July 19, 2023 • 24 mins
On October 13, 2021, the savage murder of a 41-year old woman shocked the sleepy town of Greer, South Carolina. The body of Christina Parcell was discovered shortly after 11:00 a.m. in the front living room of a suburban home owned by her sister.. She was found, unresponsive, by her fiance, Bradly Post.
According to Post, he had placed multiple calls to Christina on the morning of her murder – calls which went unanswered. Post told authorities he drove to her sister’s home to check on her and when he arrived, he found her savagely slain
Parcell’s cause of death was recorded by the Greenville county coroner as a homicide caused by “multiple sharp force injuries.”
While the details of the homicide were shocking, what truly shocked investigators was the disturbing ritualistic components observed at the crime scene. FITSNews has learned the killer allegedly sprinkled rose petals around Parcell’s body after dragging and posing her in the front living room of the modest 2,100-square foot home.
Six days after Christina’s murder - her fiance, Bradley Post was arrested. But to the shock of the community, the charges weren’t for murder.
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About FITSNews:
FITSNews is an independent, unapologetic media outlet covering news and politics in South Carolina. From its humble origins as a state government blog, FITSNews has gained national acclaim after breaking both the Murdaugh Murders crime and corruption saga and the Rockstar Cheer scandal – two major national news stories.
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The Rose Petal Murder is the first of many true crime & corruption stories we plan to cover and our articles play a vital role in our recorded content. All articles and documents referenced in this podcast are available on FITSNews.com:
https://www.fitsnews.com/2023/03/16/rose-petal-murder-south-carolinas-next-true-crime-saga/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Unknown (00:00):
This episode contains graphic content that may be
(00:02):
disturbing or traumatizing tosome audiences. Listener
discretion is advised. On themorning of October 13, 2021. The
savage murder of a 41 year oldwoman shocked the sleepy town of
Greer, South Carolina. The bodyof Christina Parcell was
discovered shortly after 11 a.m.
in the front living room of asuburban home owned by her
(00:24):
sister, Tina Parcell. Christinawas found unresponsive with
nearly three dozen stab woundsto the head and neck by her
fiance Bradley Post. Accordingto Post he had placed multiple
calls to Christina on themorning of her murder - calls
which went unanswered. Post toldauthorities he drove to the home
(00:46):
where she was living with hersister to check on her and when
he arrived he found her savagelyslain. At a bond hearing for the
accused killer in this case, thecommunity received some details
about this horrific crime fromSouth Carolina 13th Circuit
solicitor Walt Wilkins, whoseoffice is in charge of
prosecuting this case.
(01:08):
She was brutally stabbed todeath in her neck and head area.
Approximately 31 different stabwounds by a sharp object - most
likely a knife - in her home inthe Cranebreak subdivision in
Greer, and that occurred onOctober 13 2021.
Brutally stabbed is probably anunderstatement. Though details
(01:32):
from the murder scene have yetto be released, Parcell's cause
of death was recorded by theGreenville County Coroner as
homicide caused by multiplesharp force injuries. While the
details of this homicide wereshocking. What truly shook
investigators was the disturbingritualistic components they
observed at the crime scene.
According to our law enforcementsources, the killer allegedly
(01:53):
sprinkled rose petals aroundParcell's body after dragging
and posing her in the frontliving room of her sister's
modest 2100 square foot home. OnMarch 16, 2023, FITSNews
published its first treatment ofthis ritualistic slaughter,
along with a headline that gavethe story its name, the Rose
(02:15):
Petal murder.
Welcome to FitsFiles, a truecrime podcast hosted and
produced by the news team atFITSNews.com. We're the crew
that broke the Murdaugh murderscrime and corruption saga, and
America's cheer incorporated sexabuse scandal wide open.
(02:38):
FITSNews is an independenttenacious media outlet covering
the intersection of crime,justice, politics and corruption
in South Carolina, and beyond.
I'm your host FITSNews foundingeditor and Palmetto State native
will folks, I'll be joined onthis show by Dylan Nolan, Jenn
Wood - who you just heard from -and the rest of our amazing news
(02:58):
team. As we dive deeper into thestories we cover on
FITSNews.com. We'll be seekingthe truth behind the headlines
and covering the facts, tryingto decipher their meaning and
holding everyone involvedaccountable, including
ourselves. We'll follow thesestories, no matter where they
take us. And no matter who wemanaged to piss off in the
(03:19):
process. On this podcast, it'snot about agendas. And it's not
about egos. It's about seekingthe truth and finding true
justice. At FITSFiles. We arefierce advocates for that
justice and for justice reform.
With a proven track record,calling out dirty cops, crooked
(03:40):
judges and the corruptpoliticians who support them.
The horrific Rose Petal murderis the first of many true crime
stories we'll be covering thisseason. And our articles on
FITSNews.com play a vital rolein supporting these episodes. So
in addition to subscribing andreviewing this podcast,
positively, I hope, I'd make onerequest. If you believe in the
(04:02):
value of independent newsorganizations like this, please
support FITSNews by going toFITSNews.com and subscribing
today. Which reminds me all thearticles, documents and sound
clips referenced on this showare available for your review on
FITSNews.com. Again, that'sF-I-T-S-N-E-W-S dot com. Thanks
(04:26):
for tuning in. Thank you forsupporting our work. And now
back to Jenn Wood and our story.
