Alive Killers

Zachary David Hughes is an American convicted murderer and former concert pianist who was sentenced to life in prison for the 2021 murder of Christina Parcell in Greer, South Carolina. On October 13, 2021, Parcell, 41, was found stabbed to death inside her home on Canebrake Drive. She had suffered more than 30 stab wounds. Rose petals were scattered around the crime scene, a detail that later led to the case being referred to as the "Rose Petal Murder." Hughes initially maintained his innocence, but investigators developed evidence connecting him to the crime. Surveillance footage showed a person entering Parcell's home and later leaving on a bicycle. Investigators also linked Hughes' truck and bicycle to the movements captured around the time of the murder. Prosecutors further presented evidence that Hughes' DNA was found beneath Parcell's fingernails. A significant part of the investigation concerned Hughes' friendship with John Mello, the father of Parcell's daughter. Mello and Parcell were involved in a contentious custody dispute, and investigators discovered thousands of messages between Mello and Hughes. Prosecutors alleged that Hughes had participated in harassment directed at Parcell before her death. At trial in February 2025, Hughes admitted that he had stabbed Parcell but argued that he had acted because he believed her daughter was being sexually abused. The judge had barred the defense from presenting those allegations as a justification for the killing. The jury rejected Hughes' account and convicted him of murder and several other offenses. He was sentenced to life in prison. Hughes filed a notice of appeal shortly after his conviction.