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Court proceedings began in earnest on Tuesday morning (February 11, 2025) in connection with the ‘Rose Petal Murder‘ – a savage slaying which shocked the South Carolina Upstate in the fall of 2021.
After S.C. circuit court judge Patrick C. Fant III issued a decisive ruling excluding evidence and testimony related to child pornography (a.k.a. child sex abuse material, or “CSAM”) found at the scene of this graphic crime, the trial of accused killer Zachary David Hughes kicked off with opening arguments and the first critical witness.
Hughes, a classically trained concert pianist, stands accused of stabbing 41-year-old veterinary tech Christina Parcell of Greer, S.C. more than thirty times in the head and neck area on the morning of October 13, 2021. This despite the fact he had no known connection to the victim at the time of her murder. Three-and-a-half years later, he’s finally standing trial in Greenville, S.C. – proceedings which could devolve into chaos at any moment given the myriad complexities of this convoluted tale.
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At Fant’s instructions, the day began with Parcell’s fiancée – Bradly Post – providing testimony without the jury present so as to protect the record in case of an appeal. Post – who stands accused of multiple charges related to the massive cache of child porn found at the scene – arrived in the courtroom wearing an orange jumpsuit from the Greenville County detention center, where he has been held since he was arrested just days after the murder. He wore shackles for the duration of his time on the stand.
Post’s testimony is critical to prosecutors because he is the one who found Parcell’s body and called 911. It’s also potentially devastating to their case because of the child pornography angle it could introduce into the proceedings – namely allegations that he and the victim were abusing underage girls (and profiting from it).
After Post’s proffered testimony concluded, a diverse jury was sworn in and given instructions from Fant. At that point, opening statements were delivered.
S.C. thirteenth circuit solicitor Walt Wilkins began his remarks by providing the jury with a synopsis of this complex case – including references to the “tremendous custody dispute” between Parcell and John Mello, a music producer who was Parcell’s ex-boyfriend and the father of her young daughter.
(Click to view)
According to Wilkins, the custody dispute “elevated into a situation where custody might not go in John Mello’s favor.” At that point, Wilkins said, Hughes “made the ultimate decision.”
Rather than counter Wilkins’ opening argument, Hughes’ attorneys deferred their right to make an initial statement of the case to jurors – choosing to give their overview prior to presenting Hughes’ defense.
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THE WITNESSES…
The first witness called by prosecutors was Greenville County 911 dispatch analyst Sarah Young. After testifying regarding Post’s 11:00 a.m. 911 call – the first report of Parcell’s death – the call was played for the court.
“I think I might have a death,” Post stated in the call.
After transferring his call, he told the EMS operator there was a very weird smell and that he found Parcell laying flat on the floor. The operator provides Post instructions on how to give CPR.
“I think she’s gone,” Post said.
When the operator asked if Post believed his fiancée was no longer “viable,” Post replied that there was “a lot of blood” and that her “eyes are open.”
After Young left the stand, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) master deputy Chris Robinson was called to testify. Robinson was the first officer on the scene after Post’s 911 call.
Robinson said when he arrived he got initial details from Post while awaiting a second deputy to arrive to clear the home with him. Robinson also noted during his testimony the strong chemical odor smell Post had mentioned in his 911 call before providing first the first detailed description of the gruesome crime scene.
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According to Robinson, he located Parcell in the living room of the home surrounded by a large pool of blood. He testified she had multiple lacerations on her face and neck and said it appeared as if she had been dragged by her feet as there were drag marks on the floor.
After detailing the crime scene, Robinson’s body-worn camera (BWC) footage was played for the courtroom. Despite the fact the footage contained audio, rather than playing it for the jury the prosecution had Robinson narrate what was happening.
On cross examination, defense attorney Andrew Moorman asked if Post had told him he was there every day and Robinson responded he believed Post said he was there “often.”
He also testified that when he was asking Post questions, Post told him he did not at that point feel comfortable continuing to talk to him.
