‘I tried to control it, but I can’t control it’: Man reportedly stabs beloved pastor for having alleged ‘spiritual control’ over wife

A Maryland man thought he was saving his wife after he allegedly stabbed an eccentric pastor to death, who he believed held “spiritual control” over her, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Authorities over the weekend charged Daniel Patrick Degoto, 41, with first-degree murder in connection to the death of Raphael Michael Happy-Ikenwilo, 53.

According to police, Degoto, on Saturday, drove his wife to a church located in the basement of a home, shortly before Happy-Ikenwilo arrived to the same location with his wife.

When Happy-Ikenwilo went to his trunk to get some items, Degoto rammed his van into Happy-Ikenwilo’s car and knocked him to the ground. Degoto then grabbed a large hunting knife and stabbed Happy-Ikenwilo numerous times in his neck, head and a leg, court records show.

Police officers located Happy-Ikenwilo around 10 a.m. Saturday with multiple deep cuts to his body. Emergency crews brought him to a hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at approximately 4 p.m.

Happy-Ikenwilo’s wife did not sustain any injuries in the attack. Degoto later drove to a jail and surrendered to police.

Posted by Raphael Happy-Ikenwilo on Thursday, July 27, 2017

Happy-Ikenwilo is a self-proclaimed African prophet who believes God assigned him to “investigate and cure cancer that originates from the fourth dimension,” the newspaper reports.

Happy-Ikenwilo claims he met Jesus in the early 1990s and later graduated from a university – also located in the fourth dimension – with a degree in “doctor of spiritual sciences.”

Degoto’s wife had been worshipping at Happy-Ikenwilo’s church for roughly a year. He told police that he noticed changes in her during that period and thought Happy-Ikenwilo was “spiritually controlling his wife’s thoughts and actions,” court records state.

Degoto admitted that the murder was premeditated, according to court documents.

“Yes, I tried to control it, but I can’t control it,” Degoto allegedly told police. “It was too much. Today was the end of it. Something had to be done.”

Degoto remains in custody without bail. A preliminary hearing has been set for Sept. 15

[Feature Photo: Baltimore County Police Department]