Philadelphia News:
JOHN THOMAS had found a friend in Jesus, and a friend in Murray Seidman.
"Jay," as his friends call him, had immersed himself in Mormonism and was quoting Scripture to anyone who would listen. Try to talk about the Eagles, he'd steer you back to God.
Thomas, 28, had become a priest in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and he used that authority to baptize Seidman, 70, a mentally handicapped hospital worker whom Thomas had met at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Delaware County.
But as "Brother Thomas" became more deeply involved in the church, schizophrenia began to take hold.
In early January, Thomas visited Seidman's Lansdowne apartment, stuffed a rock into one of Seidman's socks and bashed him over the head about 10 times until he was dead, according to police.
Thomas confessed last month, telling investigators that Seidman was making "homosexual advances" toward him, police said. He said he'd read in the Old Testament that gays should be stoned to death in certain situations and that the "answer" he received from his prayers was to kill Seidman, police said.
"I stoned Murray with a rock in a sock," Thomas said, according to the police report.
Yes he was crazy. The very people most susceptible to bigots who condemn gays on behalf of God.
