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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1

What were the known crimes committed by David Parker Ray?

David Parker Ray was a suspected American serial killer and known for being a torturer and rapist. He abducted women and held them captive in a torture chamber known as his "toy box," where he subjected them to unspeakable acts of violence and abuse.
2

How did David Parker Ray attract his victims?

David Parker Ray would often use manipulation and deception to attract his victims. He would sometimes pose as an undercover police officer or offer them a job opportunity before luring them to his home where he would then subdue and torture them.
3

Were there any accomplices involved in David Parker Ray's crimes?

While David Parker Ray primarily acted alone in his crimes, he did have a girlfriend named Cindy Hendy who was believed to have been complicit in some of the abductions and assaults. She was also involved in helping him dispose of evidence.
4

How did David Parker Ray's crimes come to light?

David Parker Ray's crimes came to light in 1999, when one of his victims, Cynthia Vigil, managed to escape from captivity and seek help. This led to a police investigation that uncovered the extent of Ray's horrific crimes.
5

What was the outcome of the legal proceedings against David Parker Ray?

David Parker Ray was arrested, charged, and ultimately convicted for his crimes. He was sentenced to over 200 years in prison without the possibility of parole. He passed away in 2002 while still incarcerated.

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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.

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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.

Facts About David Parker Ray

David Parker Ray was known for his fascination with bondage and sadomasochism, leading him to create a custom-designed torture chamber in his New Mexico home.

Ray was also a skilled mechanic and often used his expertise to build and modify his own equipment for his criminal activities.

Despite his heinous crimes, Ray was considered to be highly intelligent and manipulative, able to deceive and control his victims with ease.

Ray was a proficient writer and often kept detailed journals and recordings of his crimes, which were used as evidence against him in court.

Ray's case brought attention to the issue of human trafficking and the importance of raising awareness about the dangers of abduction and exploitation.

David Parker Ray Biography

You wanted to know

What were the known crimes committed by David Parker Ray?

How did David Parker Ray attract his victims?

Were there any accomplices involved in David Parker Ray's crimes?

How did David Parker Ray's crimes come to light?

What was the outcome of the legal proceedings against David Parker Ray?