Man Who Stabbed Wyncote Security Guard Faces 20 Years In Prison

CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — A Philadelphia man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempting to murder an unarmed loss prevention officer at a store last year.

Truman Parks, 53, of Philadelphia, and his daughter were charged with attempted murder for stabbing an employee at Five Below at Greenleaf in Cheltenham.

Parks and Sydney Swain-Parks, 27, both of Philadelphia, were charged with criminal attempt of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, and related charges for the assault of a security guard on Dec. 6, 2024, authorities said.

Cheltenham Police found a man at the Five Below at Greenleaf in Cheltenham with life-threatening injuries, going in and out of consciousness, and lying in a pool of blood. He was taken into emergency surgery and later released.

Detectives reviewed surveillance footage and found that Truman Parks entered the Five Below three times on Dec. 6.

Police said at 4:45 p.m., Truman Parks placed $150 worth of merchandise inside a store basket.
He left the store without paying for the items and without a confrontation.

At 5:15 p.m., he returned the empty Five Below basket. That's when the store’s security guard followed Truman Parks out of the store, where surveillance video captures the two engaged in a “heated verbal exchange,” authorities said.

At 6:26 p.m., Truman Parks returned for the third time in a blue Jeep Liberty that was being driven by Sydney Swain-Parks.

Video surveillance showed the pair entered the store and searched for the security guard. Truman Parks approached him from behind and stabbed him, police said.

As the security guard tried to get away, he was punched by Truman Parks, who then fled the store. His daughter then calmly stepped around the security guard and walked out of the store, authorities said.