Sacto 9-1-1

Q: Brett Harris murdered his mother and stepdad in their home in Parkway Estates. Police found him in a tree in the yard. Where he is now and is there any possibility that he would ever be paroled? - Former Parkway Pal, Sacramento

A: Bret Brooks Harris, now 49, is serving a 41-years-to-life sentence, records show. He is incarcerated at Pleasant Valley State Prison in Coalinga. He is eligible for parole, but at what date is not clear. (His first name in records is spelled Bret and Brett.)

Harris was arrested after police found the bloodied bodies of Barbara Harris Gisler, 55, and Robert Gisler, 52, in the bedroom of their J Parkway home in south Sacramento.

Sacramento County sheriff's deputies coaxed a blood-splattered Harris down from a tree after responding to a family disturbance call in the early morning of Oct. 18, 1984.

Harris reportedly told police he had killed his stepfather because the stepfather had killed his mother.

Police found a grisly scene in the home's bedroom and a pickax handle thrown with such force that it went through the interior wall and protruded out the exterior wall of the house. Graffiti on the walls of the bedroom read "Die," "CIA" and "Bret."

Harris originally intended to plead insanity, a deputy district attorney said. But Harris decided to plead guilty to the first-degree murder of his stepfather and the second-degree murder of his mother, Druliner said.

According to court documents, Harris had a history of mental problems and previously had been committed to Napa State Hospital. He was released to his mother's care in 1982.

An analysis of a blood sample taken from Harris shortly after his arrest showed traces of methamphetamine.

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Sacto 9-1-1 is a blog on crime and emergency services news in the Sacramento region.

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Sacto 9-1-1 Q&A

Q: What happened with the case regarding Marc McCormick? He was accused of videotaping a woman in her home and was arrested. He lives in my neighborhood and I see him all the time. Were charges dropped?


A: According to Sacramento Superior Court online records, misdemeanor charges have been filed against Mark William McCormick, alleging that he used a camcorder or other instrument to view an individual in a place where there was an expectation of privacy, trespassing and peeping.

His next court date is June 4.

According to Sacramento police logs, McCormick, 40, was arrested March 8 after the victim reported that a friend had entered her home without her knowledge to secretly videotape her.


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