Fatal end to exorcism attempt
Man dies after struggle with police checking on girl's welfare
Elias C. Arnold
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 29, 2007 10:35 PM
A 48-year-old Phoenix man whom authorities say was choking his 3-year-old
granddaughter during an exorcism early Saturday died after struggling with
police officers who went into the home to investigate, Phoenix police said.
Police reportedly found Ronald Marquez, of Phoenix, shirtless and choking his
granddaughter as her 19-year-old mother, naked and bloody, looked on. The
bloodied girl was gasping and screaming as her mother chanted and held a
religious picture of some kind, police said.
"It's very bizarre, (a) very unusual and pretty horrific situation this young
child was involved in," said Sgt. Joel Tranter, a Phoenix police spokesman.
Police responded about 7:30 a.m. to a check-welfare call at a house in the 2200
block of North 28th Street, north of McDowell Road.
A relative reported she thought an exorcism was going on at the family home
after one was performed two days earlier, police said.
Police said officers heard yelling from outside the house, gained entry through
a back door and rushed to a bedroom.
Two officers forced the door open slightly to find Marquez sitting on a bed
blocking the door, police said.
The man held the girl in a headlock with one arm as he was squeezing her torso
with his other arm, causing her to gasp and scream, police said.
Investigators later learned the man was trying to "squeeze the demons out of the
young girl," Tranter said.
One officer made his way into the room, confronted Marquez and touched him with
a Taser, which apparently had no effect.
A second officer followed. The officers managed to free the girl, and handed her
out the door to a family member.
An officer touched Marquez with the Taser a second time and eventually
handcuffed him, police said.
Marquez soon developed shortness of breath and officers performed CPR until
medical crews arrived.
Marquez was pronounced dead at the hospital
Police are investigating the incident.
Autopsy results are not expected for several weeks, Tranter said.
Tranter declined to identify the girl's mother because she was not arrested.
The girl also was not identified. She is expected to recover.
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