An ex-con found God, just to return to his criminal ways

Nov 3, 2012 12:22 GMT  ·  By
24-year-old Rebekah Gay was murdered by her mother's boyfriend, a pastor in her trailer park
   24-year-old Rebekah Gay was murdered by her mother's boyfriend, a pastor in her trailer park

John D. White, an ex-convict turned pastor in the small community of Broomfield, Isabella County, Michigan, is being charged with murdering 24-year-old Rebekah Gay, his fiancee's daughter.

Gay disappeared from a trailer park on Halloween. Police have a confession from the pastor for the murder, which was motivated by necrophiliac fantasies. White stroke the victim on the head with a mallet and strangled her with a tie, in the trailer, before taking her clothes off and dumping her body.

The suspect had been drinking that night. He acted on his urges after ingesting four to five beers, but has no recollection of further pursuing his fantasy once the victim was naked.

"He just basically said he was attracted to her, thought she was a very cute girl. It's a crazy, tragic situation," the sheriff explained.

55-year-old White had previously been tried for the brutal murder of a 17-year-old girl, who he choked and stabbed in Battle Creek girl, in 1981, ABC News details. He then served 12 years in jail for manslaughter for the assault of a 26-year-old woman in Kalamazoo County.

The pastor lead prayers for the girl to safely return home, following her being declared missing. On Halloween, just after he disposed of her body, he helped her 3-year-old son get ready for a costume party.

He had made a complete turn around and supposedly dedicated his life to the Lord.

Parishioners knew of the convict's criminal history. Neighbors learned to trust him, in the three years he served as pastor at the Christ Community Fellowship, and were shocked when news of his actions spread.

"All kinds of people turn around and meet the Lord and they are a different person. He was doing a lot of good in the community. ... He was doing a lot of good and Satan did not want him doing good and Satan got to him," one neighbor said.