Abomination: Devil Worship and Deception in the West Memphis Three Murders (11 page)

Provisional Diagnoses
: Psychotic disorder, not otherwise specified.
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September 15th, 1992

In a psychological evaluation dated September 15th, 1992, Echols offered his own account of the incident:

While at the Detention Center, he reportedly grabbed a peer and began “sucking blood from the peer’s neck”. According to Damien, he relates that the peer was aware that he was going to do this. Staff reports that Damien was not remorseful for his behavior. Damien indicated that he sucked blood in order to get into a gang. He denies that it was any type of ritual.

Damien reportedly threatened to kill his father while in Oregon and also threatened to eat him… Damien laughed when he was called “a blood sucking vampire”. He relates he does not know why people think this. He was placed in isolation in the Detention Center until he could be admitted to Charter Hospital. The other peers were afraid of him. Damien denies that he rubbed the blood all over his face.

… He denied intent to harm himself or others at the time of the exam. He did admit to sucking blood out of the peer’s neck. He related that the peer had hurt his neck, and he subsequently sucked the blood.
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September 15th, 1992

Psychosocial Assessment Update

Dr. W. Gallien

Damien believes that he is a “white witch’ who practices witchcraft and does worship the Devil. Damien’s behaviors have become frightening to some of the community members in the Jonesboro area.
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The social worker recollects the arrest of Damien and Deanna Holcomb, and then provides a narrative of the events that differ significantly from other accounts:

When police picked up both Damien and the girlfriend, Damien had made threats to kill the police officers...and had confessed to devil-worshipping behaviors and activities. Damien had been suspected of involvement in these behaviors before their runaway arrests. The family chose to move to Oregon to avoid the “harassment” that would have followed them back into the community...On one occasion, Damien made a plan to “slash my parents’ throats and eat them alive...”
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The precipitating event contributing to hospitalization is that Damien is reported to have witnessed an individual slash his wrist. Damien was reportedly observed knocking the young man to the ground, was observed sucking the wrists of the young man and smearing his blood over Damien’s body. Damien, at that time, stated he was a white witch who worshipped the devil. Major symptoms at the time of this admission do include a pattern of bizarre and unusual thought processes, including Damien’s belief that he is a vampire and that he does worship the Devil. Damien has made several statements indicating that he has a desire to harm others. Primary targets of his aggression do include authority figures.
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Damien Echols was able to answer all the questions that were posed to him in an intelligent and factual manner. He seemed to withhold no information and readily answered questions concerning his religious beliefs and the fact that he believes that he is a vampire and does worship the devil. It was the social worker’s opinion that Damien was not disclosing information for the purposes of shock, that he was simply disclosing what he currently is believing. Damien did appear to be oriented to person, place and time. He was not evidencing any psychotic symptomatology at the time the interview was being completed. However, his behaviors could best be described as odd and bizarre. Damien smiled at inappropriate times. He cut his eyes back and forth as if he was responding to external stimulation. He seemed to be giggling at something that he was saying or a private joke that was unknown to this social worker.
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Workers at the mental institution made notes of his strange behavior:

An educational therapist reported that Damien “glorified cult behaviors with peers – possibly for attention and shock factor” and “would frequently make growling noises to scare the other students and to get their attention”. A treatment note dated 9/17/92 noted, “Unusual behaviors centered around his occult involvement. Using his experiences to arouse interest in peers. Could be danger to others.” A nurse reported the same day, “continuing to make bizarre sounds around peers … continuous talk of Satanism to peers”. The next day, a nurse wrote, “continues laughing strangely and getting peers to feed into his Satanism”. According to his discharge summary, “He did not demonstrate bizarre and unusual behavior with exception on one occasion, he did bite a male peer; however, this was in a fight type manner.”
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The detailed records of both of his stays in the mental institution would determine the outcome of Echols trial.

