Man sentenced to life for raping teenager, stabbing her dozens of times in Gwinnett County

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A man from Flowery Branch was sentenced to life on Friday for raping a 15-year-old girl and attacking her with a knife two years ago, the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Zachary Iona, 22, pled guilty to rape, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, statutory rape, child molestation, and possession of a knife during the commission of a felony. His life sentence includes 30 years in prison and five years of parole, alongside mandatory sex offender registration.

The case dates back to February 2022, when the teen met Iona on Snapchat. The teen agreed for Iona to meet her at a home in Hoschton, where he bound her hands and covered her mouth with tape before raping her, according to the district attorney’s office.

During the assault, Iona stabbed the teen in her face, torso, neck and limbs before running. The girl was taken to the hospital after she crawled to her phone and called for help. Medical staff found at least 86 stab and cut wounds across her body, the district attorney’s office said.

Police identified Iona using a Snapchat photo and found his car, which had duct tape, rope and blood inside.

“This should be a warning to our young people to beware,” Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said in a statement. “As this case demonstrates, not everyone you meet on social media has your best interest at heart.”

After many surgeries and hours of physical therapy, the girl can now walk again. During the plea hearing, she told the judge she had recently graduated from high school and considered herself blessed to be alive, the district attorney’s office said.