What Happened to Wade Griffin, Taylor Parker’s Unsuspecting Ex-Boyfriend from ‘Maternal Instinct’?

Netflix’s newest true crime documentary, ‘Maternal Instinct’, arrived on the streaming platform on June 12, and it has already sent viewers spiraling down a rabbit hole of manipulation, fabricated lives, and catastrophic consequences. The film follows the story of Taylor Parker, a young woman who fell for Wade Griffin, a local hog trapper in a small East Texas town, and whose relationship appeared perfect until devastating secrets began to surface. For many viewers, however, it is Griffin himself, the man at the center of Parker’s elaborate web of lies, who leaves a lasting impression.

Directed by Jessica Dimmock, ‘Maternal Instinct’ investigates the chilling crime committed by Taylor Parker in 2020, a case that sent shockwaves across the country. As the documentary unpacks the layers of deception Parker wove over the course of their relationship, audiences are left with one pressing question: where is Wade Griffin now, and how does a person rebuild after being the unwitting centerpiece of such a monstrous story?

Who Is Wade Griffin, and How Did He Meet Taylor Parker

Wade Griffin described his relationship with Taylor Parker as an “emotional rollercoaster.” A roofing company supervisor, he met Parker at a rodeo in July 2019 and the two started communicating through social media. Their courtship moved quickly, with the couple soon sharing dinners and meeting each other’s families. Griffin worked for a roofing company in Daingerfield, Texas, and also had side jobs as a welder, hog trapper, and livestock manager.

She described herself as having a $6 million inheritance waiting for her once some family drama was sorted out, and the pair moved in together that October. Parker involved Griffin in her alleged schemes, claiming she was an heir to the Blackburn syrup fortune and attempting to complete a real estate deal worth as much as $20 million.

An agent testified that Parker viewed a property listed at $4.7 million with Griffin and included both of their names in the agreed-upon contract, with Parker using the name Taylor Parker-Griffin, though they were not married.

Griffin recalled that Parker had a quality that drew people in, describing how she lit up the room when she walked in. His friend Codey Ott echoed the sentiment in the documentary, saying Parker was somebody you would want to hang around with. It was a charm that, as the documentary makes devastatingly clear, was entirely manufactured.

The Fake Pregnancy That Drove a Deadly Scheme

Parker had celebrated the gender reveal of her alleged unborn child with Griffin and claimed they would build a life together with expansive property and a large inheritance. Except none of it, including the pregnancy, was true. Parker was unable to have children, and turned to a horrific, deadly scheme to keep the charade alive.

Parker had faked her own pregnancy for ten months using a silicone belly, forged ultrasounds, and fake gender reveal parties, all in an effort to keep Griffin.

Early on in the relationship, Griffin said Parker indicated she was pregnant but claimed to have had a miscarriage, before telling him again in January 2020 that she was pregnant. At no point did Griffin have any knowledge of her previous medical history, making him entirely a victim of the manipulation.

On October 9, 2020, Parker killed Reagan Simmons-Hancock, who was eight months pregnant, and cut the unborn baby from her womb. The premature infant, Braxlynn Sage Hancock, also died. Parker was later stopped by a state trooper who found her covered in blood with the dead baby in her arms. Doctors who examined Parker found no evidence of childbirth after she claimed to have had the baby on the side of the road.

Wade Griffin’s Testimony and the Aftermath of the Trial

Police handcuffed Griffin upon his arrival at the hospital and questioned him over Parker’s actions, though he first believed he was being detained due to illegal hog transport. Griffin was never charged with any crimes pertaining to Simmons-Hancock’s killing. The moment of confusion, of a man who thought he was being pulled aside over livestock permits only to be told his girlfriend had committed a fetal abduction, captures the almost surreal nature of how thoroughly Parker had deceived those closest to her.

During his 2022 court testimony, Griffin confirmed he lost his job following his involvement with Parker. “Pretty much ruined my whole reputation. Slandered my name, my brothers, my mom,” he said, adding it was the worst thing he had ever had to live through. In the documentary, viewers hear about the crime from many different angles through old friends of Taylor, the family of Reagan, and Wade, along with his own friends and family.

Where Is Wade Griffin Now

Griffin returned to hog trapping and tending to his farm after the trial. “The whole point behind it all,” he said in the documentary, “I really don’t know.” The resignation in that statement says more about the lasting psychological toll of the case than almost anything else in the film.

Little is publicly known about Griffin’s life today. A civil suit alleged Griffin was negligent for allowing Parker to use a vehicle registered to himself during the time of Reagan’s murder, with court documents stating Griffin knew, or through the exercise of reasonable care should have known, that Parker was a reckless and incompetent driver prior to permitting her to operate his vehicle. A potential outcome from the suit has not been shared publicly.

Although Netflix has not explicitly confirmed his involvement, Griffin is seen speaking in both present-day and archival materials during the trailer for ‘Maternal Instinct’, hinting at a new interview and a highlighted role in the project. His willingness to revisit the story on camera suggests a man still processing a chapter of his life he never chose to be part of.

Taylor Parker’s Status Today and the Broader Case

In November 2025, Parker’s appeal of her kidnapping conviction was denied. In May 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a plea to hear Parker’s case without explanation regarding her death sentence, meaning Parker is still on death row and awaiting information on when her execution might take place.

The film is directed by Jessica Dimmock and produced by Joshua Levine, Samantha DeMaria, and Jon Bardin. Reviewers have described ‘Maternal Instinct’ as a well-made documentary about a heartbreaking and heinous crime, noting it is a very difficult watch but also an important one, with a key message of trusting your gut instinct.

The case has once again ignited conversations about the signs people miss, the lies they choose to believe, and the innocent lives destroyed in the wake of someone else’s obsession.

Griffin’s story is not one of complicity but of profound victimhood, and it raises difficult questions about how anyone moves on from being the reason, however unknowingly, that a young mother and her unborn child lost their lives. If you watched ‘Maternal Instinct’ and found yourself thinking about how Wade Griffin has been able to carry the weight of this story, share your thoughts in the comments below.