Parker Ray Lynch was 25 when he died on February 11, 2019, in the Central, Arizona, area. That evening Lynch and two acquaintances were shooting a .223 single-shot rifle at a ballistic vest placed on a tree. At one point Lynch put on the vest and invited companion Steven Watson to shoot at him. Watson fired one round that struck Lynch in the abdomen. Lynch was taken to a nearby hospital and died during surgery.

Steven Watson, 22 at the time, was taken into custody on suspicion of manslaughter and later pleaded guilty to negligent homicide; he was sentenced to five years of supervised probation, 30 days in jail, and 200 hours of community service, including 40 hours of gun safety work. Lynch was born January 31, 1994, in Woodbridge, Virginia, raised in Mesa, Arizona, graduated Mountain View High School and earned an Associate’s Degree from Eastern Arizona College. His family remembered him for his energetic spirit, kindness and willingness to help others.

Did anyone in the area know Lynch or have information about that night?