Pagans Peeved at Sheriff's Witchcraft Reference

Wiccans, witches and pagans are taking to the Internet to share their displeasure at a Florida sheriff after he claimed a grisly triple homicide may somehow be ties to witchcraft and the recent blue moon.

The brouhaha erupted after Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan announced on Tuesday that a triple homicide with ritualistic traits may be connected to a person of interest who practices “witchcraft.”

Wiccans are especially upset with the Morgan’s statements.

A Facebook video of Morgan’s press conference posted to the sheriff’s office’s page blew up with nearly 200 comments.

“You must joking,” wrote one person. “Satanism is not Witchcraft.”

“The cops going on a witch hunt doesn’t exactly inspire a lot of confidence in them,” wrote another.

Some posters on Facebook defended the sheriff.

“Maybe people claiming this guy is slamming Wicca should watch the press conference again,” one Facebook poster wrote. “He not once mentioned Wicca or claimed the person of interest was a practicing Wiccan.”

Others, however, demanded an apology.

“He owes an apology to the entire pagan community worldwide,” one person concluded.

See Also:

• Witchcraft, Blue Moon May Be Tied to Triple Homicide

The crime that sparked the heated debate was uncovered last Friday near Pensacola. Morgan said the triple homicide coincided with the blue moon, which only occurs once every three years. While the blue moon rose Friday – the same night three bodies were discovered – the murders are believed to have been committed July 28.

Voncile Smith, 77, and her two sons, Richard, 49, and John, 47, were all struck with a claw hammer and had their throats slit, Morgan said. Richard Smith also had a gunshot to his right ear.

Morgan called the crime scene “complex,” and noted that valuables inside the home, including a “sizable amount of cash” were left untouched.

As for the witchcraft ties, he added, the investigation is still preliminary. Even so, the “method of the murder, blunt force trauma, slit throats, positions of the bodies and then our person of interest has some ties to a faith or religion that is indicative of that,” Morgan said.

As of Friday, Aug. 7, no arrest had been made in the case.