Christina Parcell worked as atechnician at foothills
Veterinary Hospital inGreenville, South Carolina. She
was the mother of a youngdaughter and beloved by her
co-workers, who said she wasgifted with a personality the
(04:47):
size of the high rise. Parcellwas described by her veterinary
co workers as always trying tomake everyone feel better.
Christina's boss Dan Randallspoke to WYFF and WSPA shortly
after her murder, and said, Iquote, She was just fun to be
around somebody you'd enjoytalking to. We'll miss her
expertise for sure. But I thinkmore than anything over the
(05:09):
three years that she workedhere, she made a lot of friends.
And I think mostly people aregoing to miss her friendship and
just miss her, you know,presence around the office. He
continued, Christina brought aunique skill set to the job. She
was really smart, veryarticulate. Not only was
Christina a great veterinarytechnician, she was a mom. She
(05:30):
had a fiancee and a sister herein town. She loved her daughter,
and she was very close to hersister. She's not just some
nameless, faceless victim, endquote. One hospital employee
wrote, the dogs loved her andshe did such an incredible job
with them. Indeed, photos ofChristina at work show a petite
blonde with an infectious smilewho seemingly loved the dogs
(05:53):
that she worked with. As for herrelationship with humans,
Parcell always had an ear andalways tried to make you smile.
Even in the worst of situationsthe co-worker added. The
violent, seemingly random murderof Parcell prompted a wave of
shock and a deluge of grief inand around Greer, a small hamlet
outside of Greenville, SouthCarolina, in the upstate region
(06:16):
of the Palmetto State at thefeet of the Blue Ridge
Mountains. Given the regionstatus as the bastion of social
conservatism, thousands ofprayers were lifted up on behalf
of Parcell's friends and family,particularly her surviving
daughter, who was under the ageof 10 at the time her mother was
murdered. As the story hasunfolded, though, a vastly
(06:38):
different picture of Parcell hasemerged. Meanwhile, the
investigation into her death hasvolleyed back and forth between
absolute certainty andunresolved mystery. Was there
another side of this cheerfuland empathetic vet tech? A side
the public didn't see? A sidethat could have played a role in
the ghastly end she met on thatfateful fall morning. Also, why
(07:02):
do police and prosecutors seemto be frantically searching for
additional evidence in a casewhere they certainly appear to
have Parcell's killer, dead torights? To answer those
questions, or at least attemptto answer them? We must start at
the very beginning of thisinvestigation. Here's Greenville
County Sheriff Hobart Lewisaddressing the media for the
(07:22):
first time about this case onthe afternoon of the murder.
Hey, good morning. Thank you allfor joining us today. As we
prepare to announce an update inthe homicide investigation that
took place at 122 CanebreakDrive on October 13. I want to
first provide you a brieftimeline of events to ensure the
(07:44):
information that you all receiveis accurate and consistent with
what we know at this time inthis investigation. Please be
aware that this is a very muchan ongoing investigation. So
there are a number of pieces ofevidence and information that we
won't discuss today. Certainlynot in a position to talk about
so please in an effort toprotect the integrity of the
(08:05):
case. Just keep that in mind asyou may ask questions later.
Deputies were dispatched to 122Canebreak Drivee just after 11
a.m. on Wednesday, October 13after a woman who has since been
identified as Christina Parcellwas found deceased inside the
residence by a person familiarwith her. Investigators rushed
(08:26):
to the scene and discovered thevictim had been brutally stabbed
multiple times resulting in herdeath.
According to court documents,upon arrival, a deputy saw Post
outside the home speaking on acell phone. An incident report
states that a deputy approachedPost to try to determine what
was happening. When the deputybegan to ask Post question, he
(08:48):
instructed the deputy to wait ashe continued to talk on his cell
phone. The deputy noted thatwhile Post was shaking a little,
he did not appear to be tooupset. When Post finally hung up
the phone, he explained to thedeputy that he decided to come
to the residence after heattempted to call Christina
Parcell, and she did not answerher phone. Post reported that he
(09:09):
entered the residence throughthe back door, as they always
leave it unlocked, and he foundParcell lifeless on the floor in
the front living room. Afterdoing a sweep of the residence
to ensure no one else was in thehome, officers began processing
the bloody scene. According tothe incident report, they found
memory cards and a laptop in theliving room near Parcell's body.
(09:32):
They also recovered at clearziplock bag that had a white
powder substance inside on theliving room table. This bag also
appeared to have dried spots ofblood on it. A cell phone
located near Christina's bodywas retrieved and processed for
data extraction, while a pursebelonging to her containing two
envelopes, each with $500 cashinside, was discovered on a
(09:55):
table near the hallway of theliving room. But that's not all
deputies found. The report alsonoted in the back room of the
home, a small single shotfirearm was discovered inside a
bag that was inside a suitcase.
