Man sentenced for murder claimed to be an Outlaw

Jun. 12—ANDERSON — Although Jordan Zirkle has not taken the stand in his trial, jurors on Friday were able to listen to an emotional and frightened sounding Zirkle during his recorded police interview.

Zirkle, 33, is charged with two counts of Level 1 felony aiding, inducing or causing murder in the July 29, 2018, shooting of Trinity Parker, 39, and the Aug. 6, 2018, shooting of David L. Phillips II, 36.

Daniel Jones admitted to killing both Parker and Phillips in 2020.

Authorities and co-defendants in the case say Zirkle was present during the murders. Deputy prosecutors say Zirkle aided Jones during the killings.

Brittney Vontress-Cox, Taylor Wheeler and David Roberts are also charged as co-defendants in the fatal shootings of Parker and Phillips.

Zirkle's police interview was played for jurors two days after David Roberts testified that he became scared of Daniel Jones during a car ride with the two men.

Madison County Deputy Prosecutor Daniel Kopp asked Roberts what the men told him that made him afraid of them.

"They were part of the Outlaws (motorcycle club)," said Roberts.

Kopp asked why that would cause him to be afraid and Roberts said, "they don't have the nicest reputation."

Roberts said he asked Jones if Parker, who was a close friend and someone he was intimate with, could stay with him while he was hiding from police. Jones started making inquiries about Parker.

Roberts testified that Jones learned Parker was an informant for the police on a case and there was a "hit on her."

"He put a gun in my face and said I was going to get her out there or he was going to kill me and my children," Roberts said.

Roberts testified that Zirkle was present when the threats were made and Zirkle witnessed Parker's murder.

Roberts also said he sat next to Parker and made small talk with her in the back seat as Zirkle drove around with Jones in the front passenger seat. Roberts said he knew Jones was planning to kill Parker.

At one point, Jones sent Roberts a text message that said, "if she catches on, take her phone."

On Friday, jurors listened to the taped police interview with Zirkle.

The interview begins with Zirkle who sounds nervous and laughingly admits to a detective he doesn't know why they want to talk to him. Zirkle tells the detective he is baffled by rumors of a murder and he admits to talking to Daniel Jones that morning.

Zirkle told the detective that during his conversation with Jones, he demanded to know why people were accusing him of murder.

"He's thinking it's just people on the streets saying it, but still I want to know what is going on," Zirkle said.

The detective lets Zirkle ramble disjointedly about his concerns, how he doesn't know what is going on, his suspicions, conversations he has had with other people about the rumors, that he is fixing up a bus to drive to California and the names of people who might be involved in a mix-up of sorts.

"I need you to be completely honest with me about Daniel, OK?" the detective said. "A lot of people are scared of him."

"I am too," Zirkle said in a slightly high-pitched voice.

Zirkle said Jones had threatened people and their families. He was introduced to Jones through his mother and knew him for about a month before the homicides, according to courtroom testimony.

When first questioned by detectives, Zirkle says he never drove a vehicle that belonged to his grandmother. The vehicle in question matches witness descriptions of the vehicle Jones was a passenger in the day Parker was killed.

He also said in the video he never saw Jones shoot anyone, but he admitted that Jones told people he shot Phillips.

"I've watched him, myself, be pretty violent toward people," Zirkle said.

Throughout the interview, Zirkle expressed fear of Jones and asked to make contact with his grandmother so she would not worry about him.

At first, he says someone came and got Jones and that is when the murders happened. Slowly, however, Zirkle changes his story during the interview.

When the detective says there are cameras at Rangeline Nature Preserve and questions Zirkle if they would find footage of him there with Jones, Zirkle says he did go there with Jones to hike the trails.

"What do you do when you witness something like this?" Zirkle asked.

"Well, I understand being scared to death," the detective answered.

"Do you?" Zirkle asked.

The detective tells Zirkle he can "see the fear in his eyes," and assures him that they are aware Jones has threatened people.

Eventually, Zirkle tells the detective he was with Jones when the murders took place, but hedges around direct questioning that he witnessed Parker or Phillips being shot.

In 2020, Jones was sentenced by Madison Circuit Court Division 6 Judge Mark Dudley to 60 years for murder, 60 years for aiding, inducing or causing murder and 14 years for criminal confinement.

The causing murder and criminal confinement sentences will run concurrently and consecutive to Jones' murder sentence for a total of 120 years.

Zirkle's trial before Judge Dudley is being broadcast live online at https://public.courts.in.gov/incs#/. Testimony is scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. Monday.

Follow Traci L. Miller @_TraciMiller on Twitter, email her at traci.miller@heraldbulletin.com, or call her at 765-640-4805.