Residents of a California town have told reporters that a local man is killing neighborhood cats as part of a satanic ritual. Holly Sweany, who lives in San Pedro, near Los Angeles, said the 70-year-old “seems to delight in pretending he’s a Knights Templar.” She added that she reported Roger Montague to the police after he narrowly missed shooting her while targeting the animals with a crossbow. Officers told her they did not have sufficient evidence to pursue the matter.
Sweany volunteers for a local cat colony established by the Community Animal Rescue Endeavor and said Montague shot at her because she helps feed the animals. He believes she is aligned with the devil, Ms. Sweany explained.
Terry Hamill, who founded the organization, agreed and claimed that cats had begun disappearing from the colony. Hamill said several residents had previously reported the suspect to police, but on each occasion, they cited insufficient evidence.
Local reporters caught up with Roger Montague, who calls himself the “Saint of San Pedro,” on July 3. Residents say he paints satanic symbols around the town and throws garlic into people’s gardens, an act he insists keeps evil spirits at bay. He denies harming neighborhood cats.
Hurting animals can carry stiff penalties in California, and in March, 31-year-old Joshua Boyer was jailed for eight years for torturing and killing ten cats. San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Eva Kilamya called it the worst animal cruelty case in the county’s history and said Boyer “charmed” people into allowing him to adopt their animals when they were no longer able to care for them.
Kilamya claimed that Boyer trapped the cats in sheds and tortured them for long periods before killing them. His defense attorney, Gretchen Von Helms, told the court that her client was suffering from considerable depression and believed that his wife loved their cat more than him. She said he endured a “psychotic breakdown” after his daughter’s birth.
