Texas man arrested for beating mother to death during "exorcism": Police
A man in Texas has been arrested after allegedly beating his mother to death during an exorcism, according to police reports obtained by Fox 4.
Alexander Taylor Valdez, 23, was taken into custody by the Fort Worth Police Department after being found with blood on his body outside of his home. When they entered the building, officers found his deceased mother inside.
According to the affidavit, Valdez, who was carrying a Bible at the time, told police: "It was an exorcism."
The Fort Worth Police Department has been contacted via email for a copy of the affidavit.
Why It Matters
Valdez is being held at the Lon Evans Corrections Center and facing murder charges. It is unclear at this time how he will plead. According to Fox 4, the affidavit did not mention a motive for the alleged homicide.
What To Know
Police arrived at the house at around 1:30 a.m. on April 18 to perform a wellness check when they found what Fort Worth police officer Carter Tracy described as a "gruesome" situation.
They were made aware of a disturbance at the Farmers Branch street address following a 911 call from an anonymous source. This person said they had received a Snapchat photo of a woman lying on the ground covered in something red which was potentially blood.
When officers arrived, according to Fox 4, the suspect had what appeared to be blood on his "face, neck, chest, torso, hands, and feet."
Police asked him why he appeared to have blood on him, and he told them: "I was doing witchcraft to kill my mom," and that if they went inside they would find her body. He was detained at the scene and later identified by police as Valdez.
His 58-year-old mother, Teresita Sayson, was found upstairs in the master bedroom with trauma wounds to her face and body. Medical examiners determined she had died from blunt force trauma to the head.
A deceased dog was also found in the room, and a sweep of the house uncovered a jewelry box with Sayson's hair and blood inside.
Deaths from exorcisms are rare but not unheard of in the U.S. In 2024, two parents were indicted on murder and felony child abuse charges by a grand jury following the death of their adopted son amid reports of exorcisms being done on the child.
What People Are Saying
Fort Worth police officer Carter Tracy told Fox 4: "This is something that just should never have happened. I'm going to keep saying that, you know, it's just very gruesome."
Neighbor Dana Adderley told Fox 4: "You know that when they're saying exorcism, you know they're disturbed. There's something more there. Pray that they'll find peace somehow."
What Happens Next
Valdez is in the Lon Evans Corrections Center with a $750,000 bond. He has been charged with murder, which is in keeping with other exorcism-related deaths and charges in the U.S. in the past four years.