Meanwhile, multiple documentsregarding an ongoing custody
battle were retrieved fromParcell's bedroom, along with
(10:15):
numerous USB drives. Parcelsbedsheets were also collected as
they appear to have blood onthem. In fact, a Blue Star spray
test was conducted in severalareas including the bathroom and
resulted in a positive responsefor the possible presence of
blood. The deputy who initiallyresponded walked outside the
home in reestablish contact withBradley Post. The deputy stated
(10:38):
that Post became nervous andasked if he needed to speak with
his lawyer. The deputy foundthis odd as he was just asking
basic questions about theincident at the time Post asked
for a lawyer. Post then providedthe deputy with the name of the
person whom he believed killedhis fiancee. Police asked Post
to accompany them while theysearch the residence. They
(11:01):
noticed that Post wore glovesduring this process, which they
found. Neighbors in theCanebreak subdivision quickly
found footage on their Ringcameras showing a male in a
black hoodie and a backpackentering the front door of 122
Canebreak at approximately 10am.
The suspect was then seen onanother Ring camera, leaving the
(11:25):
subdivision on a bicycle.
At about 10 o'clock that morninga Ring camera from across the
street showed us the defendantdressed in a black hoodie and a
backpack entering the frontdoor. The defendant is seen on
camera from another Ring cameraleaving the subdivision on a
(11:45):
bicycle.
Investigators found an abundanceof physical evidence of this
crime scene including DNA underChristina's fingernails.
Combined with the video footagethey collected it seemed an
arrest was imminent. On October19, 2021, just six days after
Christina has graphic murder.
Her fiancee Bradley Post wasarrested. But to the shock of
(12:09):
the community the chargesweren't for murder. Instead,
Post was apprehended inconnection with a child
pornography investigation tiedto evidence obtained at the
murder scene. And as we are thisepisode on July 19, 2023, Post
is currently facing six countsof sexual exploitation of a
minor. Five of them in the firstdegree. He's also facing one
(12:32):
count of criminal sexual contactwith a minor and one count of
buggery. And just trust me,we'll have a lot more to say on
that last charge in futureepisodes. All of these charges
against post incidentally arebeing handled by the Office of
South Carolina Attorney GeneralAlan Wilson. Now additionally,
Post and the estate of ChristinaParcell, the Rose Petal victim,
(12:54):
have been named as defendants intwo civil lawsuits. One brought
on behalf of Parcell's owndaughter and the other on behalf
of another minor femaleallegedly victimized by the
couple. That's right, thecouple. Including, allegedly,
the murder victim herself.
(13:15):
According to the first lawsuitfiled in February of 2022,
Parcell and Post took picturesand videos of and with the minor
female in states of undress andhis sexually provocative
positions. These images andvideos were uncovered during the
investigation of the murder ofParcell. The second lawsuit was
(13:36):
filed in August of 2022. Onbehalf of Parcell's own
daughter. It claims the childwas allegedly photographed and
videoed in sexually explicit andnude positions. And this is
graphic but some of these filesquote depicted her genitals and
breasts. As with the firstcomplaint, the second pleading
alleged that both Post andParcell were involved in the
(13:59):
abuse and that the evidencereferenced in the complaint had
been uncovered during theinvestigation of Christina
Parcell's murder. As you are nodoubt starting to see this was
an is no ordinary case. Whokilled Parcell though? While
this may be the most bizarreelement of our story, the most
(14:22):
out of nowhere component of thistrue crime saga on November 4th,
2021 three weeks after themurder, Sheriff Lewis made the
following announcement.
During the course of theinvestigation, investigators
obtained the lead. This was notfrom a tip this was one that
they they worked on anddeveloped that led them to a
(14:43):
person of interest identified as29 year old Zachary David
Hughes. Investigators discoveredphysical evidence that link
Hughes to the crime andultimately led to investigators
to believe him to be the personresponsible for killing
Christina Parcell. Hughes turnedhimself in at the law
enforcement center yesterdayafternoon, and it's currently in
(15:03):
the Greenville County DetentionCenter, where he's facing
charges of murder and possessionof a weapon during a violent
crime.
According to police andprosecutors, Parcell's murderer
is 31 year old Zachary DavidHughes, a California native and
graduate of the prestigiousJuilliard School in New York
City. A classically trainedconcert pianist, Hughes studied
(15:25):
and performed concertos, writtenby famed composer Ludwig von
Beethoven. You're listening tohim play right now. Hughes is
obsessed with Beethoven. In2020, he undertook to play all
32 of these concertos frommemory, a project Hughes called
the most ambitious thing I'vedone in my life. It's a little
(15:48):
terrifying Hughes told theGreenville Journal in January of
that year, but it wouldn't beworth doing if it wasn't. Hughes
was also obsessed with the Lordof the Rings, writing on his
website that when he was growingup, any free time not spent
practicing piano was employedcrafting wooden replica swords
from the Lord of the Rings,books and movies, and then
(16:11):
taking them into the Appalachianwoods to do battle with the
forces of darkness.
Hughes also had militarytraining to employ in waging his
battles. According to hiswebsite in 2019, Hughes felt the
itch to see a different side oflife. And after six months of
rigorous physical training, hewas selected from a competitive
(16:33):
pool of candidates to attendMarine Corps officer candidate
school, or OCS in Quantico,Virginia. He was unable to
finish the training, however.