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THE PROBLEMATIC KEY WITNESS…
At this point, Wilkins called Post back to the stand to testify in front of the jury. Wilkins began his direct examination of Post by asking about his relationship with Parcell. Post indicated he and Parcell had dated on and off for six years and became engaged when she returned with her daughter from Italy.
Wilkins then went into details about what expenses Post covered for Parcell. According to Post, the Lexus Parcell was driving was his and he loaned it to her when she needed a vehicle. He also testified Parcell had two cell phones — one of her own and one for which he paid.
In discussing Parcell’s custody battle with John Mello, Post told the court Mello “kidnapped her daughter and left the country.” Post said that while he helped Parcell some financially, the bulk of the expenses related to her travel to Italy to get her daughter back were covered by donations and contributions from organizations that help women “obtain the return of their children taken abroad.”
According to Post, he spoke with Parcell via phone on October 13, 2021 about an interview for a veterinary technician position she had at 8:30 a.m. They spoke about the interview as well as her plans for the remainder of the day. Post testified that he went about his morning normally and tried calling her around 11:00 a.m. When she wouldn’t answer the phone, Post said he decided he should go check on her.
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Upon arriving at the home, Parcell didn’t answer the front door – so Post said went around to the back door since he knew it was usually unlocked. Post said the home was dark and quiet when he entered. After checking the bathroom and the back of the house, Post testified as to what he saw when he moved toward the front of the home.
“I looked on the floor and right at the entrance of the living room and off that hallway there were, uh, petals from like a rose and as I looked I looked into the room and I saw her on her back,” he said.
Wilkins proceeded to question Post about mailings he received the summer before Parcell’s murder. According to Post, he opened the first envelope he received because it had him listed as both the addressee and the return address – and “looked suspicious.” When he opened the envelope, he discovered nude photos of Parcell along with a “mailing list.”
Post testified after additional envelopes were sent to two of his neighbors and a cigar bar he frequented, his attorney set up a meeting with law enforcement and the postal inspector. Post said they told investigators the individual who had possession of the nude photos contained in the envelopes was John Mello.
During cross-examination by Hughes’ attorneys, Post testified he and Parcell broke up a number of times because of the custody battle with Mello.
“It was becoming front and center of her life so it affected her a lot,” he said.
Post also claimed he occasionally paid Parcell’s credit card bills and allowed her to use his credit card for groceries. Hughes’ attorneys asked Post about a clone he had of Parcell’s phone. When asked if the clone meant Post could see Parcell’s texts and emails, Post replied that it wasn’t “an exact clone” but only certain applications for her bills and to see that she got home safe at night.
When asked by Hughes’ lawyers if he was helping Parcell pay her legal bills, Post indicated he did sometimes when she needed it.
When Hughes’ lawyers questioned if Post knew the photos inside the envelopes came from an escort website, Post said he didn’t read the contents.
“I knew it was a threat – (Mello) was constantly trying to separate us and get me to to not assist her,” Post said.
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THE TIMELINE…
The remainder of the day was spent establishing a timeline of Parcell’s murder utilizing video footage obtained by investigators from neighbors in the Canebrake subdivision.
After viewing all of the relevant footage, the following timeline was presented to the jury:
8:07 a.m. EDT: Christina leaves her home for a job interview at Valley Walk Animal Hospital
8:30 a.m. EDT: Christina arrives for her job interview according to the manager who interviewed her
8:47 a.m. EDT: Christina leaves the interview
9:12 a.m. EDT: Christina arrives back home
9:15 a.m. EDT: The suspect is seen entering 122 Canebrake
9:27 a.m. EDT: The suspect is seen leaving via bike from footage obtained from 133 Canebrake
Perhaps the most compelling testimony of the day came from Donna Gorman, a neighbor of Parcell’s who was sitting at her table drinking coffee on the morning of October 13, 2021. Gorman testified to seeing Hughes stop, put on his hood, mask and gloves.
