Judge: Key witness in 2011 double homicide gone cold for 11 years will testify remotely

A "necessary witness" in a murder case will be allowed to testify remotely, a judge ruled.

Court records indicate that Lee Circuit Judge Bruce Kyle on Monday OK'd the remote deposition of Richard Hintermeister in the case charging Michael Parks, 39, in the murders of Steven Rios and Lisa Collins.

The double homicide happened on Sept. 14, 2011.

According to the state's motion filed by Assistant State Attorney Jody Brown on Oct. 12, Hintermeister is a witness to the crime and can identify Parks and the vehicle leaving the scene at 4030 E. River Drive, in Fort Myers, following the murders.

The state has requested that the deposition be video recorded for use at trial, records show. According to court documents, Hintermeister is scheduled to be out of town beginning Wednesday "for a pre-paid trip."

"Without this deposition, there would be a failure of justice as the State may be precluded from presenting essential evidence in this case," the state's motion reads in part.

More than 11 years after the Fort Myers couple was shot to death, the State Attorney's Office announced Parks' arrest in October 2022.

Parks is charged with two counts of second-degree murder with a firearm; and one count of robbery with a firearm causing death. The state on Monday dropped two counts of third-degree felony murder, court records indicate.

At the time of his link to the double homicide, Parks was incarcerated at the Okaloosa Correctional Institution in Crestview, on an unrelated case.

Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Witness to double 2011 Fort Myers homicide will testify remotely