Stillwater resident and religious zealot Isaiah Zoar Marin was arrested late October after he killed his 19-year-old friend, Jacob Crockett, for apparently practicing witchcraft. 21-year-old Marin called 911 on October 29 to tell the dispatcher he had murdered someone, before beginning to rant about religious sacrifices and black magic. When the dispatcher asked Marin to identify himself, he did so and went on to describe how he had hacked his victim to death with a machete.

Marin was seen walking down the state highway drenched in blood and carrying a cross along with a sword and a large knife. He was detained at this location at gunpoint, where he laid on the ground and told police officials the location of his crime scene. Police followed a trail of blood into an apartment, where Crockett’s body was found at the top of a staircase with multiple stabs and an almost severed head.

Crockett’s brother Jesse told Stillwater Police Captain Randy Dickerson that the two of them shared the apartment with Marin’s brother Samuel and Marin visited them from time to time. Jesse referred to Marin as a religious zealot and drug addict.

When police interviewed Samuel, he said the three friends were playing cards while Marin was browsing through Youtube videos related to Christian beliefs and Book of Matthew. Reportedly, Marin picked up a large sword all of a sudden, unsheathed it and started to whirl it around. Within a few moments, Samuel heard someone scream and upon discovering Crockett heavily wounded, he fled the scene. Apparently, Marin followed Samuel saying he would explain why Crockett had to be murdered in letters he would send to him from prison.

According to Samuel, Marin and Crockett have had disagreements in the past because Crockett and his brother Jesse were practicing witchcraft and Marin opposed that as a staunch Christian.

Dickerson said drugs might have played a role in Crockett’s death, as some traces of that were found at the apartment.

“The suspect told police he fantasized about killing several people, at least four,” Dickerson said.

Marin has been charged with first-degree murder and cannot avail himself of bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on December 1.

A Facebook page titled RIP Jacob Crockett was created soon after his death. One of the administrators of that page, Emily Perry, was a close friend of Crockett’s and graduated with him from Stillwater High School earlier this year.

“He was an amazing friend to everyone,” said Perry. “The only thing he was interested in was friends, family and metal music.”

Photo Credits: DeviantArt