Man accused in slaying shared drinks with chef
WEST PALM BEACH — After meeting a Palm Beach pantry chef for drinks at a Lantana restaurant last month, Robert William Thompson killed his drinking companion, dumped the body, and used the chef ’s credit cards and bloodstained car, authorities said Friday.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Office arrested Thompson on Thursday in the murder of Stanley Parrales, whose decomposed remains were discovered by a fisherman this week along a canal on the northern edge of Wellington.
The remains were recovered more than three weeks after Parrales, 49, was reported missing from his home in Lake Worth.
Thompson, 36, appeared in court Friday morning in Palm Beach County to face charges of second-degree murder, fraudulent use of a credit card, unlawful possession of a credit card and grand theft of a motor vehicle.
Jail records do not list an address for Thompson.
Judge Ted Booras ordered that he be held without bail during a brief hearing at the jail. Booras also ordered that Thompson have no contact with Parrales’ family.
A person fishing in the 13000 block of Doubletree Circle found Parrales’ remains Wednesday after detecting a foul smell in the area, said the Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Office, which confirmed the identity on Friday.
The scene was preserved overnight and a forensic anthropologist responded to the scene Thursday morning.
Parrales’ domestic part- ner reported him missing Feb. 20, telling investigators he had not been heard from in four days.
In the days after he was reported missing, deputies made multiple efforts to find him, including checking area hospitals.
Parrales worked for more than 20 years as a pantry chef preparing salads and cold foods at Club Colette in Palm Beach, the restaurant’s owner said Friday.
“He was the kindest, gentlest soul,” owner Daniel Ponton said.
Ponton said he was concerned when Parrales did not report as scheduled for a Saturday shift. He last worked the night of Feb. 16, four days before authorities began a missing persons investigation.
“He never missed a day since the day I hired him,” Ponton said. “Not even a sick day.”
An arrest report made public Friday indicates that Thompson and Parrales knew each other and had met for drinks at the Old Key Lime House in Lantana just prior to Parrales’ disappearance.
Cellphone records show that Parrales called Thompson the night of Feb. 16. Surveillance footage showed Thompson and Parrales leav- ing the restaurant together, the sheriff ’s office said.
Investigators tracked several charges on one of Par- rales’ credit cards the following morning with surveillance images showing Thompson making the purchases, according to the report.
Thompson made several large purchases at a Palm Springs Walmart.
Deputies on Feb. 27 tracked Parrales’ Infiniti to an address in suburban West Palm Beach and found Thompson in the driver’s seat.
After agreeing to speak to detectives, Thompson said Parrales picked him up around 9:30 the night of Feb. 16 for drinks at the Old Key Lime restaurant, the sher- iff ’s office said.
Thompson claimed that Parrales allowed him to drive the Infiniti and stayed behind at the restaurant.
He initially denied using Parrales’ credit card, but later told investigators Parrales gave it to him to use, investigators said.
Detectives obtained a warrant to search the Infiniti. There were several areas in the vehicle that tested positive for blood. There was evidence that someone had tried to clean the blood.
A man who described himself as Thompson’s friend told detectives that Thompson showed up at his home unexpectedly and asked for bleach to clean the inside of the car. The man said Thompson told him he had gotten into an argument with someone and may have killed the person. Thompson further stated that he dumped the body in Wellington, the man told investigators.
The man denied helping Thompson clean the car. Another man told investigators Thompson came to him seeking help to sell the Infiniti.
In a follow-up interview, Thompson admitted to clean- ing the car’s interior, the sheriff ’s office said. He told investigators he was cleaning grease. He declined to answer any other questions after being told there was blood in the car.
A sheriff ’s DNA lab confirmed Thursday that blood found in the car and on Thompson’s clothing belonged to Parrales.