Arizona Woman Killed Cousin With Hammer During Drunken Brawl, Cops Say
Brianna Zerth, 29, told officers her recollection of events was “blurry.” But her 6-year-old daughter reportedly said, “Mommy killed him.”

Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
An Arizona woman is facing second-degree murder charges after allegedly killing a relative with a hammer during a drunken argument. Brianna Zerth, 29, was arrested Wednesday by Peoria police, who responded to a medical call at Zerth’s home and found the body of her 33-year-old cousin in the master bedroom. Zerth reportedly told cops that the two had been drinking whiskey the night before when they began squabbling over Zerth’s 6-year-old daughter. They then brought the fight inside, but Zerth said her recollection of the details were “blurry,” police said. Zerth’s cousin “had several injuries to his back, which were puncture wounds from the claw of a hammer,” according to one local news outlet, citing a police report from the incident. The report said Zerth’s daughter told cops that “mommy killed him.”
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