September 17th, 1992

Educational Assessment

Kathleen Ferreira, Educational Therapist

Exhibit 500, p. 386

September 24th, 1992

Interdisciplinary Treatment Team,

Update and Review Meeting

Able to discuss the negative consequences of his occult behaviors. Plans to avoid members until age of majority...Patient frequently sleeps and/or daydreams in class. Patient has been making growling sounds in class.
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Discharged on September 28th, 1992, Echols signed a contract promising not to harm anyone after leaving the mental institution. Under one heading, he wrote: "I feel good about myself and the things I like about myself are that my will cannot be bent and the ability to scare people."
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Returning to Lakeshore Trailer Park, Damien found a new girlfriend, Alea Teer, and moved in with her at her mother’s trailer. Like Damien, Alea was known to law enforcement. They shared a dirty, trash covered room, lit from above by a single, red lightbulb. A home made Ouija board lay beside a soiled mattress. After living with Echols, Alea agreed to change her first name to Domini.

January 13th, 1993

Individual Progress Note

In a progress report with social worker Dockins, the following updates in his condition were noted:

He emphasized that he is much older than chronological age. Damien reports one of his biggest problems that he would like to work on is being able to forgive others. When questioned about this he reports that he is very angry with family members and with other people that have “let him down”. He wants to be normal but feels that he has never been normal....He discussed issues of power and control. He states that he could make things happen. He believes very much in magic. Damien stated “I don’t believe anything until its proven”. Demonstrated a technique with him that there was a way of control without black magic...Damien’s affect and mood was flat. He did not smile during the session.
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January 19th, 1993

Individual Progress Note

At their next session on January 19, Echols asked the Clinical social worker, Sherry Dockins, “Mom told me to apply for disability — what do you think?” Dockins’ hand written notes of the brief session is frightening:

Damien relates that he is trying to find a way to live on his own. He does not get along with step-father. Reveals a history of abuse as he talked of how he was treated as a child. Denies that this has influenced him stating “I just put it all inside.” Describes this as more than just anger — like rage. Sometimes he does “blow up.” Relates that when this happens the only solution is to “hurt someone”. Damien reports being told at the hospital that he could be another “Charles Manson or Ted Bundy”. When questioned on his feelings he states “I know I’m going to influence the world — people will remember me.
”
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January 20th, 1993

Individual Progress Note

Dr. David Erby, Psychiatrist

Dr. Erby discussed medication options and wrote of the eighteen year old Echols:

He’s had three psychological hospitalizations. Each has been associated with anger, thoughts of killing others and thoughts of killing himself...He’s had a traumatic upbringing, this is well documented in the intake sheet.
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January 25th, 1993

Individual Progress Note

Sherry Dockins

Focus of today’s session is spent talking with Damien about his feelings of death. He brought with him to session a poem that he had written during the past week. The theme of this poem centered around death and power. Damien explained that he obtains his power by drinking blood of others. He typically drinks the blood of a sexual partner or of a ruling partner. This is achieved by biting or cutting. He states “it makes me feel like a God”. Damien describes drinking blood as giving him more power and strength. He remembers doing this as far back as age 10. He does not remember where he learned to do this.

Damien believes that there is no God. He feels that society believes there is a God because society is weak. He wants very much to be all powerful. He wants very much to be in total control. We discussed how some of this is related to his experiences as a child. He acknowledges that some of this is related to his childhood abuse trauma issues but he feels that it is who he is now.

Damien relates that a spirit is now living with him. The spirit was put inside him last year. He indicates that a month ago the spirit decided to become part of him and he to become part of the spirit. This is reportedly a spirit of a woman who was killed by her husband. When questioned about how he feels with this spirit or what the difference is, Damien is able to relate that he feels stronger and more powerful with this spirit. He has not seen the spirit but does hear the spirit. In addition, he also reports conversations with demons and other spirits. This is achieved through rituals. He denies that he is satanic, seeing himself more as being involved in demonology. It becomes more noticeable today in talking with Damien that he has many things from childhood that he simply does not remember. This is believed to be a dissociative response to trauma issues. Damien is agreeable to beginning to talk about what he experienced as a child that he remembers. He is also agreed to continue to discuss his issues with power and control as related to his practice of rituals. Therapist encouraged him to continue writing and to bring the writings into the sessions as a way of communicating his feelings.

A: Damien’s affect and mood today continued to be bland though there was more emotion when talking about drinking blood.
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February 5th, 1993

Individual Progress Report