Man Decapitated Mom After Claiming the 'Holy Spirit' Said She Was the Devil

An Ohio man was arrested after he decapitated his mother and set her body on fire. He later told police that the "Holy Spirit" told him to because she was "the devil."

Lionel Gore, 34, is now facing murder charges against his mother, Diane Gore. According to arrest records from the Washington County Sheriff's Office, Gore has been arrested more than 25 times for domestic violence, theft, assault, among other charges.

On Friday evening, police received a 911 call about a fire at Diane's home in New Matamoras, Ohio. According to the affidavit, when authorities arrived, Diane's sister approached them and said Gore ran out of the burning house "covered in blood" and told her to "get out of the way or I'll kill you next."

She also said Gore fled the scene in a vehicle and that she was unable to get into the house to rescue Diane because of the fire. Officers also interviewed Diane's 6-year-old grandson who witnessed the murder.

The boy said he watched Gore, his uncle, "sawing her neck with a knife," before switching it out for a larger one. He also told police he watched Gore set the house on fire but was able to crawl out to safety.

After the flames were extinguished, police located a body in the master bedroom. During this time, the Wetzel County Sheriff's Office became involved in a car chase with Gore. During the pursuit, Gore hit two deputy vehicles. He was eventually taken into custody and brought to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries.

According to the affidavit, in the hospital, Gore told officers that Diane was his adopted mother and he killed her because "the Holy Spirit told him to do it and that she was the devil."

The affidavit also mentioned that Gore told the detective that he "cut her head off and set her on fire." He was later arrested and taken to the Wetzel County Jail for charges related to the vehicle pursuit.

Back at the residence, authorities found Diane's head next to her torso, similar to the account her grandson said he witnessed.

In September, Newsweek reported about a woman who decapitated both of her children nearly a year before she was caught.

Natalie Brothwell, 44, was arrested in Arizona for two counts of murder and two counts of felony child endangerment involving the killings of her two children.

The children's father, 35-year-old Maurice Taylor Sr., was also charged with their murders. He was accused of stabbing his 12-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter on November 29, 2020.

According to police, Taylor left the children's bodies in the home and forced his younger sons, 8 and 9, to stare at them.

The case is still under investigation.