Family murdered in gruesome witchcraft ritual

Three people have been found dead inside of a home on Deerfield Drive in Pensacola.
Officials say when Deputies responded to the home for a welfare check on Friday, they discovered the bodies.
The victims have been identified as 77-year-old Voncile Smith, 47-year-old John William Smith and 49-year-old Richard Thomas Smith.

Officials believe the three may have been victims of a horrific witchcraft ritual.

Authorities said all 4 bodies were found with their throats slit, beaten with a claw hammer. Officials also said the crime may have occurred on the night of a blue moon.
 
The mother, officials said, was also found with a gunshot wound to her head or neck area.
 
The family was reportedly extremely reclusive, to the point where there own neighbors said they never spoke to or saw the three.

Those gruesome details have neighbors like Ken Lester, who recently moved to the neighborhood, on edge. 

“It’s frightening to think about. Especially when you have small children," said Lester, "to find out that it was this weird, satanic cult, witchcraft whatever, is just really unsettling.”

There was no evidence of forced entry to the home, nor were any valuable items stolen. 
 
Officials mentioned only one person of interest in the case, who they said is a man "with ties to witchcraft."

Officials also said that they had spoken with a person of interest - a white male who was known to 'practice witchcraft' - though it is not known what came of that or if an arrest was made.

 

He would not further explain this witchcraft aspect of the killings, saying; 'There are different factions of [witchcraft]. While it doesn't bother me to release that particular thing, I most assuredly do not want to defame or demean any particular practice.' 

 
No arrests have been made as of yet.