Sheriff Says Triple Murder a 'Ritualistic Killing' Tied To Blue Moon

A triple murder in Pensacola, Florida, showed signs of a “ritualistic killing” related to last weekend’s blue moon, authorities say.

According to the Pensacola-News Journal, which posted video of the press conference, a mother and her two sons were found dead on Friday, and a coroner ruled the cause of death of all three to be blunt force trauma to the head.

Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said in a press conference Tuesday that all three victims—77-year-old Voncile Smith, 49-year-old Richard Thomas Smith and 47-year-old John William Smith—suffered multiple blows to the head from a claw hammer, and their throats were slit.

Richard, who worked for the Department of Homeland Security, was also shot in the head in what Morgan said was an effort to incapacitate him.

They are believed to have died Tuesday.

“Initial research has led us to believe that there was a potential that it was a ritualistic killing,” Morgan said. “The method of the murder—blunt force trauma, slit force, positions of bodies—and then our person of interest has some ties to a faith and religion that is indicative of that.

“Those of you that follow any of that will also note that the time of death on Tuesday also coincides with what’s referred to as the blue moon, which occurs every three years.”

Friday’s blue moon was the first since August 2012. A blue moon occurs when there are two full moons in the same month.

“It’s witchcraft,” Morgan said. “I’ll say that right now.”

Not much else is known about the family.

They were described as “reclusive,” and Morgan said that a canvassing of the neighborhood revealed that neighbors admitted they had never met the family that had lived there for years.

“The elements of this case are odd, at best,” Morgan said.

Morgan said authorities have a person of interest but are still gathering more information about the killing.

See the Pensacola News-Journal for more.