Texas Man Converts To Islam: Slaughters 5 Family Members...

[T-Rock]

"...Thomas' sister, Ka'Tara Price, 24, of Houston, said she believes anger and Thomas' conversion to the Muslim religion influenced his actions. She said she is not aware of him suffering from any mental illness...."

“...This is one of the most horrific crimes we've had in Austin County,” District Attorney Travis Koehn said. “Austin County is a safe place to live, but unfortunately, we are not immune to the same kinds of crimes that occur in other locations....”

"...Killed were Thomas' biological mother, Debra Phearse Washington, 54; stepfather, George T. Washington, 69; sister, Kiana Shree Phearse, 25; brother, Cedric Thomas, 19; and niece, Khalilah Chambers-Massey, who was Kiana Phearse's daughter. Contrary to prior reports, Kiana Phearse was not pregnant, Austin County Sheriff's Sgt. Paul Faircloth said..."

"...The machete used in the decapitation was found inside the residence. The toddler's severed head was found near her body, Faircloth said."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...n/6826959.html

http://www.weaselzippers.net/blog/20...y-members.html

[Sigaba]

FWIW, the news story also reports:

Investigators declined to elaborate on the nature of the household dispute, but said a family fight happened on the night of the killings.

“There was an ongoing internal situation within the dynamics of this family,” said Texas Ranger David Maxwell.

<<SNIP>>

Thomas' sister, Ka'Tara Price, 24, of Houston, said she believes anger and Thomas' conversion to the Muslim religion influenced his actions. She said she is not aware of him suffering from any mental illness.

“It's anger and pure evilness,” Price said Wednesday night. “He's always been a very angry person. If he thinks he's right, he's right.”

Price said another family member told her that her brother had a disagreement with their mother before the killings, but she doesn't know what it was about.

“I don't know what in this world could trigger him off to do a thing like that,” Price said. “I just want to know why.”

Investigators said they have not yet received blood test results to see whether he was under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol that night.

IMO, Texas Rangers are better trained and equipped than bloggers to perform criminal investigations. YMMV.

[T-Rock]

IMO, Texas Rangers are better trained and equipped than bloggers to perform criminal investigations. YMMV.

I agree but it will be interesting to see what the investigation reveals, even though, Islam does seem to attract certain disenfranchised individuals...

[Sigaba]

Originally Posted by T-Rock

I agree but it will be interesting to see what the investigation reveals, even though, Islam does seem to attract certain disenfranchised individuals...

What religion doesn't?

[T-Rock]

What religion doesn't?

Scientology

[Sigaba]

Scientology

If you ever have occasion to visit L.A., you might see a thing or three if you walk along Hollywood Boulevard between La Brea and Vine.

• The Scientologists occupy a lot of real estate.
• There are quite a few teenage kids from points unknown. They have no place to go, no means to get there, and no idea what to do once they arrive.
• Come on in and take a free personality test...

Polly Jean Harvey had in mind NYC when she wrote "The Whores Hustle and the Hustles Whore."* Yet when listening to that bleak song, one realizes that she could have just as easily have been writing about the Walk of Fame.



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* PJ Harvey, "The Whores Hustle and the Hustles Whore," track 6 of Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (ASIN B00004YW6I