What Happened to Reagan Michelle Simmons-Hancock?
Reagan Simmons-Hancock was a 21-year-old pregnant woman from New Boston, Texas, who was brutally murdered on October 9, 2020, by Taylor Rene Parker. Parker then cut Simmons-Hancock's unborn daughter, Braxlynn Sage, from her womb, who also died. Parker was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death in November 2022, with her appeals denied by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2025 and the U.S. Supreme Court in May 2026. The case received renewed national attention with the release of the Netflix documentary "Maternal Instinct" in June 2026.
Quick Answer
Reagan Simmons-Hancock was a 21-year-old pregnant woman tragically murdered on October 9, 2020, in New Boston, Texas, by Taylor Rene Parker, who abducted her unborn child. Parker, who had faked a pregnancy for months, was found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to death in November 2022. As of September 2026, Parker remains on death row in Texas, having exhausted her direct appeals, with the U.S. Supreme Court denying her case in May 2026. The harrowing details of Simmons-Hancock's murder and the subsequent trial were recently highlighted in the June 2026 Netflix documentary "Maternal Instinct."
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline15 events
Reagan Michelle Simmons-Hancock Born
Reagan Michelle Simmons-Hancock was born.
Meets Taylor Parker
Reagan Simmons-Hancock met Taylor Rene Parker when Parker worked as her engagement and wedding photographer.
Murdered by Taylor Parker
Reagan Simmons-Hancock, 34-35 weeks pregnant, was brutally murdered in her New Boston, Texas home by Taylor Rene Parker, who then cut her unborn daughter, Braxlynn Sage, from her womb. Braxlynn also died.
Taylor Parker Charged
Taylor Parker was booked into the Bi-State Detention Center and charged with capital murder, murder, and kidnapping in connection with Simmons-Hancock's death.
Grand Jury Indictment
A Bowie County grand jury formally indicted Taylor Parker for kidnapping and capital murder for the deaths of Simmons-Hancock and her daughter.
Death Penalty Sought
Bowie County District Attorney Jerry Rochelle announced that prosecutors would seek the death penalty against Taylor Parker.
Taylor Parker's Trial Begins
Taylor Parker stood trial before a Bowie County jury for the death of Reagan Simmons-Hancock and the forcible removal of her child.
Parker Found Guilty
After approximately an hour of deliberation, a jury found Taylor Parker guilty of capital murder and kidnapping.
Parker Sentenced to Death
Taylor Parker was sentenced to death by the Bowie County jury, becoming the first woman in Texas to receive a death sentence in a decade.
Parker Speaks to The New Yorker
Taylor Parker spoke with The New Yorker, stating her acceptance of what she had done came only when she saw autopsy photos.
First Appeal Rejected
Taylor Parker's first appeal was rejected by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, affirming her conviction and sentence.
Appeal to U.S. Supreme Court
Parker filed an appeal for a review of her death sentence to the U.S. Supreme Court, with her counsel arguing she did not receive a fair trial.
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Appeal
The U.S. Supreme Court denied Taylor Parker's appeal, exhausting her direct appeals process.
Netflix Documentary Premieres
The Netflix documentary "Maternal Instinct," exploring the murder of Reagan Simmons-Hancock and Taylor Parker's crime, premiered globally.
Family Advocates for Legislative Change
Reagan Simmons-Hancock's family began advocating for legislative changes to protect pregnant women in the wake of her murder.
Follow this story
Get an email when this timeline gets a major update.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
Reagan Michelle Simmons-Hancock, born November 14, 1998, was a young wife and mother from New Boston, Texas, expecting her second daughter, Braxlynn Sage, when her life was tragically cut short on October 9, 2020. She was 34 to 35 weeks pregnant at the time of her death. Simmons-Hancock had met her killer, Taylor Rene Parker, in 2019 when Parker worked as her engagement and wedding photographer.
Parker's motive for the brutal crime stemmed from an elaborate deception. She had faked a pregnancy for ten months to her then-boyfriend, Wade Griffin, and numerous family members, even staging medical appointments, a gender reveal party, and using a silicone belly to simulate physical changes. Unable to have more children after an ectopic pregnancy and tubal ligation, Parker's lies escalated as her due date approached, leading her to target Simmons-Hancock.
On the morning of October 9, 2020, Parker drove to Simmons-Hancock's home, where she brutally attacked the 21-year-old. Simmons-Hancock suffered blunt force trauma and 113 sharp force injuries, including 15 stab wounds and 98 incised wounds, with 39 blunt force injuries to her head. After killing Simmons-Hancock, Parker performed a crude C-section with a scalpel she had brought, removing the unborn baby. Simmons-Hancock's three-year-old daughter was present in the house but was not physically harmed.
Parker fled the scene with the infant, later being stopped by a Texas State Trooper for speeding. She claimed to have just given birth on the side of the road, but medical staff at a nearby hospital quickly determined she had not. The baby, Braxlynn Sage Hancock, died at the hospital. Parker was arrested and subsequently indicted on charges of capital murder and kidnapping. Prosecutors announced their intention to seek the death penalty in January 2021.
The trial of Taylor Parker began in September 2022, and after three weeks of testimony, a Bowie County jury found her guilty of capital murder and kidnapping on October 3, 2022. On November 9, 2022, Parker was sentenced to death, becoming the seventh woman on death row in Texas and the first in a decade. Her conviction and sentence were upheld by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in November 2025. Parker filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in March 2026, which was denied on May 18, 2026 (or May 29, 2026), exhausting her direct appeals.
As of September 29, 2026, Taylor Parker remains incarcerated on death row at the Patrick O'Daniel Unit in Gatesville, Texas, with no execution date scheduled. The case garnered renewed national attention with the release of the Netflix documentary "Maternal Instinct" on June 12, 2026, which explores the harrowing details of the crime and Parker's deception. Simmons-Hancock's family has since advocated for legislative changes to protect pregnant women.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Reagan Michelle Simmons-Hancock made different choices?