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Highlands Today

Friend: Dead woman was in abusive relationship

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By BRAD DICKERSON

Highlands Today

Published: November 3, 2009

SEBRING - A Georgia woman claims Sebring resident Rikelle Purcell, who died last week after what authorities describe as a murder-suicide, was set to leave her abusive boyfriend before she was shot to death.

The bodies of both Purcell, 40, and James L. Guy, 53, were found Thursday morning at their home at 4401 Shamrock St., in northwest Sebring.
Highlands County Sheriff's Sgt. Darin Hood said Friday the killing was domestic-related. He did not elaborate or corroborate Sharmen Parks' account Monday.

Parks, of Blairsville, Ga., said she has known Purcell for the last 10 years.

The victim was also originally from the same small town hidden in the state's northern region, in the Appalachian mountains, and had lived in Sebring for about 10 months, according to her friend.

Parks said Purcell was going to leave Thursday morning and head back to Georgia while Guy traveled to Okeechobee to pick up his boat. Parks added she even offered to wire her some money to get home.

"Wednesday night, about 8:30, was the last time I spoke to her and she was coming home," Parks said. "She was leaving him because he was being very abusive to her."

Parks and her husband Greg were living in Florida during the summer and moved back to Georgia in July. She said she tried to convince Purcell to come back then, but the victim was scared about what Guy would do if she left him.

On Wednesday night, Parks said Purcell did tell Guy about planning to head back to Georgia, news that he did not take well.

"I called all day Thursday and I (couldn't) get a hold of nobody," Parks said.

By Saturday, after another day of unsuccessful attempts to reach her friend, Parks said she finally called the Highlands County Sheriff's Office to see if Guy and Purcell had been arrested on domestic violence charges.

"That's when they notified me she was dead," Parks said.

Right now, Parks is trying to claim Purcell's body so the remains can be brought back to Georgia for burial. She said Purcell grew up in an Amish community, but left when she was 14 and has not had any contact with family members since.

"I want to know what I can do about claiming her," Parks said. "She doesn't have any immediate family."

Authorities did not have any new information on the investigation Monday.

Highlands Today reporter Brad Dickerson can be reached at (863) 386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com

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