He Said He Killed to Save a Child - A Jury Didn't Buy It

A Juilliard-trained pianist brutally murdered a South Carolina veterinary technician, claiming he was “saving” a child from abuse. Zachary Hughes, 33, admitted to stabbing Christina Parcell over 30 times in her home in Greer - but his justification was as shocking as the crime itself.

A Murder Fueled by a Custody Battle

Hughes had never met Parcell before, but he was close to John Mello, the 64-year-old father of Parcell’s daughter. Mello was locked in a bitter custody fight and allegedly convinced Hughes that Parcell was sexually abusing their child. According to testimony, Mello even offered Hughes $5,000 - and later $10,000 - to kill Parcell, though Hughes claimed he refused the money.

Still, Hughes fixated on the idea that the only way to “save” the girl was to kill her mother. In court, he stated, “I had come to the point where, rationally, I knew that the only way the daughter was going to be saved from what she was enduring was for me to take this route.” according to the Greenville News.

The Chilling Attack

Hughes reportedly carefully planned the murder. He parked his truck away from the home, rode a bike to the neighborhood, and carried a gift-wrapped box filled with rose petals and a revolver. When Parcell opened the door, he forced his way inside, pulled a knife, and stabbed her repeatedly as she fought back.

Afterward, Hughes attempted to clean any DNA evidence from Parcell’s fingernails with paint thinner before fleeing. Her fiancé, Bradley Post, later found her body surrounded by scattered rose petals and a chemical odor in the room.

The Trial and a Courtroom Outburst

During his trial, Hughes insisted he acted to protect the child, despite having no evidence. Prosecutors called his reasoning a “mockery of the court” and pointed out that Parcell’s daughter was at school at the time - nowhere near imminent danger, WSPA reported.

Judge Patrick Fant ruled that Hughes could not claim Parcell had abused her daughter. Yet, Hughes repeatedly violated that ruling, leading the judge to hold him in contempt and sentence him to six months in jail in addition to his life sentence.

The Aftermath - And a Second Arrest

As Hughes spoke in court, his testimony led to another shocking development: Mello was arrested for accessory before the fact to a felony and solicitation to commit a felony for allegedly encouraging Hughes to kill Parcell.

Meanwhile, Post was also facing legal trouble. After Parcell’s murder, authorities arrested Post on charges of sexual exploitation of a minor, though his connection to the murder remains unclear.

A Murder Without Justification

According to The Greenville News, after the verdict was announced, prosecutor Walter Wilkins emphasized that there were lawful ways to report suspected child abuse.

“I know one way that you’re not supposed to do it,” he reportedly said, “and that’s to break into a person’s house and stab them 35 times.”

Despite Hughes’ claims of acting for a just cause the jury saw it differently. After just three hours of deliberation, they convicted him of murder, sealing his fate with a life sentence behind bars.

References: Pianist Who Made Shocking Claim About Why He Killed Vet Tech Is Convicted of Murdering Her | Zachary Hughes admits to stabbing friend’s ex-wife; testimony leads to friend’s arrest | Judge sentences Upstate murder suspect to six months for outbursts | No bond for second arrest in connection to Canebrake murder | Jurors find Zachary Hughes guilty of murder in Canebrake Drive stabbing