New twist in Bianca Parsons murder case

THE Ernest family, who were apparently the targets of Bianca Parsons’s alleged murderers, say they are living like prisoners in their Wentworth home and are concerned that more innocent people could be hurt or killed.

This follows the testimony of murder accused Christopher Houston in the Durban Magistrate’s Court that he had intended to kill an Ernest family member following a shooting incident last year.

Instead, Houston’s co-accused and trigger-man, Darryl Murrisson, fired two fatal shots at Wentworth mother Bianca Parsons while her three-yearold daughter slept in the back seat of her car at a petrol station on Tara Road.

Murrisson, who said he had mistaken Parsons’ vehicle to be that of the Ernests’, pleaded guilty to shooting her.

Houston is still on trial and has applied for bail.

In an interview with the Sunday Tribune this week an Ernest family member, who asked not to be named, recounted how in July last year Joseph Ernest shot dead an apparent gang leader and Houston’s relative, Llewellyn “Duggu” Edwards, at a Wentworth nightclub, Lavo. This murder case is also ongoing.

In court last year, Joseph Ernest said he fired two warning shots at the ground after Edwards had brandished his gun at him. Ernest then fired at Edwards. He said this was in self-defence, not premeditated murder.

His 20-year-old son, Juade, who was with him at the time, is also on trial for the murder.

In this week’s interview, the Ernest family member said “Duggu” and his “Destroyers” gang had been terrorising the family and other people in Wentworth.

The relative cited an earlier shooting incident, also at the Lavo nightclub in December 2014, and an attack on another family member in the bathroom of another pub.

“Cases were opened and charges were laid but the police didn’t do anything,” the family member said.

“It’s sad that an innocent young mother (Parsons) was killed for nothing because they (the Destroyers) were not allowing the law to do its job.”

The Ernest family member said he was now concerned that, with the family being targeted by the gang, other innocent people could get caught in the crossfire.

“Extended family members and friends are also afraid. Their colleagues have judged them, with some requesting them to take leave from work (for fear of the workplace being attacked),” said the family source.

“They watch their back wherever they go. The media mentions them for everything related to gang violence yet they are not a gang. They are tired of their name being dragged through (the mud) in the newspapers. Remember: Innocent until proven guilty.”

Meanwhile, there was a new twist in Parsons’ murder trial this week. In earlier testimony, Murrisson told the court that Houston had handed him the gun he used to kill Parsons.

On Wednesday, Murrisson submitted a new affidavit stating that Houston was not involved in the shooting.