Overwhelmed by religious fanaticism and convinced of the presence of the devil in the house, stonemason Giovanni Barreca performed an exorcism that ended in the death of his wife and two minor children. The incident occurred in Palermo (Italy) and shocked the country, the publication reports Corriere della Sera.
According to the first information collected by the police, the body of Antonella, the wife of Giovanni Barreca, was found burnt in the garden of the house. Emanuel and Kevin, his sons aged five and sixteen, were strangled with an iron chain.
Authorities suspect the deaths occurred on different days last week due to the degree of decomposition of the bodies.
The only survivor, the killer’s eldest daughter, was found sitting in her room in a state of shock. A 17-year-old girl told authorities that her father performed a ritual in the house. Police believe the girl was forced to witness crimes.
The young woman said that her father had a habit of waking up in the middle of the night screaming because he felt the presence of demons in the room. “He wanted to free us from the devil. My father was convinced that the house was haunted,” he said, as quoted by the Italian press.
In addition to Giovanni Barreca, a couple also known to neighbors as religious fanatics were arrested. Police suspect involvement in the death.
“I killed my family, I’m waiting for them to come and get me. There was a demon in the house,” Barreca said Saturday night when he called the couple.
The detainees were interrogated this Monday. Barreca admitted his crimes and said he was encouraged to kill members of his family.
Giovanni Barreca is described as a violent man who beat his wife and was possessed by Satan. On Facebook, the killer revealed his obsession with religion, publishing several posts about the decline of customs and true faith in controversy with the church.