California man allegedly killed man in Louisiana hotel because he received 'spiritual message'
02/04/2022 12:36 pm PST
BATON ROUGE, La. (TCD) -- A 45-year-old man from San Bernardino, California, was arrested this week for allegedly shooting a man to death at a Louisiana hotel because he received a message from Mexican folk saint Santa Muerte.
According to a press release from the Baton Rouge Police Department, on Wednesday, Feb. 2, at approximately 4 a.m., David Mendez shot Juan Reyes Lugos multiple times at a Sleep Inn at 10332 Plaza Americana Drive. Police say Lugos and Mendez got into a disagreement prior to the incident. Lugos was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene.
According to WAFB-TV, Lugos and Mendez were working for a construction company in Baton Rouge and sharing a hotel room. Mendez reportedly admitted to police that he killed the victim, and he explained he did it for spiritual reasons after receiving a message from Santa Muerte.
The victim had allegedly called police and explained that somebody was trying to kill him, and when police arrived, WAFB reports that Mendez told them, "He is gone. I shot him and the gun is in the hamper."
According to police, Mendez was arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and charged with second-degree murder and illegal use of a weapon.
MORE:
