Oklahoma warden’s wife freed from prison; she aided inmate escape

Houston —  The wife of a former Oklahoma prison warden was released from prison Thursday, six months after her conviction for helping an inmate escape almost 18 years ago, authorities said.

Bobbi Parker was released at 1 a.m. from the Hillside Community Correctional Center in Oklahoma City, Department of Corrections spokesman Jerry Massie told The Times. She served a little more than half of her 1-year prison sentence and was freed without any further time on probation, Massie said.

Parker, 49, was convicted Sept. 21 in connection with helping convicted killer Randolph Franklin Dial escape from the Oklahoma State Reformatory; her husband, Randy, was deputy warden there at the time.

Parker and Dial disappeared from the Greer County prison on Aug. 30, 1994. They were discovered living as husband and wife on a west Texas chicken farm in April 2005.

Prosecutors alleged that Parker was a willing captive who fell in love with Dial. But, with her husband standing by her, defense attorneys argued that Parker was kidnapped and controlled by Dial, who threatened to harm her family.

Dial died in prison in 2007 at age 62, maintaining all the time that he had kidnapped Parker.

Parker has been appealing her conviction. Her attorney could not be reached for comment Thursday.

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molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com