LCSO: Woman charged after attempting to kill elderly parents on Father's Day

TELLICO VILLAGE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- A woman was charged with attempted first degree murder after she tried to kill her elderly parents at their residence in Tellico Village on Father's Day, the Loudon County Sheriff's Office said.

Kimberly Martin Hopkins was charged with attempted first degree murder after authorities said she flew all the way from Medford, Oregon in an elaborate plan to kill her parents, Jon Martin and Jan Martin, at their home at 104 Quapaw Circle.

According to authorities, Hopkins arrived at her parents' house on Jun 14. Her parents told the sheriff's office that they had not seen Hopkins in three years.

At some point, the sheriff's office said, Hopkins got her mother's credit card, a BB&T Visa Signature card, without consent and ordered helium tanks, which authorities said Hopkins might've used to smother her parents. The tanks were delivered to 104 Quapaw Circle on June 16 via FedEx.

On Father's Day Hopkins took her parents to Tellico Village Community Church. About 20 to 30 minutes into the service, Hopkins got up and left then went to Target in Maryville. There, she purchased approximately $129 worth of clothing with Martin's credit card. Hopkins then returned to her parents' home.

Authorities said when she returned, she took Mrs. Martin to a bedroom away from the living room where her father was located. She closed the door and began to give her mother a pedicure and manicure. The sheriff's office said she put lotion, then gloves on her. She then placed zip ties behind each of her mother's wrists and placed two other zip ties around her wrists to bind them together.

At that point, she put duct tape over her mother's mouth and chin. The sheriff's office said that the mother began to get scared. Hopkins placed a plastic bag over her mother's head then authorities said Hopkins told her mother, "I have your Alexandrite ring." Mrs. Martin began to struggle and scream, then attempted to get up from the chair and head for the door.

Her husband, Jon Martin, came to the door at that point and opened it, the sheriff's office said. Mrs. Martin ran from the room.

Hopkins gathered the pedicure items then the helium tanks before she fled the residence in her white Jeep rental car.

Sheriff Tim Guider said the motive for Hopkins was likely money. "It appears the motive is financial, money. Her parents seem well prepared for retirement. They did well, and she's an only child, and maybe she wanted her benefits early," he told WVLT.

The sheriff also called the attempted murder, "very bizarre" and it appeared Hopkins would have tried to kill her father as well.

On Wednesday, June 20, the sheriff's office announced that Hopkins was being charged with attempted first degree murder and was in the Loudon County Jail. On Thursday, Hopkins will be in court.

Though the sheriff told WVLT that the office still had "some loose ends to tighten up, he believes they have a good case. The sheriff said it was handed over to the District Attorney General Russell Johnson on Wednesday afternoon. Sheriff Guider said Johnson was "on board" with the prosecution of the case.

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6/21/18