Chicago man charged in 15-year-old girl's strangulation death allegedly had unsettling Google search history

CHICAGO - New details were released Tuesday after a Chicago man was charged in the strangulation death of a 15-year-old girl in the city's South Shore neighborhood.

Joshua Williams, 24, faces one count of first-degree murder.

On background, prosecutors said that Williams and the victim, Amarise Parker, were in a relationship at the time of her death.

Parker's family had filed numerous missing persons reports related to her leaving home. At that time, she was staying at Williams's apartment, located in the 200 block of South Phillips Avenue, for several days.

On Dec. 10, Parker went to the home of Williams' neighbor and asked to use his phone to call her mother, prosecutors said.

She asked her mother to pick her up, and her mother went to Williams's residence but was unable to locate her.

Then, on the morning of Dec. 11, Parker called her mother again asking to be picked up, prosecutors said.

Her mother again went to Williams's residence and Parker got into her car and they left. She told her mother that Williams would not let her leave, and was only able to escape when he thought she was in the restroom.

At about 2:15 p.m. the same day, Parker's mother went to pick up her other daughter from school, but when she returned, Parker was gone. She had allegedly returned to Williams's home to stay the night.

In the evening hours, Williams's neighbor heard the two arguing, leading into the early hours of Dec. 12.

Just before 7 p.m. on Dec. 12, Williams called his cousin and a friend and allegedly told them that Parker was foaming at the mouth and he was unsure of what to do.

Williams's cousin then called 911 and paramedics arrived and found Parker lying in an open closet with a blanket covering all but her head, prosecutors said.

A necklace was found lodged in her throat and her neck was red and cut. Parker also had cuts and scratches on the right side of her face leading down her neck.

She was unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene.

Williams was on scene when police and paramedics arrived and he was questioned by police on Dec. 13 before being released.

The Cook County Medical Examiner later ruled Parker's death a homicide by means of strangulation and asphyxiation. It was also noted that her windpipe was crushed.

On Saturday, police questioned Williams again, who stated that he and Parker fell asleep together on Dec. 11 and she did not wake up the next day. He then allegedly stated that he panicked and called his cousin. 

Williams also claimed that he and Parker did not fight or argue. 

Police obtained Williams's phone and allegedly found videos of Williams touching Parker's dead body at about 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 12.

Additionally, Williams's Google search history allegedly included over 50 searches related to strangulation, Parker's name, the death penalty, murder, how to explain an asphyxiation death, the penalty for murder and overdosing on medication.

Currently, Williams has a warrant out of Colorado Springs for strangulation and in 2019, he was charged in another strangulation case.