Who was David Parker Ray? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Toy-Box Killer

Died At Age: 62

Family:

father: Cecil Ray

mother: Nettie Ray

siblings: Peggy

children: Glenda Jean Ray

Serial Killers American Men

Died on: May 28, 2002

place of death: Lea County Correctional Center, Hobbs, New Mexico

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Childhood & Early Life

David Parker Ray was born on 6th November 1939 in Belen, New Mexico in the US. His parents were Cecil and Nettie Ray. Due to their poor financial condition, the family lived with his mother’s parents on a small ranch where David grew up with his sister Peggy. His father was a drunkard who often quarreled with and lashed out at his mother.

David’s father supplied him with magazines that depicted sadomasochistic pornography. As he was shy and socially awkward, he was bullied by his peers. This led to his secret fascination with sadomasochism.

After he completed his high school education, he worked as an auto mechanic. He also worked in the army, from where he eventually received an honorable discharge.

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Crimes

It is believed that David Parker Ray started his killing spree somewhere in the mid-1950s. He is known to have had multiple accomplices including some of the women he was dating.

He is believed to have terrorized and killed many women using items, such as whips, straps, sex toys, etc. It is also said that he wanted his victims to see whatever he was doing to them. He employed different techniques and methods for inflicting pain on his victims and even made his friends rape them while he watched.

Arrest

David Parker Ray’s crimes eventually came to an end in March 1999, when he was 59. On March 19th, he approached a 22-year-old woman named Cynthia Vigil in a parking lot, pretending to be a cop. He told her she was under arrest for sex work.

He put her in the back of his car, and brought her to his soundproof trailer, which he called his ‘Toy Box’. He then chained her to a table, and over the next three days, he raped and tortured her. He was also helped by his girlfriend Cindy Hendy.

They used whips, medical instruments, electronic shocks, as well as sexual instruments to torture Cynthia Vigil. Ray also played a cassette tape recording with details of what she would go through. He also told her to refer to them as master and mistress. He explained the details of how he would rape and torture her as well.

He sexually assaulted and tortured her for three days. On the third day, when Ray was at work, his girlfriend left the keys to Vigil’s restraints on a table by mistake, after which she left the room.

When Vigil tried to escape, Hendy noticed it and broke a lamp on her head. Despite this, Vigil managed to unlock her chains, and used an icepick to stab Hendy in the neck. After Hendy fell to the floor, Vigil managed to escape.

Vigil ran down the road wearing an iron slave collar and padlocked chains till a homeowner took her in. The police was called and Parker and his accomplices were captured.

When the news about the arrest spread, another victim named Angelica Montano came forward and told that she had also been victimized by Parker. Though she had reported to the police, there had been no follow-up in the case.

Many other women who had been kidnapped from Raymond’s Lounge and tortured also came forward, and it was found that the manager of Raymond’s Lounge was also an accomplice. A few members of the law enforcement were also found to be accomplices.

The FBI sent numerous agents to investigate Ray’s property and surroundings. However, no identifiable human remains could be found though the police believed that he had murdered numerous people.

Trial & Death

During the trial, the prosecution brought forward two identified victims, Cynthia Vigil and Kelli Garrett, as well as the mother of a deceased victim. The women testified against Ray, and described the horrible tortures that they had to go through.

Garrett stated that she didn’t wish the death penalty on him, as it would be too easy. She wanted him to spend his entire life in prison.

After being convicted of numerous offenses, Ray was sentenced to 224 years in prison. His girlfriend Hendy, who had testified against Ray, also received a 36-year sentence for her role in the crimes. His daughter Jesse Ray was also sentenced to two and a half years in prison for her involvement in the crimes. She also received an additional five years to be served on probation.

In May 2002, Ray was taken to the Lea County Correctional Facility in Hobbs, New Mexico to be questioned. However, he died of a heart attack on 28 May before the interrogation could take place.

Personal Life

David Parker Ray had been married and divorced four times. He had children, including a daughter named Jesse Ray.

David Parker Ray Biography