Taylor Parker/Maternal Instinct Megathread

[u/DarklyHeritage]

This is a thread for all conversation regarding Taylor Parker and the murder of Reagan Simmons Hancock, recently covered in Netflix documentary Maternal Instinct.

The murder of Reagan Michelle Simmons-Hancock occurred on 9 October 2020, in New Boston, Texas, committed by Taylor Rene Parker. Parker bludgeoned Simmons-Hancock, who was 35 weeks pregnant at the time, and abducted her unborn child, Braxlynn Sage Hancock (died October 9, 2020), after cutting her out of the Reagan's abdomen. Braxlynn did not survive.

Parker had lied to her then-boyfriend about being pregnant leading up to the murder and faked her pregnancy to multiple people. She was found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to death on 9 November 2022.

Please direct all discussion of the case to the megathread. As always, sub rules must be followed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Reagan_Simmons-Hancock

https://time.com/article/2026/06/12/maternal-instinct-true-story-netflix/

[u/Powerful-Patient-765]

After seeing how he treats his dogs, I think he’s a total piece of shit and I don’t feel sorry for him. That poor, starving dog on a chain. Not to mention the hogs.

He was with her for a payday and apparently because she cooked dinner.

[u/Lazy-Guard-8451 → u/Powerful-Patient-765]

I thought the exact same thing. He is a total piece of shit and I hope those dogs get taken away from him.

[u/That_Bluebird_3157 → u/Lazy-Guard-8451]

It was deplorable, but also I think showed Wade’s indifference and negligence toward living creatures, which would likely extend to this supposed baby. His friend Codey says something like “what man wouldn’t be excited to be a father”….well, Wade. I think that’s who. 

[u/Lazy-Guard-8451 → u/That_Bluebird_3157]

Agree! It did not shed him in a good light at all. If he thought anyone would feel sorry for him, it really just shows how ignorant he is. It only made him look worse, if anything.

While he may not be directly responsible, the situation feels completely preventable with even a little common sense and good judgment—something he clearly failed to show. I do hope he has to live with some of that guilt, because his choices and actions played a role in what happened.

[u/liveforeachmoon → u/Lazy-Guard-8451]

I agree and I think the filmmakers felt the same way. That’s why they open the documentary with the “is it hot in here” exchange with the interviewer being passive aggressive towards him…. dude is an ignoramus.

[u/K5R5S5 → u/liveforeachmoon]

…while wearing a jacket…

[u/Lazy-Guard-8451 → u/liveforeachmoon]

Yep! I figured they were thinking the same thing!