Zachary Hughes said he became convinced the daughter of Christina Parcell was being abused before stabbing the mother several times.

A Juilliard-trained pianist was convicted of murder Thursday in the death of a Greer mother in 2021. He was sentenced to life in prison. Zachary Hughes admitted on the stand Wednesday that he did in fact stab Christina Parcell to death, but said there was no malice, which is required for a first degree murder charge.

In a pre-trial decision, the presiding judge denied a defense motion to argue that Hughes was trying to save Parcell’s daughter from being sexually abused. In denying the motion, Judge Patrick Fant ruled that the girl was at school at the time of her mother’s death and in no imminent danger, WYFF reported.