Inset: Alexander Taylor Valdez (Tarrant County Jail). Background: Fort Worth, Texas, home where Valdez allegedly killed his mother during an exorcism (Google Maps).
A disturbing Snapchat photo of a woman covered in blood led Texas cops to a home where they found a man who admitted he killed his 58-year-old mother during an exorcism, authorities say.
Alexander Taylor Valdez, 23, stands accused of murder in the death of his mother Teresita Sayson, in Fort Worth. According to a probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, the Fort Worth Police Department received an anonymous call around 1:30 a.m. Friday, about a photo received in a group on Snapchat. The caller described the photo as “very concerning” and appeared to show a woman on the ground covered in red, possibly blood. The caller then gave cops the address of Valdez, who allegedly took the photo.
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Officers went to the home in the 9900 block of Farmers Branch Street and knocked on the door. Valdez answered and cops noted he was covered in blood, the affidavit said. He also held what appeared to be a Bible in his hand and said, “It was an exorcism” before walking out of the house and sitting down in a chair on the porch.
When an officer asked why he had blood on him, he allegedly responded, “I was doing witchcraft to kill my mom.” Asked if there was anyone else in the home, he said, “There is a dead body in there, it’s my mom,” according to the affidavit. Officers searched the home and found a bloodied Sayson on the floor of the master bedroom with apparent trauma to the face and upper body. There was also a dead dog in the room.
Also in the room was a broken jewelry box with blood and hair that apparently belonged to Sayson, suggesting that it was the murder weapon, police said.
Several of Valdez’s friends were on scene and told deputies they were in a group Snapchat when Valdez allegedly sent the photo of his dead mother. The photo showed the victim, the dead dog and blood on the wall and carpet, the affidavit said.
Cops took Valdez into custody, but he refused to answer any questions and requested an attorney. Valdez is in the Tarrant County Jail on a $750,000 bail.
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