Chavez convicted on weapons charges

Special to Historic City News

Historic City News was informed when the Elkton woman, who was a person of interest in the investigation of her mother’s disappearance and homicide, was convicted Thursday by a St. Johns County jury on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

After just about an hour of deliberation, the jury reached their verdict against 44-year-old Lilly Ann Chavez; who was remanded into custody and is set to be sentenced within the next two weeks.

On April 30, 2013, at approximately 7:00 p.m., while legally within the residence of the defendant and her boyfriend, Leighton Dockery, at 395 Ponce Harbor Drive, Apartment 207, St Johns County Sheriff’s detectives located the follow firearms and ammunition in plain view:

• Smith and Wesson 44 Magnum Model 293 and (6) live rounds
• Sportsarm of Florida .22 mag revolver Model 21
• Forehand Arms .32 revolver
• Walther Model 8
• Unknown make f model rifle
• Colt MK IV Officers ACP with 3 magazines and ammunition
• Smith and Wesson 357 Magnum and six (6) live rounds
• Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun Model 88 and five (5} live rounds
• Marlin .22 model1 00
• Miscellaneous ammunition found in dresser drawer
• (2) Boxes of miscellaneous ammunition

Detectives learned these firearms were brought to the residence by the defendant or at defendant’s direction after her father passed away in July of 2012.

Conviction records revealed that Chavez was found guilty of three felony crimes on January 22, 2009.  Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is a second degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Assistant State Attorney Jacquelyn Roys prosecuted the defendant and the Honorable Judge Michael Traynor presided over the case.

Chavez’ mother, 67-year-old Barbara Parchem, a waitress at the Village Inn restaurant on North Ponce de Leon Boulevard in St Augustine, disappeared for three weeks before her body was discovered in the area of West Deep Creek in Flagler County on April 30, 2013.

Chavez has an arrest record locally going back to 1996, according to available jail records. Law enforcement press releases emphasized that Chavez’ arrest, although discovered during the investigation of her mother’s murder, was unrelated.

Arrests included 12/19/1996, 03/21/2005, 04/08/2008, and again on 10/07/2008; when Chavez was charged with possession of a synthetic narcotic, a first-degree felony, two-counts of fraud, each a third-degree felony, possession of drugs, a third-degree felony, and second-degree felony charges of dealing in stolen property. Additional charges from another agency assisting in the investigation were filed for larceny and burglary — each a third-degree felony.

According to 23rd District Medical Examiner, Dr. Predag Bulic, the cause of Parchem’s death was a gunshot wound to the neck.  Chavez was questioned but has never been charged in her mother’s death.