GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – Two people are facing charges, accused of harassing a Greenville County woman just months before she was murdered in 2021.
63-year-old John Joey Mello and 30-year-old Zachary David Hughes were charged Thursday with first degree harassment and criminal conspiracy.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said Mello and Hughes conspired to send explicit and pornographic images of Christina Parcell to numerous people and businesses in June and July 2021.
Investigators said they found evidence connecting the two of them to a pattern of harassment and emotional distress inflicted on Parcell.
Parcell, 41, was found stabbed to death at her home on Canebrake Drive near Greer the morning of October 13, 2021.
Hughes remains in jail on a murder charge in connection with Parcell’s death. Hughes was served with the warrants for the new charges Thursday.
Mello was previously arrested on a child custody charge.
Court records show that Mello shared a child with Parcell. The two appeared in family court as early as 2015 over a child custody and visitation case, according to South Carolina Department of Social Services public court records.
Mello was arrested Thursday and is being held at the Greenville County Detention Center on $15,000 bond.
Parcell’s sister spoke at Thursday’s bond hearing.
“This loving father sent pornographic images to people, where any child could have gotten them,” Tina Parcell said. “With utter disregard for any harm you were causing to the mother of his child. His own child could have found them, her friends could have found them, and he did it anyways.”
