A man is alleged to have beaten his mother and dog to death as part of a bizarre witchcraft “exorcism” before sharing images of their bodies on Snapchat, police have said.
Taylor Valdez, 23, was drenched in blood and holding a Bible when police arrived at his home after being alerted about the bodies appearing on social media. One of Valdez’s friends had called 911, telling officers he had received a disturbing photo showing the bodies of the mother and dog.
Before officers arrived, Valdez walked outside, sat on a chair on his front porch while blood dripped down his face and onto his neck, chest and hands. He is alleged to have told police: “It was an exorcism. I was doing witchcraft to kill my mum.”
An affidavit obtained by local outlet Fox 4 News claimed he quickly confessed to the killings. When officers asked if anyone was inside the home, he is reported to have said: “There is a dead body in there, it’s my mum.”
Officers found the body of 58-year-old Tersita Sayson inside the blood-stained master bedroom at the house in Fort Worth, Texas. Police noted the trauma to her face and upper body as well as a dead dog also inside the room.
When investigators carried an a search of the property, they found a smashed jewellery box with hair and blood inside. The medical examiner’s office later said Ms Sayson died as a result of bunt force trauma.
Neighbour Dana Adderly told Fox 4 News: “I came outside and the people that he had sent the group text to were all down there and this whole block was full of police officers.
You know that they’re saying exorcism, you know they’re disturbed. There’s something more there. Pray that they’ll find peace somehow.”
“I know that their ‘why’ is not going to be able to be answered, you know?” Fort Worth police officer Carter Tracy said.
“And so, it’ll take time. But again, this is something that just should never have happened. I’m going to keep saying that, you know, it’s just very gruesome.”
The affidavit did not mention a motive for the homicide. Valdez has since been taken into custody and has requested a lawyer. He was charged with murder and is now being held at the Tarrant County Jail on a $750,000 (£564,249) bond.
The Mirror has contacted Forth Worth police for comment via email. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 2,281 homicides in Texas in 2022.
This represented a death rate of 7.6 per 100,000 people. In comparison there were 570 homicide victims in the year ending March 2024 in England and Wales, which have a combined population about double that of Texas.
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