Despite earning top marks atOCS, he was dropped from
training due to severe stressfractures sustained in both
legs. On November 3, 2021,Greenville County Sheriff's
(16:57):
deputies arrested Hughes andcharged him with murder and use
of a weapon during thecommission of a violent crime in
connection with ChristinaParcell's death. He has been
held at the Greenville CountyDetention Center since his
arrest. The case against Hughesis compelling. During an April
2022 bond hearing before CircuitCourt Judge Edward W. Miller,
(17:22):
Solicitor Wilkins detailed someof this evidence.
The facts that that show theZach Hughes tied to this case
and the basis of the arrestwarrant show that about 10
o'clock that morning, a Ringcamera from across the street
(17:42):
shows the defendant dressed in ablack hoodie and a backpack
entering the front door. Thedefendant is seen on camera from
another Ring camera leaving thesubdivision on a bicycle. The
investigation moved to Flockcameras, which are cameras that
are located around GreenvilleCounty, and these cameras
(18:04):
located Zach Hughes' truck witha bicycle in the back of the
truck matching the exact bicycleleaving the neighborhood at the
time of the murder. The bicyclewas located at a residence where
the defendant was living withanother family here briefly in
the City of Greenville. Aresident of that house stated
(18:24):
that it was his bicycle and ithad recently been moved while it
has not been used for a longtime. And then finally, Your
Honor, the victims fingernailswere processed for DNA. And the
DNA conclusively shows that ZackHughes' DNA was under the
fingernails of the victim.
(18:48):
In addition, Bradley Post, whichis the victim's fiance, who has
been charged with CSC andexploitation of a minor,
separate from this case, isbeing prosecuted by the Attorney
General's Office has an alibiwhere he is on camera at another
location during this murder.
Your Honor, we take the positionthat the evidence against
(19:14):
evidence against Zach Hughes issubstantial. And we're preparing
for trial. But due to thenature, violent nature of this
crime, the premeditation andcalculation and planning that
had to go into this crime waswas was pretty impeccable.
Planning to drive with a bike inthe back of your car, taking a
(19:39):
bike to the crime scene, avicious brutal stabbing um
occurring for the murder and astaging of the crime scene in a
certain way that is that is thatis relevant as well. Is... shows
that this this individual cannotbe out on bond during the
pendency of this trial,A staging of the crime scene,
(20:04):
the rose petals. But why? Whatcould have possibly motivated
this talented young man who hadno apparent ties to Christina
Parcell to murder her in such abrutal manner? Was there a
connection point, someone whoselife touch the lives of both the
victim and the accused killer.
(20:28):
During the bond hearing, Wilkinstold the court, Parcell was
involved in an extremelycontentious custody battle with
62 year old John Mello, thefather of her young daughter,
By way of background. ChristinaParcell has a daughter who was
around the age of nine, and shewas engaged in a extremely
(20:48):
contentious custody battle withthe father of the child. The
father of the child and ZachHughes are very close friends.
And your honor, we have and I'llgo into a little bit, we have
emails and texts showing theirclose relationship as well as
when the father of the child wasarrested for custodial
(21:09):
interference for leaving withthe child to Italy. When he was
arrested on his jail screen, heput the only familymember that
he put on the jail screen wasZach Hughes. So the relationship
is very, very close. Theinvestigation shows Zach Hughes
is a close and personal friendof the victim's, father of the
victim's daughter. When he wasarrested, he put it on the jail
(21:31):
screen. In addition, the searchwarrants of the defendant was
obtained and law enforcementcould extract only a small
amount of information from thedefendant's phone. It's hooked
up to what's called a gray keyand it's still searching for the
passcode. But it was able toextract a small amount of
information and that becomesrelevant later, Your Honor, but
(21:51):
in that information, there'stext information between them.
Mello and Hughes are very closefriends, Wilkins said. And the
two routinely use the encryptedsmartphone application WhatsApp
to communicate with each other.
Hughes also worked for Mello,according to prosecutors,
cleaning his home and performingother random jobs. Mello also
gave Hughes exclusive rights toretrieve his belongings from the
(22:13):
airport after he was arrestedreturning from Italy on October
21 2021, just eight days afterthe murder. That's right. Mello
is facing a criminal charge forleaving the country with his and
Parcell's daughter. Hughes wasrecently ordered to provide his
iPhone passcode to investigatorsso they can attempt a forensic
(22:34):
extraction of all 1769 encryptedWhatsApp messages allegedly
exchanged between him and Mello.
Last September, South CarolinaCircuit Court Judge Leticia
Verdin, who was recently electedto the South Carolina Court of
Appeals, ordered Hughes to turnover his password. Though he
(22:55):
refused to comply with theorder, and even allegedly
provided prosecutors with apotential password that was
misleading, detectives wererecently able to unlock the
phone. Limited information fromHughes' phone had already been
obtained prior to them obtainingaccess to the phone and showed
Mello and Hughes apparentlyspeaking in code. How did the
(23:17):
music research go? Mello askedHughes in a message dated the
day of the murders. MusicResearch are Mello and Hughes
corresponding in code. Good,Hughes responded, I'll tell you
over the phone.
