Left: Peter McKenna Jr. (KOLD). Right: Brianna Elise Zerth (Peoria Police Dept.)
An Arizona woman has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term after fatally attacking her cousin with a claw hammer and seemingly attempting to clean the crime scene with a vacuum cleaner.
Brianna Zerth, aged 33, confessed to the violent assault on her 33-year-old cousin, Peter McKenna Jr., which occurred on May 4, 2022. She pled guilty to a charge of domestic violence manslaughter in April and received a 21-year prison sentence on Friday, as per court documents.
According to previous reports from Law&Crime, officers from the Peoria Police Department were dispatched following an emergency call around noon on May 5, 2022. The call reported a deceased individual at a residence located near 112th Avenue and West Diana Avenue. Upon arrival, first responders discovered McKenna, who had suffered severe blunt-force injuries, and confirmed his death at the scene.
Initial investigations indicated that Zerth was a relative of McKenna, who resided at the address where his body was found. Zerth allegedly informed the police that she and McKenna had been consuming alcohol the night before and had gotten into an altercation. She claimed her memory was hazy and that she awoke to find McKenna lifeless, surrounded by blood.
As reported by AZ Family, Zerth told authorities that she attempted to cover McKenna’s body with a jacket and clean up the area, including using a vacuum to remove the blood. She also reportedly attempted to clear broken glass, fearing her daughter might step on it.
Subsequently, Zerth contacted the police, informing them that McKenna’s body was “stiff and cold to the touch.”
Tucson CBS affiliate KOLD reported that Zerth later claimed McKenna was strangling her during the fight and caused “significant trauma,” which an examination corroborated.
According to the regional outlet, Zerth was initially charged following her arrest but later released when prosecutors declined to formally charge her due to a lack of evidence.
As part of Zerth’s plea, prosecutors dropped charges of assault with a deadly weapon and evidence tampering. She was originally indicted on one count each of second-degree intentional murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, and tampering, destroying, or altering physical evidence.
According to court records, 21 years is the maximum sentence allowed for domestic violence manslaughter; Zerth was credited with 1,056 days behind bars, or just under three years.
