Photo Provided Nathan Brooks, now 47, is serving life in prison at the London Correctional Institute having been convicted on two counts of aggravated murder and one count of using a firearm while committing the murders.

MARTINS FERRY — Convicted murder Nathan Brooks who is serving life in prison for the brutal killing of his parents as a 17-year-old Bellaire High School student had his first parole hearing in three decades this year.

Brooks, now 47, is serving life in prison at the London Correctional Institute in London, Ohio — convicted on two counts of aggravated murder and one count of using a firearm while committing the murders.

Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan said that the Ohio Adult Parole Authority denied early release to Brooks and scheduled another hearing in 10 years.

Brooks shocked the Ohio Valley community on Sept. 30, 1995, when he killed his father Terry and mother Marilyn in their home. At the time, Brooks professed to worship Satan.

He shot his father then decapitated him with ​a hacksaw and placed his head in a punch bowl. He then stabbed his mother to death. He ended up being arrested later along Riggs Road after his brother Ryan contacted police after discovering his parents’ bodies early the next morning.

Following Brooks’ arrest, police discovered in his room a list of names of various members of the community that he planned on killing. Once that was discovered, Bellaire officials canceled trick-or-treat out of concern for village residents.

Belmont County Sheriff James Zusack recalls the chaos the hit list caused, especially during a time when information didn’t have as many pathways to travel.

“This was before cellphones and social media and all that good stuff, but it was still a really big thing,” he said.

Zusack was only four years into his career as a deputy at the time of the murders. He was tasked with shadowing Brooks as he was being transported to court appearances, doctor appointments and other events.

“I spent a lot of time with him in the back seat. They put me in the back seat unarmed with him basically wherever he went,” Zusack said. “He looked like a normal kid, but I could just tell that certain things he did indicated that he worshiped Satan and was into that stuff.”

Zusack remembers Brooks talking to him in both English and Latin. Brooks knew Latin pretty well which Zusack always thought was strange.

Flanagan said that he was pleased with Brooks being denied parole and noted that just because another hearing is scheduled in 10 years does not mean that parole will be granted.

“Setting a date now is necessary under the statute,” he said. “The parole authority has no choice but to do so. In ten years, the process will start over with the board reviewing evidence, letters and institutional records before rendering a decision.”