34-year-old Jerry Hobbs has confessed to the killing of his eight-year-old daughter Laura and her nine-year-old friend Krystal Tobias according to local authorities in Zion, Illinois. At a court hearing on Wednesday, local officials say Hobbs confessed in a written statement, orally and on videotape to the killings, admitting that he beat and stabbed the two young girls to death.

Police are beginning to reconstruct the events that led up to the murders. They say that Hobbs and his daughter had an argument after he accused her of leaving the house despite the fact that she was grounded for allegedly stealing money from her mother. Hobbs apparently lost his temper and punched his daughter repeatedly in the face until she fell down. Krystal Tobias then pulled a small knife in an effort to protect her friend and Hobbs overpowered her, took the knife and started stabbing the two girls.

According to local officials, Laura was stabbed a total of 11 times including in both eyes. Krystal was also stabbed numerous times by Hobbs according to reports.

After killing the girls, police say Hobbs cleaned up the alleged murder scene and dragged their bodies into the woods of Beulah Park where they were later discovered.

Hobbs had been released from prison just last month after serving time for an assault conviction in 2001. Officials say he has a long criminal history.

Hobbs was denied bond at a court hearing on Wednesday and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for next week.