaluable to this resolution.”
The Parisots’ statement refers to the hundreds of records from the case that were unsealed and released at the close of the hearing, including photos of the crime scene, and affidavits detailing evidence that had been collected through police investigation and interviews. Not only were interviews that police conducted with Tully and his parents recounted in the reports, but the reports also describe interviews that detectives conducted with individuals in Wilton and California who reveal what Tully confided to them about the events that caused Nick Parisot’s death.
Over the weekend, the group Stand Up For Nick sent an email to supporters, which said:
“After six and a half years of agonizing legal efforts to make Tully and his accomplice Sam Bell take responsibility for their actions and the death of their son Nick, Rick Parisot and Kate Throckmorton finally heard the words that were long overdue.
…
“The legal battle is over, but the loss no less acute. We pray that the Parisot family–Rick, Kate, Michelle and their family members–can find a kernel of comfort in this admission and begin the process of healing, which was delayed for so long due to the Knights’ evasion of the truth, and their desire to squelch it, regardless of the costs or ethics.
“And we hope there will eventually be a redefining of Nick Parisot’s legacy–that he will be remembered not as much for how he died, but more for how extraordinarily he lived: full of joy, liberation, kindness and creativity. Each one of us can carry that in our hearts and pass it along to our children, friends and family, and use it to inspire us to ever greater things.”
Editor’s Note: At one time, GMW editor Heather Borden Herve was involved with the Wilton organization ‘Stand Up For Nick,’ which, according to their website, stood in support of the Parisot family in their quest for finding out the truth of what happened to their son, and encouraged anyone with information on the case to come forward.