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Thomas Huskey 255783
Unit 5/ Cell 55A
Northeast Corr. Center
P.O. Box 5000
Rome Mountain, TN 37683-5000

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Thomas Huskey, an alleged serial killer nicknamed "Zoo Man" by local prostitutes because he liked to have sex by the Knoxville zoo, is charged with raping and killing four women in 1992. Huskey worked at the zoo, where his father trained elephants, until he was fired for abusing animals.

Huskey's defense claims he suffers from dissociative, or "multiple personality" disorder and says his alter ego, Kyle, committed the crimes. The prosecution says Huskey's not only faking, but may have stolen his "personalities" from the soap opera Days of Our Lives.

Huskey allegedly lured his victims — Patricia Rose Anderson, Patricia Ann Johnson, Darlene Smith and Susan East Stone — to a remote area of East Knox County. All except Smith were believed to be prostitutes.

On Oct. 20, 1992, one of Huskey's victims was discovered buried in a shallow grave, in in a wooded, garbage-strewn area, by a man who had stopped for a bathroom break. Over the next few days, three more victims were found nearby.


Huskey was taken into custody on Oct. 21. The following day he was brought into court to answer an outstanding warrant for solicitation. He pleaded guilty and signed the waiver "Kyle Huskey." No one noticed that he used a different name.

After his arrest, Huskey gave police four different statements. In three statements, "Kyle Huskey" confessed to murder. Additionally, Kyle said he had raped three of the four women. (Rape could not be proven on the autopsies and therefore is not included in the charges.) In a fourth statement, police met South African, alter-ego "Phillip Daxx," who said Kyle was out to hurt Thomas.

But the prosecution claims it's all a scam. At the very least, Huskey does not meet the standard for insanity because he can appreciate the wrongfulness of his actions, they say.

The defense will call experts to prove that Huskey is in fact dissociative and that Thomas should not be punished for Kyle's crimes.

While there is no not guilty by reason of insanity plea in Tennessee, jurors can find Huskey guilty, not guilty or guilty by reason of insanity. If convicted of first-degree murder, Huskey faces the death penalty.