On Friday, January 16, 2026, Zachary Justin Hayes, a 27-year-old man from Tennessee, was sent behind bars for fatally stabbing his mother, Kimberly Hayes, and her pet cat in 2023.
According to the Blount County District Attorney’s Office, Hayes pleaded guilty to one count each of murder in the second degree, abuse of a corpse, aggravated cruelty to animals, and intentional killing of an animal.
He was then sentenced to 37 years in prison by 5th Circuit Court Judge Tammy M. Harrington. The shocking incident reportedly took place in September 2023 at a Samples Road home in Louisville.
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According to the Law and Crime Network, neighbours first remembered seeing a red Mercedes that the woman’s son often used parked outside her home the day before officials discovered her body.
While the car was gone the following day, Kimberley raised suspicions after she failed to show up at her job. A coworker then stopped by her place and learnt her terrifying fate.
When officers from the Blount County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the house, they found the woman suffering from multiple stab wounds. Her cat was also stabbed to death.
Investigators also found several bloody knives thrown around the house, including one that was snapped in half. The local medical examiner revealed that the woman had died from a combination of stab wounds to her neck and head.
Her time of death was placed late September 7, 2023, or early the next day. Officials ruled the crime an aggravated burglary and homicide, and marked Hayes as their suspect.
During the investigation, family members saw Hayes’ Mercedes parked outside his Knoxville home even though he was not present at the house. Hayes finally arrived at his residence on the night of September 9, 2023, and was arrested without incident.
According to WATE, Hayes’ arrest took place at his own residence in Knoxville by members of the U.S. Marshals Service Smoky Mountain Fugitive Task Force, the day after authorities found his mother’s body.
The 27-year-old appeared on a multiple-hour interview following his arrest and eventually admitted to killing his mother without any specific motive.
According to The Daily Times, a custody interrogation played in court during a hearing showed the man saying, “I was not looking forward to it, planning it,” while talking about the murder.
The defendant then revealed that he stabbed his mother while she was watching TV in her living room. He then had a drink, finished watching a TV show, and headed to bed.
Reports suggest Hayes reportedly broke down in tears after seeing photographs of his mother’s deceased corpse, and told the court he was scared on the night of her murder. Hayes has already received several days of credit served in pretrial detention.
