LOUISVILLE, Tenn. (WKRC) – A son stabbed his mother to death while she watched TV, murdered her cat, and sat down with a drink to finish the show before going to bed.
Deputies with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of a possible dead body at a residence on September 8, 2023, according to a release from the department. First responders discovered 63-year-old Kimberly Hayes deceased in her home with multiple stab wounds “consistent with homicide.”
Additionally, investigators “located a feline inside the residence that also died as a result of being stabbed.”
Authorities quickly identified Kimberly’s son, 25-year-old Zachary Justin Hayes, as the main suspect in her killing. He was arrested and charged with multiple homicide-related charges, and a recorded pre-booking interview was shown in court on January 30, 2024 to explain his side of the story.
“I was not looking forward to it, planning it,” Hayes said of his mother’s murder.
Hayes told police that he did not have much reason to stab his mother to death, which he did while she was watching TV in her living room. Hayes said that after killing his mother he poured himself a drink, finished watching the TV show she had on, and went to sleep.
Kimberly’s body was found by a worried coworker who arrived at her home to find the grisly scene after she didn’t show up for work.
Hayes, now 27, pled guilty to murder in the second degree, abuse of a corpse, aggravated cruelty to animals, and intentional killing of an animal on January 16 and was sentenced to 37 years in prison.
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