Zachary Mowel faces multiple charges after allegedly attacking his wife, Tess Trotter. Tennessee authorities say Zachary Mowel, 28, attacked his wife, stabbing her and setting her on fire in front of their children. Miraculously, Tess was saved by kind-hearted strangers who happened upon the scene.
On the evening of July 1, authorities responded to a tragic scene and found Tess suffering from multiple stab wounds. She was immediately transported to the hospital. Zachary Mowel was arrested and now faces charges including attempted first-degree murder, aggravated arson, and domestic assault.
It remains unclear if Mowel has entered a plea or retained an attorney at this time.
Tess Trotter’s family, revealed her identity and shared more about the incident on a GoFundMe page created to help with her medical bills. Her sister, Tori Trotter, revealed the horrifying detail that the attack happened right in front of the couple’s young children, who were begging for it to stop.
Tess’s mother, Tina Trotter, expressed profound gratitude towards the two strangers who saved her daughter. The Good Samaritans stumbled upon the burning house while out to look at something they found on Facebook Marketplace. They heroically intervened, putting out the fire that had engulfed Tess.
Tina said, “God bless you, and I will reach out to you once my family finds out who you are. Our family is so grateful for y’all because I wouldn’t have her today.”
According to police documents filed in court and cited by WKRN, Mowel approached an officer who had responded to the scene and said, “I did it. It was me.”
The GoFundMe page shares the extent of Tess’s injuries: she is now paralyzed from the waist down, sustained third-degree burns, suffered nine stab wounds, and all of her ribs were broken. Despite the extensive injuries, her sister Tori said, “Tessa is the strongest person I know, and she and her boys did not deserve this torture!”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. All calls are free and confidential, available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