FITSNews has been workingtirelessly to try and unravel
this incredibly complex storyahead of Zack Hughes upcoming
(23:40):
murder trial, tentativelyscheduled for early 2024 in
Greenville, South Carolina.
Count on our news team to keepdigging into all aspects of this
story, weaving in everything weknow about his key players,
their actions, lawsuits,investigations, and the
consequences. Our goal is totell this story both as it has
happened already and as itcontinues to unfold ahead of us.
(24:01):
We're glad you joined us on thisjourney. Stay tuned next week
for chapter two of the rosepetal murder. Don't forget to
subscribe and leave a review forFITSFiles, your new home for
true crime.
This episode contains graphic content that may be
(00:02):
disturbing or traumatizing tosome audiences. Listener
discretion is advised. On themorning of October 13, 2021. The
savage murder of a 41 year oldwoman shocked the sleepy town of
Greer, South Carolina. The bodyof Christina Parcell was
discovered shortly after 11 a.m.
in the front living room of asuburban home owned by her
(00:24):
sister, Tina Parcell. Christinawas found unresponsive with
nearly three dozen stab woundsto the head and neck by her
fiance Bradley Post. Accordingto Post he had placed multiple
calls to Christina on themorning of her murder - calls
which went unanswered. Post toldauthorities he drove to the home
(00:46):
where she was living with hersister to check on her and when
he arrived he found her savagelyslain. At a bond hearing for the
accused killer in this case, thecommunity received some details
about this horrific crime fromSouth Carolina 13th Circuit
solicitor Walt Wilkins, whoseoffice is in charge of
prosecuting this case.
(01:08):
She was brutally stabbed todeath in her neck and head area.
Approximately 31 different stabwounds by a sharp object - most
likely a knife - in her home inthe Cranebreak subdivision in
Greer, and that occurred onOctober 13 2021.
Brutally stabbed is probably anunderstatement. Though details
(01:32):
from the murder scene have yetto be released, Parcell's cause
of death was recorded by theGreenville County Coroner as
homicide caused by multiplesharp force injuries. While the
details of this homicide wereshocking. What truly shook
investigators was the disturbingritualistic components they
observed at the crime scene.
According to our law enforcementsources, the killer allegedly
(01:53):
sprinkled rose petals aroundParcell's body after dragging
and posing her in the frontliving room of her sister's
modest 2100 square foot home. OnMarch 16, 2023, FITSNews
published its first treatment ofthis ritualistic slaughter,
along with a headline that gavethe story its name, the Rose
(02:15):
Petal murder.
Welcome to FitsFiles, a truecrime podcast hosted and
produced by the news team atFITSNews.com. We're the crew
that broke the Murdaugh murderscrime and corruption saga, and
America's cheer incorporated sexabuse scandal wide open.
(02:38):
FITSNews is an independenttenacious media outlet covering
the intersection of crime,justice, politics and corruption
in South Carolina, and beyond.
I'm your host FITSNews foundingeditor and Palmetto State native
will folks, I'll be joined onthis show by Dylan Nolan, Jenn
Wood - who you just heard from -and the rest of our amazing news
(02:58):
team. As we dive deeper into thestories we cover on
FITSNews.com. We'll be seekingthe truth behind the headlines
and covering the facts, tryingto decipher their meaning and
holding everyone involvedaccountable, including
ourselves. We'll follow thesestories, no matter where they
take us. And no matter who wemanaged to piss off in the
(03:19):
process. On this podcast, it'snot about agendas. And it's not
about egos. It's about seekingthe truth and finding true
justice. At FITSFiles. We arefierce advocates for that
justice and for justice reform.
With a proven track record,calling out dirty cops, crooked
(03:40):
judges and the corruptpoliticians who support them.
The horrific Rose Petal murderis the first of many true crime
stories we'll be covering thisseason. And our articles on
FITSNews.com play a vital rolein supporting these episodes. So
in addition to subscribing andreviewing this podcast,
positively, I hope, I'd make onerequest. If you believe in the
(04:02):
value of independent newsorganizations like this, please
support FITSNews by going toFITSNews.com and subscribing
today. Which reminds me all thearticles, documents and sound
clips referenced on this showare available for your review on
FITSNews.com. Again, that'sF-I-T-S-N-E-W-S dot com. Thanks
(04:26):
for tuning in. Thank you forsupporting our work. And now
back to Jenn Wood and our story.
Christina Parcell worked as atechnician at foothills
Veterinary Hospital inGreenville, South Carolina. She
was the mother of a youngdaughter and beloved by her
co-workers, who said she wasgifted with a personality the
(04:47):
size of the high rise. Parcellwas described by her veterinary
co workers as always trying tomake everyone feel better.
Christina's boss Dan Randallspoke to WYFF and WSPA shortly
after her murder, and said, Iquote, She was just fun to be
around somebody you'd enjoytalking to. We'll miss her
expertise for sure. But I thinkmore than anything over the
(05:09):
three years that she workedhere, she made a lot of friends.
