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Days away from the highly anticipated (and oft-delayed) murder trial of accused killer Zachary David Hughes, FITSNews was provided with court files and law enforcement records shining a new light on the aftermath of the murder of 41-year-old Christina Parcell.
Parcell’s death, a brutal homicide known as the ‘Rose Petal Murder,’ took place in the Canebrake subdivision of Greer, South Carolina on the morning of October 13, 2021. Rose petals – or deadheaded roses – were reportedly sprinkled around her body. Prosecutors say Parcell had been stabbed in the head and neck area more than thirty times prior to being dragged and posed in a front room of a home owned by her sister, Lutina Parcell.
Criminal charges and civil complaints filed in the aftermath of the murder accused Christina Parcell and her former fiancée, Bradly Post, of producing child pornography featuring Parcell’s minor daughter and one of her friends.
A motion (.pdf) filed by Greenville County solicitor Walt Wilkins‘ office described Post’s electronic devices as containing “a high volume of child pornography.” The S.C. attorney general’s office is currently prosecuting six charges against Post.
At the time of her murder, Parcell was involved in an extremely contentious custody battle with 64-year-old John Mello – her ex-boyfriend and the father of her daughter.
Upon Christina Parcell’s death, Lutina Parcell filed a motion to intervene and replace her as the plaintiff in the custody battle. Mello and Lutina Parcell subsequently entered into a court-enforced agreement whereby Mello’s child would spend time with her aunt two weekends each month.
This arrangement came to an abrupt end, however, when the young girl accused her aunt of taking pictures of her after she got out of the shower during a court-ordered visit. After being informed of this incident, Mello moved to take sole custody of his daughter.
A May 2024 letter to the court from the child’s therapist, Dr. Lonnie Erskine, recounted being informed about the alleged incident.
“In our therapy session on or around March 19, 2024, (the child) relayed to me a concerning incident which happened during an overnight visitation with her aunt on March 15, 2024,” Erskine wrote.
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Erskine was told that while the child was getting dressed “her aunt walked in and appeared to start taking pictures of her.”
Eriskine informed the court that she had relayed this information to the S.C. Department of Social Services (SCDSS) as a part of her professional obligation as a mandatory reporter – but that she also recommended Mello hire an attorney to bring the matter before a judge due to the agency’s “very full caseload.”
“Since this incident,” Erskine reported noticing “a substantial change” in the child’s “tone, demeanor and voice surrounding overnight visitations with her aunt.”
“Whereas before this incident she had simply exhibited age-appropriate resistance to going over to her aunt’s home, after the incident (the child) started refusing to go over to her aunts at all,” Erskine wrote, adding that “even the prospect of talking to the aunt in her presence seemed to cause deep anxiety.”
“Whether an intentional act by her aunt to take photos of this child unclothed or an unintentional invasion of personal space and privacy, the trauma to the child from this incident was the same,” Erskine wrote.
Erskine recommended the cessation of overnight visits to Parcell’s home until the court could evaluate the claims, adding she had “no concerns this matter (was) being pushed by the father,” telling the court “he has at all times been appropriate.”
“They are 100 percent false,” Parcell told FITSNews, referring to the allegations. “The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office investigated and found no probable cause.”
According to a redacted police report (.pdf) provided to this news outlet by Parcell, the child told a SCDSS caseworker “she assumed the aunt was taking pictures because she had seen the phone through a crack in an open door,” something officer Alexandra Miller‘s report noted she “could not do anything with her assuming” – adding officers did not have “any probable cause to access the aunt’s phone.”
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Parcell communicated with investigators and proseceutors about the incident, noting her concern Mello was attempting to witness-tamper prior to his then-upcoming custodial interference trial she was expected to testify at.
Following a directed verdict ruling against the prosecution, Mello’s custodial interference charges were eventually dropped.
She also told investigators that “due to concerns for safety,” she “does have cameras throughout her house,” but that “they are not in the bathroom” or bedroom.
According to Parcell, the child didn’t even shower the evening of the alleged incident, something she purports to have audio evidence confirming via her surveillance system. Additionally, Parcell stated she submitted her cell phone voluntarily for a forensic analysis which showed no evidence of wrongdoing.
“Ms. Parcell stated she is used to false allegations,” and that she feared that “the moment she gives in,” Mello would argue to the court she should lose access to her niece.
She also expressed fear that Mello “may try something or have someone else try to do something to her,” noting that “the last person who stood up to him was her sister who was murdered.”
In his police interview, Mello expressed his frustration that the “department has dropped the ball on his daughter numerous times,” adding he “just wanted to protect her.”
For additional coverage of Mello ahead of the upcoming trial, click here.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
(Via: Travis Bell)
Dylan Nolan is the director of special projects at FITSNews. He graduated from the Darla Moore school of business in 2021 with an accounting degree. Got a tip or story idea for Dylan? Email him here. You can also engage him socially @DNolan2000.
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1 comment
Mello lies.