A horrifying incident unfolded in Dickson, Tennessee, where a wife suffered severe injuries following an alleged attack by her husband. According to a press release from the Tennessee Police, the incident took place on the evening of July 1st when Tessa Mowel returned home. Firefighters, initially responding to a house fire call, discovered Tessa with “multiple stab wounds” and swiftly transported her to a Nashville hospital for urgent care.
Further investigations by the police revealed a grim scene where Zachary Mowel, Tessa’s husband, reportedly “attacked his wife, doused her with gasoline, and then set the home on fire.” A GoFundMe page organized by Tessa’s sister presents a more detailed account, stating that upon returning from work, Tessa was “stabbed in the back with a kitchen knife and repeatedly stabbed 8 more times in the neck, chest,” along with being “brutally beaten over 30 times in the face.”
Tessa’s injuries, as detailed by her sister on the crowdfunding site, are extensive: “nine stab wounds, all her ribs are broken, collapsed lung, her entire right leg has severe 3rd-degree burns, and she is also paralyzed from the waist down.”
The couple’s children, ages five and eight, tragically witnessed the assault, with reports indicating they pleaded with their father not to kill their mother. When law enforcement arrived, they found the knife still lodged in Tessa’s body, a chilling testament to the severity of the attack.
Despite the dire circumstances, Tessa, a mother of two, survived and is currently recuperating in the hospital. Zachary Mowel was promptly arrested and taken to jail.
He faces charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated arson, aggravated assault (domestic-related), and domestic assault. Police stated that upon their arrival, Mowel confessed to the crime, approaching an officer and admitting, “I did it. It was me.”
Currently, Mowel is detained at Dickerson County Jail with a bond set at $756,000. Meanwhile, Tessa remains at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she is listed in a “stable” condition within the trauma unit. Her sister shares that “Tessa is strong but she has a long road to recovery and therapy. Her boys are safe and are in the custody of me and Kyle until she gets better.”
The GoFundume initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden of medical expenses and loss of income as Tessa faces a lengthy recovery period. So far, the fundraiser has collected over $31,000.
“Tessa is the strongest person I know and her and her boys did not deserve this torture!” her sister asserts on the fundraising page.