SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. -- The Shelby County Sheriff's Office charged a man with the murder of a woman and her 4-month-old baby, found stabbed in a house that was then set on fire.
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office said 25-year-old Enoch Zarceno, who is the baby's father, has been arrested and charged with numerous felonies, including two counts of first-degree murder and aggravated arson.
Family members said they believe he was angry about the possibility of having to pay child support.
Heather Cook, 32, and her son Bentley were found dead in an apartment on Bennington Circle sometime after 9:30 a.m. Friday morning. Shelby County Fire crews found their bodies while responding to a house fire.
Deputies pronounced both of them dead on the scene, and fire marshals later determined the fire was intentionally set.
According to an affidavit obtained by WREG, both Cook and the baby were stabbed multiple times.
Authorities said a family member told deputies that Zarceno was the father of baby Bentley and that Zarceno and Cook had recently gotten into an argument over custody issues. Family, however, tells WREG the argument was about child support for Bentley.
The affidavit said a vehicle tag registered to Zarceno was spotted near Cook's residence Friday morning. Deputies located Zarceno, who agreed to speak with them.
Authorities said after changing his story several times, Zarceno admitted to entering Cook's home through a back window. Zarceno reportedly said he found them both already dead and fled the scene without calling the police.
Just two weeks ago, Cook posted to a private Facebook group for single moms, asking for advice. She said she and Zarceno had just begun seeing each other when she got pregnant; he was in a six-year relationship with someone else at the time.
She wrote Zarceno asked her to “remedy the situation,” offering to pay for an abortion, and that she hadn’t heard from him until she filed for child support last month.
Zarceno is expected to be in court Monday morning. He has no bond at this point.
No one answered the door at Zarceno's house Saturday. Zarceno’s neighbor – who admits he’s only known him a few months – described him as a “good guy."
