Lawyers for a Louisiana man claiming to be the "son of God" who stabbed his COVID-infected neighbor over a dozen times because he believed him to be the "strongest demon" he'd ever seen failed to convince a jury their client was mentally ill.
Because of this, a jury rejected the insanity defense proposed by attorneys for Jerry Gelpi, 42, and a judge sentenced him to life without parole for the first-degree murder of his sickly 68-year-old neighbor, Charles Davis, at their Louisiana apartment complex in February 2021, according to the Jefferson Parish District Attorney's Office.
Gelpi testified during his own murder trial, claiming he was a "son of God" and that Davis was "the strongest demon in my experience," according to the DA.
"Mr. Gelpi, you're going where you deserve to be," District Court Judge Frank Brindisi told Gelpi during his sentencing hearing Wednesday.
"You accused this man of being a demon," Brindisi said. "You were the only demon that day."
Gelpi gained access to Davis' apartment, where he stabbed the victim at least 16 times, investigators determined. His daughter found him dead, curled into the fetal position in his tub the next day. His wallet was also missing.
DNA evidence and damning internet searches related to knife fighting and stabbing people in their kidneys, hearts and lungs tied him to the crime, according to prosecutors
During sentencing, Davis' loved ones delivered victim impact statements to the court.
"I will never get a chance to hug him to speak with him to tell him how much I love him... or just to hear him say, 'Sis, you alright?'" his sister said, according to prosecutors.
Gelpi was also sentenced to 40 years for obstruction of justice to run consecutively and ordered to pay a $100,000 fine.
