Crime Library: Criminal Minds and Methods

Unholy Homicide, Part One

Cell Phone Messages from God

While it may be difficult to comprehend how someone claiming to be God's servant could commit despicable crimes, it is even more disturbing when they use trusting members of their church to commit their crimes for them.  Last year in Sweden, a 32-year-old pastor decided to do just that.

Photo: Helge Fossmo
Helge Fossmo

During the summer of 2004, Helge Fossmo, a Pentecostal minister from the town of Knutby, north of Stockholm, went to trial for allegedly inciting Sara Svensson, his lover and his children's 27-year-old nanny, to shoot and kill his second wife and his next-door neighbor Daniel Linde.

Photo: Daniel Linde
Daniel Linde

According to BBC news reports, Fossmo faked cellphone text messages from God, which commanded Svensson to carry out the crimes.  Svensson said she believed the messages were from God. Investigators   traced the messages back to Fossmo's cellphone.

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