And I think mostly people aregoing to miss her friendship and
just miss her, you know,presence around the office. He
continued, Christina brought aunique skill set to the job. She
was really smart, veryarticulate. Not only was
Christina a great veterinarytechnician, she was a mom. She
(05:30):
had a fiancee and a sister herein town. She loved her daughter,
and she was very close to hersister. She's not just some
nameless, faceless victim, endquote. One hospital employee
wrote, the dogs loved her andshe did such an incredible job
with them. Indeed, photos ofChristina at work show a petite
blonde with an infectious smilewho seemingly loved the dogs
(05:53):
that she worked with. As for herrelationship with humans,
Parcell always had an ear andalways tried to make you smile.
Even in the worst of situationsthe co-worker added. The
violent, seemingly random murderof Parcell prompted a wave of
shock and a deluge of grief inand around Greer, a small hamlet
outside of Greenville, SouthCarolina, in the upstate region
(06:16):
of the Palmetto State at thefeet of the Blue Ridge
Mountains. Given the regionstatus as the bastion of social
conservatism, thousands ofprayers were lifted up on behalf
of Parcell's friends and family,particularly her surviving
daughter, who was under the ageof 10 at the time her mother was
murdered. As the story hasunfolded, though, a vastly
(06:38):
different picture of Parcell hasemerged. Meanwhile, the
investigation into her death hasvolleyed back and forth between
absolute certainty andunresolved mystery. Was there
another side of this cheerfuland empathetic vet tech? A side
the public didn't see? A sidethat could have played a role in
the ghastly end she met on thatfateful fall morning. Also, why
(07:02):
do police and prosecutors seemto be frantically searching for
additional evidence in a casewhere they certainly appear to
have Parcell's killer, dead torights? To answer those
questions, or at least attemptto answer them? We must start at
the very beginning of thisinvestigation. Here's Greenville
County Sheriff Hobart Lewisaddressing the media for the
(07:22):
first time about this case onthe afternoon of the murder.
Hey, good morning. Thank you allfor joining us today. As we
prepare to announce an update inthe homicide investigation that
took place at 122 CanebreakDrive on October 13. I want to
first provide you a brieftimeline of events to ensure the
(07:44):
information that you all receiveis accurate and consistent with
what we know at this time inthis investigation. Please be
aware that this is a very muchan ongoing investigation. So
there are a number of pieces ofevidence and information that we
won't discuss today. Certainlynot in a position to talk about
so please in an effort toprotect the integrity of the
(08:05):
case. Just keep that in mind asyou may ask questions later.
Deputies were dispatched to 122Canebreak Drivee just after 11
a.m. on Wednesday, October 13after a woman who has since been
identified as Christina Parcellwas found deceased inside the
residence by a person familiarwith her. Investigators rushed
(08:26):
to the scene and discovered thevictim had been brutally stabbed
multiple times resulting in herdeath.
According to court documents,upon arrival, a deputy saw Post
outside the home speaking on acell phone. An incident report
states that a deputy approachedPost to try to determine what
was happening. When the deputybegan to ask Post question, he
(08:48):
instructed the deputy to wait ashe continued to talk on his cell
phone. The deputy noted thatwhile Post was shaking a little,
he did not appear to be tooupset. When Post finally hung up
the phone, he explained to thedeputy that he decided to come
to the residence after heattempted to call Christina
Parcell, and she did not answerher phone. Post reported that he
(09:09):
entered the residence throughthe back door, as they always
leave it unlocked, and he foundParcell lifeless on the floor in
the front living room. Afterdoing a sweep of the residence
to ensure no one else was in thehome, officers began processing
the bloody scene. According tothe incident report, they found
memory cards and a laptop in theliving room near Parcell's body.
(09:32):
They also recovered at clearziplock bag that had a white
powder substance inside on theliving room table. This bag also
appeared to have dried spots ofblood on it. A cell phone
located near Christina's bodywas retrieved and processed for
data extraction, while a pursebelonging to her containing two
envelopes, each with $500 cashinside, was discovered on a
(09:55):
table near the hallway of theliving room. But that's not all
deputies found. The report alsonoted in the back room of the
home, a small single shotfirearm was discovered inside a
bag that was inside a suitcase.
Meanwhile, multiple documentsregarding an ongoing custody
battle were retrieved fromParcell's bedroom, along with
(10:15):
numerous USB drives. Parcelsbedsheets were also collected as
they appear to have blood onthem. In fact, a Blue Star spray
test was conducted in severalareas including the bathroom and
resulted in a positive responsefor the possible presence of
blood. The deputy who initiallyresponded walked outside the
home in reestablish contact withBradley Post. The deputy stated
(10:38):
that Post became nervous andasked if he needed to speak with
his lawyer. The deputy foundthis odd as he was just asking
basic questions about theincident at the time Post asked
for a lawyer. Post then providedthe deputy with the name of the
person whom he believed killedhis fiancee. Police asked Post
to accompany them while theysearch the residence. They
(11:01):
noticed that Post wore glovesduring this process, which they
found. Neighbors in theCanebreak subdivision quickly
found footage on their Ringcameras showing a male in a
black hoodie and a backpackentering the front door of 122
Canebreak at approximately 10am.
