a message from God … or from Q?
Ex-marine accused of killing family of four in Florida expected to plead insanity defence
Riley was allegedly under the delusion that his victims were part of a child sex trafficking ring
The 33-year-old former marine, who served in Iran and Afghanistan, went on a cold-blooded shooting rampage on 5 September in Florida’s Lakeland, where he believed he was “carrying God’s message.”
Four people were killed in the shooting, including a four-month-old baby, the child’s 33-year-old mother Theresa Lanham, her boyfriend Justice Gleason and Gleason’s 62-year-old mother. The family dog, Diogi, was also shot. Gleason’s 11-year-old daughter was shot multiple times and airlifted to Tampa General Hospital for surgery. She is the sole survivor.
Mr Riley, who is facing 22 charges including murder, arson, kidnapping, burglary, and animal cruelty, could get the death penalty if found guilty.
According to investigators, Mr Riley claimed that the family was involved in child sex trafficking and that he had been asked by God to rescue a child named Amber. One of the witnesses in the neighbourhood, who had seen Mr Riley patrol just hours before he went on a rampage, told him that no one named Amber lived in the area.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/marine-florida-family-insanity-plea-b1936585.html