Dad charged after burning family dog says ‘devil made him’
Mel Buttigieg - Yahoo News on May 17, 2016, 4:32 pm
Barbecue caterer burns family poodle on industrial meat smoker as ‘sacrifice’ to Devil
An American father faces multiple animal cruelty charges after burning the family’s pet poodle on a barbecue because the “Devil made him do it.”
The father of four, who owns mobile barbecue catering business Raging Cajun, told police he thought his daughter was wearing a T-shirt with devilish connotations and the Lord told him he needed a male sacrifice to appease him.
Patrick Zane Thompson, 42, ordered the 17-year-old to throw her shirt into the fire of an industrial-sized smoker he uses for his business, which was parked in the side yard of the family’s Arizona property.
Then he had a “vision” that “the Lord" was going to kill him for what he had done and needed a male sacrifice to make amends, ABC15 reported.
Arizona father Patrick Zane Thompson faces multiple animal cruelty charges, along with assault and threatening charges. Pictures: Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and Facebook
Rather than sacrificing himself or his six-year-old son, Thompson said he was forced to strangle the family pet then cook him in the industrial meat smoker.
His wife and children allegedly grabbed the pet and begged the man to stop but he took hold of the 17-year-old daughter and threatened her.
Thompson then strangled the poodle then broke its neck, before smoking it on the barbecue.
Police reportedly found Thompson lying on the footpath with a self-inflicted gash on his arm, as he prayed and surrendered to God.
His wife and children reportedly begged the father not to kill their pet, but couldn't stop him. Picture: Facebook
Police said Thompson made erratic comments that he had to "do it for God" and that the "Devil made him do it".
He told officers the sacrifice was not complete because he needed to put the dog in a "lake of fire”.
Thompson later told officers he had smoked marijuana earlier in the day and began to have an "episode”.
He has been arrested and is due to appear in court on Monday, facing multiple animal cruelty charges, along with assault and threatening charges.