The suspect was then seen onanother Ring camera, leaving the
(11:25):
subdivision on a bicycle.
At about 10 o'clock that morninga Ring camera from across the
street showed us the defendantdressed in a black hoodie and a
backpack entering the frontdoor. The defendant is seen on
camera from another Ring cameraleaving the subdivision on a
(11:45):
bicycle.
Investigators found an abundanceof physical evidence of this
crime scene including DNA underChristina's fingernails.
Combined with the video footagethey collected it seemed an
arrest was imminent. On October19, 2021, just six days after
Christina has graphic murder.
Her fiancee Bradley Post wasarrested. But to the shock of
(12:09):
the community the chargesweren't for murder. Instead,
Post was apprehended inconnection with a child
pornography investigation tiedto evidence obtained at the
murder scene. And as we are thisepisode on July 19, 2023, Post
is currently facing six countsof sexual exploitation of a
minor. Five of them in the firstdegree. He's also facing one
(12:32):
count of criminal sexual contactwith a minor and one count of
buggery. And just trust me,we'll have a lot more to say on
that last charge in futureepisodes. All of these charges
against post incidentally arebeing handled by the Office of
South Carolina Attorney GeneralAlan Wilson. Now additionally,
Post and the estate of ChristinaParcell, the Rose Petal victim,
(12:54):
have been named as defendants intwo civil lawsuits. One brought
on behalf of Parcell's owndaughter and the other on behalf
of another minor femaleallegedly victimized by the
couple. That's right, thecouple. Including, allegedly,
the murder victim herself.
(13:15):
According to the first lawsuitfiled in February of 2022,
Parcell and Post took picturesand videos of and with the minor
female in states of undress andhis sexually provocative
positions. These images andvideos were uncovered during the
investigation of the murder ofParcell. The second lawsuit was
(13:36):
filed in August of 2022. Onbehalf of Parcell's own
daughter. It claims the childwas allegedly photographed and
videoed in sexually explicit andnude positions. And this is
graphic but some of these filesquote depicted her genitals and
breasts. As with the firstcomplaint, the second pleading
alleged that both Post andParcell were involved in the
(13:59):
abuse and that the evidencereferenced in the complaint had
been uncovered during theinvestigation of Christina
Parcell's murder. As you are nodoubt starting to see this was
an is no ordinary case. Whokilled Parcell though? While
this may be the most bizarreelement of our story, the most
(14:22):
out of nowhere component of thistrue crime saga on November 4th,
2021 three weeks after themurder, Sheriff Lewis made the
following announcement.
During the course of theinvestigation, investigators
obtained the lead. This was notfrom a tip this was one that
they they worked on anddeveloped that led them to a
(14:43):
person of interest identified as29 year old Zachary David
Hughes. Investigators discoveredphysical evidence that link
Hughes to the crime andultimately led to investigators
to believe him to be the personresponsible for killing
Christina Parcell. Hughes turnedhimself in at the law
enforcement center yesterdayafternoon, and it's currently in
(15:03):
the Greenville County DetentionCenter, where he's facing
charges of murder and possessionof a weapon during a violent
crime.
According to police andprosecutors, Parcell's murderer
is 31 year old Zachary DavidHughes, a California native and
graduate of the prestigiousJuilliard School in New York
City. A classically trainedconcert pianist, Hughes studied
(15:25):
and performed concertos, writtenby famed composer Ludwig von
Beethoven. You're listening tohim play right now. Hughes is
obsessed with Beethoven. In2020, he undertook to play all
32 of these concertos frommemory, a project Hughes called
the most ambitious thing I'vedone in my life. It's a little
(15:48):
terrifying Hughes told theGreenville Journal in January of
that year, but it wouldn't beworth doing if it wasn't. Hughes
was also obsessed with the Lordof the Rings, writing on his
website that when he was growingup, any free time not spent
practicing piano was employedcrafting wooden replica swords
from the Lord of the Rings,books and movies, and then
(16:11):
taking them into the Appalachianwoods to do battle with the
forces of darkness.
Hughes also had militarytraining to employ in waging his
battles. According to hiswebsite in 2019, Hughes felt the
itch to see a different side oflife. And after six months of
rigorous physical training, hewas selected from a competitive
(16:33):
pool of candidates to attendMarine Corps officer candidate
school, or OCS in Quantico,Virginia. He was unable to
finish the training, however.
Despite earning top marks atOCS, he was dropped from
training due to severe stressfractures sustained in both
legs. On November 3, 2021,Greenville County Sheriff's
(16:57):
deputies arrested Hughes andcharged him with murder and use
of a weapon during thecommission of a violent crime in
connection with ChristinaParcell's death. He has been
held at the Greenville CountyDetention Center since his
arrest. The case against Hughesis compelling. During an April
2022 bond hearing before CircuitCourt Judge Edward W. Miller,
(17:22):
Solicitor Wilkins detailed someof this evidence.
