A Religion-Motivated Killing of a Detroit-Area Atheist
TAYLOR: Death is result of debate about God
October 28, 2004
BY JOEL THURTELL
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
A Taylor police dispatcher took the call at precisely 12:44 p.m. on Oct. 18. A 49-year-old man said he'd just blasted a man with a revolver and a shotgun because the man said he didn't believe in God. The dispatcher said the alleged shooter told him he'd just shot "the devil himself" and was still armed and standing over the body of the 62-year-old victim "in case he moved."
"I want to make sure he's gone," the alleged shooter told the dispatcher. The dispatcher asked the suspect how many times he shot the victim. "Hopefully enough," was the suspect's chilling reply, according to the dispatcher.
When police arrived in the 15600 block of McGuire, they could see the victim seated on a living room couch with major trauma to his head, officers said. They said they were certain he was dead. He was.
Lying on a hallway floor was a black 12-gauge shotgun. Two spent shotgun shells lay on the floor nearby. Later, police found a revolver with five spent cartridge casings.
On the way to the police station, the suspect told police "he did not want to deal with anyone that did not believe in God," according to the report. The report also indicated that the suspect and the victim knew each other, although their relationship was unclear.
The suspect said he was an Eagle Scout, the report said. The suspect said the victim had told him there was nothing he could say that would convince the 62-year-old to believe in God.
Following this discussion, the suspect said, he went into another room and removed his shirt. Then he shaved his face. He tried once more to convince the victim to believe in God, but this time, he had the shotgun. "How long would it take you to believe in God?" the suspect said he asked
the victim. "Not until I hear Gabriel blow his horn," the victim allegedly replied, while tipping his hat.
That's when the suspect shot him.
"I did it because he is evil; he was not a believer," the suspect told police.
The suspect said the victim "has been locked up most of his life."
Michigan Department of Corrections records indicate the victim was on probation for a drug conviction.
At the police station, the suspect commented that he believed there is a God. Then, looking at the floor, he seemed to have second thoughts: "Maybe there's not," he said.
Comments
bluehamster98 on Oct. 29, 2004 11:33 AM
Whoa... just because the guy didn't believe there was a God.
And the shooter then questions his own belief. *blinks
This world gets crazier every day.
-Karen
matt-arnold on Oct. 29, 2004 3:32 PM
Would it be better if the shooter didn't question his belief? Sounds like being sure beyond a shadow of a doubt was the source of his whole problem.
babykinsmi on Oct. 29, 2004 12:38 PM
If that guy was so religious, why didn't he think of this: Thou shalt not kill ?
What a stupid reason to kill someone. I can understand getting frustrated with someone, ...so the best thing is to just ignore them, and at the very most, kick them in the junk. ;) But to kill them? There are only a few good reasons to kill someone, and this wasn't it.
matt-arnold on Oct. 29, 2004 3:36 PM
In the bible, "thou shalt not kill" only applies to fellow believers. Throughout book after book, biblegod commands his followers to kill foreigners, witches and other unbelievers.
cosette-valjean on Oct. 29, 2004 1:46 PM — Oh my word!!!
This makes me want to vomit. How disgusting. Of course, this guy was apparently psychotic anyway, but still..... Yuck
sothisislife on Oct. 29, 2004 2:39 PM
No one is safe from the crazy jesus freaks! I hope they hang him.
boosterbaby on Oct. 29, 2004 3:55 PM
People like this make me so weary. There's a big difference between Christians and Jesusfreaks. It seems pretty obvious to me that this guy has a serious underlying mental illness, and he uses religion to justify the crazed things he does. That's a common tendency for mentally ill people.
I'm certain that the majority of sincere Christians will be appalled and upset by this. The man belongs in an asylum....permanently. He isn't capable of realizing that his bizarre thoughts are abnormal. That he would kill so easily makes him a huge threat to society. They'd better never let him out of jail for any reason. He made it clear he has no intention of controlling himself.
treebones on Oct. 29, 2004 4:41 PM
Um. That's frightening. The fact that I'm not more shocked is also frightening.
protoblues on Oct. 31, 2004 8:34 AM
These are reasons that I fear being Jewish, especially after The Passion came out. Now I believe in God, but because I don't believe Jesus is God I've had to live with being harrassed and persecuted all of my life. Just because it was an Atheist the other day, doesn't mean that it won't be me next time. Sorry, just ranting I guess.
rikhei on Oct. 31, 2004 4:09 PM
This is really alarming, frightening, and saddening.
(Incidentally, have you ever read The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood? )
matt-arnold on Nov. 1, 2004 6:59 AM
I've heard a lot about it, so often that I know the story, but never read it myself. It reminds me of the short story "UnQuiet" that netmouse wrote.
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