Parnell suffered a heart attack and died. The jury on Friday said Whitfield's actions in her home caused her death, though the verdict stopped short of saying he'd killed her.
Whitfield was convicted of attempting to rob the Fort Financial Credit Union in Gastonia with a friend, Quanterrious McCoy, who has already pleaded guilty to the robbery. Whitfield was also convicted on two firearms charges.
Investigators said he and McCoy were separated while running from the cops, and Whitfield was trying to change clothes to get away. They believe he entered two homes in the process.
Parnell was dead when her husband found her hours later. The jury found Whitfield not guilty of killing her, but - in a quirky three part verdict - voted to place the blame for her death on him. That distinction still means he'll serve a mandatory life sentence.
Parnell's large family, in court, were thrilled with the verdict. "He committed this crime with callous indifference. My mother-in-law had a heart attack right in front of this guy, and he didn't even have the decency to call an ambulance," David Hains said. "All he cared about was himself, and he can think about that for the rest of his life in jail."
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