The facts that that show theZach Hughes tied to this case
and the basis of the arrestwarrant show that about 10
o'clock that morning, a Ringcamera from across the street
(17:42):
shows the defendant dressed in ablack hoodie and a backpack
entering the front door. Thedefendant is seen on camera from
another Ring camera leaving thesubdivision on a bicycle. The
investigation moved to Flockcameras, which are cameras that
are located around GreenvilleCounty, and these cameras
(18:04):
located Zach Hughes' truck witha bicycle in the back of the
truck matching the exact bicycleleaving the neighborhood at the
time of the murder. The bicyclewas located at a residence where
the defendant was living withanother family here briefly in
the City of Greenville. Aresident of that house stated
(18:24):
that it was his bicycle and ithad recently been moved while it
has not been used for a longtime. And then finally, Your
Honor, the victims fingernailswere processed for DNA. And the
DNA conclusively shows that ZackHughes' DNA was under the
fingernails of the victim.
(18:48):
In addition, Bradley Post, whichis the victim's fiance, who has
been charged with CSC andexploitation of a minor,
separate from this case, isbeing prosecuted by the Attorney
General's Office has an alibiwhere he is on camera at another
location during this murder.
Your Honor, we take the positionthat the evidence against
(19:14):
evidence against Zach Hughes issubstantial. And we're preparing
for trial. But due to thenature, violent nature of this
crime, the premeditation andcalculation and planning that
had to go into this crime waswas was pretty impeccable.
Planning to drive with a bike inthe back of your car, taking a
(19:39):
bike to the crime scene, avicious brutal stabbing um
occurring for the murder and astaging of the crime scene in a
certain way that is that is thatis relevant as well. Is... shows
that this this individual cannotbe out on bond during the
pendency of this trial,A staging of the crime scene,
(20:04):
the rose petals. But why? Whatcould have possibly motivated
this talented young man who hadno apparent ties to Christina
Parcell to murder her in such abrutal manner? Was there a
connection point, someone whoselife touch the lives of both the
victim and the accused killer.
(20:28):
During the bond hearing, Wilkinstold the court, Parcell was
involved in an extremelycontentious custody battle with
62 year old John Mello, thefather of her young daughter,
By way of background. ChristinaParcell has a daughter who was
around the age of nine, and shewas engaged in a extremely
(20:48):
contentious custody battle withthe father of the child. The
father of the child and ZachHughes are very close friends.
And your honor, we have and I'llgo into a little bit, we have
emails and texts showing theirclose relationship as well as
when the father of the child wasarrested for custodial
(21:09):
interference for leaving withthe child to Italy. When he was
arrested on his jail screen, heput the only familymember that
he put on the jail screen wasZach Hughes. So the relationship
is very, very close. Theinvestigation shows Zach Hughes
is a close and personal friendof the victim's, father of the
victim's daughter. When he wasarrested, he put it on the jail
(21:31):
screen. In addition, the searchwarrants of the defendant was
obtained and law enforcementcould extract only a small
amount of information from thedefendant's phone. It's hooked
up to what's called a gray keyand it's still searching for the
passcode. But it was able toextract a small amount of
information and that becomesrelevant later, Your Honor, but
(21:51):
in that information, there'stext information between them.
Mello and Hughes are very closefriends, Wilkins said. And the
two routinely use the encryptedsmartphone application WhatsApp
to communicate with each other.
Hughes also worked for Mello,according to prosecutors,
cleaning his home and performingother random jobs. Mello also
gave Hughes exclusive rights toretrieve his belongings from the
(22:13):
airport after he was arrestedreturning from Italy on October
21 2021, just eight days afterthe murder. That's right. Mello
is facing a criminal charge forleaving the country with his and
Parcell's daughter. Hughes wasrecently ordered to provide his
iPhone passcode to investigatorsso they can attempt a forensic
(22:34):
extraction of all 1769 encryptedWhatsApp messages allegedly
exchanged between him and Mello.
Last September, South CarolinaCircuit Court Judge Leticia
Verdin, who was recently electedto the South Carolina Court of
Appeals, ordered Hughes to turnover his password. Though he
(22:55):
refused to comply with theorder, and even allegedly
provided prosecutors with apotential password that was
misleading, detectives wererecently able to unlock the
phone. Limited information fromHughes' phone had already been
obtained prior to them obtainingaccess to the phone and showed
Mello and Hughes apparentlyspeaking in code. How did the
(23:17):
music research go? Mello askedHughes in a message dated the
day of the murders. MusicResearch are Mello and Hughes
corresponding in code. Good,Hughes responded, I'll tell you
over the phone.
FITSNews has been workingtirelessly to try and unravel
this incredibly complex storyahead of Zack Hughes upcoming
(23:40):
murder trial, tentativelyscheduled for early 2024 in
Greenville, South Carolina.
Count on our news team to keepdigging into all aspects of this
story, weaving in everything weknow about his key players,
their actions, lawsuits,investigations, and the
consequences. Our goal is totell this story both as it has
happened already and as itcontinues to unfold ahead of us.
(24:01):
We're glad you joined us on thisjourney. Stay tuned next week
for chapter two of the rosepetal murder. Don't forget to
subscribe and leave a review forFITSFiles, your new home for
true crime.
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