SHELBY COUNTY, Texas — Documents show an East Texas man charged with murder for a woman's death in Shelby County Sunday afternoon killed her as a part of a sacrifice. His mother also told investigators he was satanic.
Ethan Myers, 26, of Joaquin, was arrested Sunday in connection with the death of Sarah Hopson, 36, also of Joaquin. Deputies discovered her body inside a home after conducting a welfare check around 4 p.m., the Shelby County Sheriff's Office said.
According to an arrest affidavit, on Sunday, Allen Price and Teresa Louviere came to the sheriff's office to report they thought "Ethan Myers had done something to Sarah Hopson."
Price and Louviere told deputies Myers had been acting strange and they hadn't seen Hopson since the previous day. They had noticed Myers fled the home and he had blood on him.
When deputies went into the home, they found a dead body, later identified as Hopson, wrapped up in carpet in the middle bedroom, the document said.
The affidavit stated Myers' mother later told the sheriff's office Sunday evening her son was hiding in the woods because he didn't want to go back to jail. She told law enforcement Myers told her that Hopson wanted him to "sacrifice her." He said he did sacrifice Hopson.
Myers’ mother said she didn't know who Hopson was. His mother said her son "hears voices and is satanic," the document read.
A deputy found Hopson's toes, fingers and both ears had been cut off. Her toes, fingers and ears were found in a clear freezer bag between her legs, the affidavit detailed. She also had a large wounds to the right side of her head and forehead.
In the affidavit, deputies also noted that the bedroom appeared to be freshly painted and noticed a razor knife, several wrenches on a chest of drawers, paint brushes and paint cans, and a bag with paint and cleaning supplies.
Deputies also found used towels, wash rags, empty cleaning product containers and a pair of jeans with Myers' Texas ID card in the pocket, according to the affidavit.
While searching Myers' car, investigators found the following items: a shovel, several plastic bags, a gallon of gasoline, a hammer, tire tool and a large rock in a trash bag smelling like gasoline. Investigators saw the tip of the rock matched Hopson's head wounds, the document read.
When using a spray solution that makes blood glow, investigators saw large portions of the bedroom glowed (including handprints on the freshly painted door) and droplets on the dresser appeared to be consistent with blood spatter. The walls also glowed, showing what looked like "wiping marks" of someone trying to clean the walls, the affidavit stated.
Price told deputies Myers was involved in cult activity, which matched the information Myers’ mother gave, the document explained.
Price and Louviere have also been charged with tampering/fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair (human corpse), according to jail records.