According to Gorman, she looked down to read her book and when she looked up, he was gone.
When asked if the individual she saw was present in the courtroom, she positively identified Hughes.
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Bombshell development in the Rose Petal trial:
— Dylan Nolan (@dnolan2000) February 11, 2025
This afternoon state's witness Donna Gorman identified Zach Hughes as the person seen approaching Christina Parcell's house on a bike on the day she was murdered.@FITSNews @IndyJenn_ pic.twitter.com/D2f7DwAmbO
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BACKGROUND…
The body of Christina Parcel was discovered shortly after 11:00 a.m. EST on October 13, 2021 in the front living room of a suburban home owned by her sister. She was found, unresponsive, by her fiancée, Bradly Post. According to Post, he placed multiple calls to Parcell on the morning of her murder – calls which went unanswered. When he drove to the home to check on her, he found her savagely slain.
Greenville County sheriff Hobart Lewis confirmed Parcell had been “brutally stabbed multiple times” and “murdered in a very violent way.”
As we exclusively reported at the time, the killer sprinkled rose petals – or deadheaded roses – around Parcell’s body after dragging (and posing) her in the front living room of the 2,100-square foot home owned by her sister, Lutina Parcell.
“Rose petals were sprinkled around her body,” a source familiar with the killing told this news outlet. “She was dragged – there were drag marks. The scene was staged.”
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Officially, Parcell’s cause of death was recorded by the Greenville county coroner as a homicide due to “multiple sharp force injuries.” During an April 6, 2022 court hearing related to this case, Wilkins indicated Parcell had been “brutally stabbed to death in her neck and head area” – sustaining “approximately 31 different stab wounds by a sharp object.”
Hughes was arrested on November 3, 2021 by GCSO deputies and charged with Parcell’s murder. The arrest shocked the Upstate seeing as he had no known connection to Parcell at the time. Hughes has been held without bond at the Greenville County detention center since his arrest.
As for Mello, prosecutors have previously claimed he and Hughes were “very close friends. They have also asserted the two reportedly used the encrypted smartphone application WhatsApp to communicate with each other.
Hughes and Mello were jointly charged with harassment and conspiracy tied to the dissemination of nude photos of Parcell in the weeks prior to her death. Described by prosecutors as “very close friends,” the two men routinely used the encrypted smartphone application WhatsApp to communicate with each other. In fact, at last count Mello and Hughes are said to have exchanged at least 1,769 encrypted WhatsApp messages.
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RELATED | ‘ROSE PETAL MURDER’ KEY PLAYERS
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In one conversation via WhatsApp on April 17, 2021, Mello indicated he had obtained Christina’s private number and instructed Hughes to use it to “harass the shit out of her.”
Authorities also uncovered numerous conversations between Mello and Hughes via WhatsApp between October 8 and October 13, 2021 – the day of Christina Parcell’s murder. On October 13, for example, there is a conversation in which Mello asked Hughes “how did the music research go?”
“Good,” Hughes responded. “I’ll tell you over the phone.”
Through his attorney, Mello – who was in Italy at the time of his ex-girlfriend’s murder – has denied any involvement in the crime.
“They get in the phone and there’s no evidence of a murder conspiracy which is why he hasn’t been charged,” Mello’s attorney Mo Abusaft told this media outlet last month.
Count on FITSNews to provide our audience with continued updates from this high-profile trial as it proceeds in downtown Greenville, S.C. this week.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Jenn Wood is FITSNews’ incomparable research director. She’s also the producer of the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts and leading expert on all things Murdaugh/ South Carolina justice. A former private investigator with a criminal justice degree, evildoers beware, Jenn Wood is far from your average journalist! A deep dive researcher with a passion for truth and a heart for victims, this mom of two is pretty much a superhero in FITSNews country. Did we mention she’s married to a rocket scientist? (Lucky guy!) Got a story idea or a tip for Jenn? Email her at jenn@fitsnews.com.
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