Five killed in 'occult rituals' home near Seattle

Protective order filed last year cited 'witchcraft' and 'delusional' behavior by suspect

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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A woman who lived at the home in Gig Harbor, Washington filed a protective order in 2025 claiming her son was conducting "occult rituals" and "witchcraft" at the property, including harming her cat and refusing to get a job. On Tuesday, a deputy responding to a call about a protective order violation found the 32-year-old male suspect actively stabbing someone, leading the deputy to fatally shoot the suspect. Four other adults were found dead from stab wounds at the home.

Why it matters

This tragic incident highlights the challenges of addressing mental health issues and domestic violence, especially when there are allegations of occult or delusional behavior. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of protective orders and whether more could have been done to prevent this deadly outcome.

The details

According to the reports, the woman who lived at the home filed a protective order in April 2025 claiming her son was conducting "occult rituals" and "witchcraft" at the property, including harming her cat and refusing to get a job. She said he was "acting delusional" and that "evidence of occult rituals was present" at the home. The protective order was issued in May 2025 following these concerning reports. On the day of the incident, the sheriff's office received a tip that the man was going to break the protective order, and when a deputy responded, he found the 32-year-old male suspect actively stabbing someone. The deputy shot and killed the suspect, but four other adults were found dead from stab wounds at the home.

  • In April 2025, the woman filed a protective order against her son.
  • A protective order was issued in May 2025 following the reports of occult activity.
  • On Tuesday, the sheriff's office received a tip about a protective order violation and responded to the home.

The players

The woman who lived at the home

She filed a protective order in 2025 claiming her son was conducting "occult rituals" and "witchcraft" at the property, including harming her cat and refusing to get a job.

The 32-year-old male suspect

The son of the woman who lived at the home, he was the subject of the 2025 protective order and was found actively stabbing someone when the deputy responded to the home.

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What they’re saying

“[He's] Hurting my cat. Thinks an Egyptian God! Refuses to get a job. I am an elderly disabled woman, and he is taking advantage of me and my health.”

— The woman who lived at the home (KOMO News)

“The smoke detector was going off, and my son was acting delusional. Evidence of occult rituals was present.”

— The woman who lived at the home (KOMO News)

What’s next

Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deadly incident and the history of the protective order.

The takeaway

This tragic case underscores the need for better mental health support and intervention, as well as the challenges of protecting vulnerable individuals from domestic violence when there are allegations of delusional or occult behavior involved.