Rockford man found guilty of hiding 2018 first-degree murder

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Winnebago County State’s Attorney J. Hanley announced Tuesday that Nickles Parks, 29, is found guilty of first-degree murder and concealment of the 2018 homicidal death of Jamie Stephens after a jury trial.

Winnebago County deputies found Stephens in a ditch off Knapp Road in Rockford on December 10, 2018- one day after what would have been his 31st birthday,

After investigation, detectives found that Parks was one of the last people to see Stephens.

In 2018, officers tracked down a 2011 Chrysler 300 belonging to Parks hidden in a garage in Rockford. After examination, detectives found that Stephens died in the vehicle from gunshot wounds three days earlier. Parks and Joshua Whittie were determined to be the other two occupants of the Chrysler at the time Jamie was shot to death.

Whittie, 22, previously plead guilty to armed robbery in connection with Stephens’ death. He is currently serving a 20 year prison sentence in Illinois.

Parks faces up to 80 years without parole for the murder and concealment of the crime.

The case is set for a status hearing on April 11, 2022 at 8:30 in Courtroom 316.