A Tennessee man who admitted stabbing his mother to death while she watched television has been sentenced to 37 years in state prison. Zachary Justin Hayes, 27, pleaded guilty on Jan. 16, 2026, in Blount County to second-degree murder and several related charges in the killing of his mother, 63-year-old Kimberly Hayes, at her Louisville home in September 2023.
The case drew attention for its stark details and the speed of the final resolution. Prosecutors said Hayes attacked his mother in the living room, then stayed in the house, poured a drink and finished the program before going to bed. He later told investigators he “was not looking forward to it,” describing a killing that authorities said had no clear trigger. Judge Tammy M. Harrington accepted the guilty plea and imposed the 37-year sentence, which includes time for animal cruelty and abuse-of-corpse counts arising from the same incident.
Deputies found Kimberly Hayes dead with multiple stab wounds at her home on Samples Road in Louisville on Sept. 8, 2023, after a coworker requested a welfare check when she missed work. Investigators also found the family’s cat stabbed to death, and several knives scattered around the home, including one broken blade. Detectives classified the case as a homicide and quickly focused on her son. The next day, members of the U.S. Marshals Service Smoky Mountain Fugitive Task Force arrested Hayes at his residence in Knoxville without incident. In a recorded interview later played in court, Hayes said he stabbed his mother as she watched TV, had a drink, finished the show and went to sleep.
Hayes pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, aggravated cruelty to animals and intentional killing of an animal. Authorities said the medical examiner determined Kimberly Hayes died from stab wounds to the neck and head, placing the time of death late Sept. 7 or early Sept. 8. Neighbors told investigators they had seen a red Mercedes associated with the son outside the home before the discovery, and family members later spotted the same car at Hayes’ Knoxville address. During earlier hearings, Hayes wept when confronted with scene photos and said he was scared the night of the killing. Officials have not identified a specific motive.
Records show the 2023 investigation began as a welfare check after the victim did not arrive at work. Deputies secured the scene while homicide investigators processed the living room and kitchen for blood evidence, collected knife fragments and swabbed surfaces for DNA. Detectives canvassed the neighborhood for surveillance video and interviewed relatives about recent contacts with the victim. With the victim’s car unaccounted for, investigators documented vehicles in the area, including the Mercedes later seen at the son’s address. After coordination with Knoxville authorities and federal marshals, Hayes was taken into custody on Sept. 9, 2023.
Second-degree murder in Tennessee carries a potential sentence of 15 to 60 years, depending on prior history and plea terms. Prosecutors said a combined 37-year term would run in the Tennessee Department of Correction and includes credit for time already served in local custody. By accepting the plea to second-degree murder rather than going to trial on a first-degree count, the state avoided a contested proceeding built around taped statements, forensic reports and witness testimony about the home and the victim’s final hours. The abuse-of-corpse and animal cruelty counts were included in the package and will be reflected in the final judgment.
Kimberly Hayes worked locally and was known among coworkers as reliable, colleagues told detectives after she failed to appear for her shift. Her Samples Road home sits in a residential area a short drive from Fort Loudoun Lake. Deputies described a scene that indicated a sudden, violent assault in the living room. The television was still in the room where the body was found. Investigators said they recovered multiple knives with blood on them and noted one snapped during the attack. The presence of the dead cat led to additional felony counts under Tennessee animal protection laws.
At sentencing, the judge asked brief clarifying questions about the plea, and the defense confirmed Hayes understood the rights he was giving up and the agreed term. The district attorney’s office said the resolution ensures a lengthy prison term without the uncertainty of trial. Hayes will serve his sentence in state custody and will receive credit for days already spent in jail. He has the right to file standard post-conviction petitions, but no further hearings were scheduled immediately after the plea. The clerk’s office will issue a written judgment reflecting each count and the total time to be served.
Outside court, relatives described grief and confusion, saying the absence of a clear motive added to their pain. A neighbor recalled seeing the red Mercedes near the house the day before deputies arrived. A coworker who went to check on Kimberly said the workplace grew concerned within hours when she did not answer calls. “She never missed a shift,” the coworker said. “That’s when we knew something was wrong.” In the neighborhood, residents said patrol cars lined the narrow street as crime scene tape went up and investigators moved in and out of the small home.
As of Sunday, Hayes remains in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction under a 37-year sentence for second-degree murder and related offenses. The medical examiner’s findings and the final judgment have been filed in Blount County records. No other arrests were announced in connection with the case, and prosecutors said the matter is closed apart from routine post-conviction filings.
Author note: Last updated February 1, 2026.