Sioux City Stepfather Describes Himself as Pagan

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By Ellen Serr

Story Created: Jan 9, 2008 at 10:34 AM CST

Story Updated: Jan 9, 2008 at 10:34 AM CST

The mother of two Sioux City girls who were killed allegedly at the hands of their stepfather says he described himself as a pagan and practiced spells to keep those around him healthy and happy. Marla Harris told The Des Moines Register that her husband, Lawrence Harris Senior, told her at the police department that he was trying to help them.

Harris is accused of stabbing and strangling his stepdaughters on Sunday, then setting their house on fire to cover up the crime. Police say it was part of an unexplained ritual linked to his unconventional religious beliefs. Harris is charged with two counts of first-degree murder. He's being held in the Woodbury County jail on 2 million dollars bond.

A telephone call today to his attorney, public defender Mike Williams, wasn't immediately returned.

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Wednesday, Jan 23 at 7:08 PM jane wrote ...

this is clearly mental illness at its finest.

Monday, Jan 14 at 12:20 AM LadyDolphiness wrote ...

I too am Pagan and it breaks my heart to hear of this tragedy. No religion based upon nature would ever allow such bloodshed. Instead of blaming a religion for this chaos, look at the step fathers idea of playing god! He has to take responcibility for his actions. Point blank religions dont kill... people do! -so he needs to keep the blame on himself, and not be sending the negative energies upon us true Pagans. That is what started alot of false truths back in the 15-17th Centuries!

Saturday, Jan 12 at 4:19 PM anon wrote ...

Religion has nothing to do with it!!!! People are too quick to blame their actions on video games, religion, books, etc. instead of taking responsibility.

Friday, Jan 11 at 6:13 AM Sherry Johnson wrote ...

As a Pagan, I can tell you that I have never heard of any form of Paganism that promotes harming children-or anyone else.Anyone who claims this was part of any legitimate ritual needs to better educated.Every Pagan I know, or know of, honors thier children(and thier pets, and thier elders,and most everyone, and everything else).There are crazies in every bunch,regardless of spiritual beliefs,so dont blame a whole group for the insanity of one person.

Thursday, Jan 10 at 10:28 AM Christopher Blackwell wrote ...

Once again we have a lot of speculation about his religion when we really don't know anything and even the police are still trying to figure out what happened. Pagan could mean any of hundreds of different religions and even no actual religion. So assumption about what it might mean are way too early until actual facts are presented in court. Until then you are all guessing ignorant. It is better to stay quiet and suspect of being a fool than to open you mouth and prove it.

Wednesday, Jan 9 at 10:07 PM baldur138 wrote ...

Have we forgotten about “Innocent until PROVEN guilty?”…I think the key words in those two paragraph’s are… alleged and accused….I have only read what was on KSFY… the link from witchvox.com …. Ya the event that went down sounds mucked up…My heart gose out to the mother and father... we’ll see how it plays out…

Wednesday, Jan 9 at 6:00 PM Tommy West wrote ...

This is yet another mentally disturbed person who has commited a horrific act and is attempting to justify his actions by claiming it was a Pagan Ritual. I have not seen a single one of these cases where the defendant was an actual Pagan. These people who commit these acts simply blame it on a religion that the general public knows very little of. If Paganism was as well understood as Christianity, you wouldnt see it used as an excuse by people like this. I would bet my life this guy is no Pagan

Wednesday, Jan 9 at 5:41 PM Greybird wrote ...

We've all heard of cases where someone claims that they're a Christian and God told them to commit murder. I don't see this being much different - just because you claim you act in the name of a religion doesn't make it true, especially when the act goes against the ideals of that religion.

Wednesday, Jan 9 at 4:52 PM Klarynn wrote ...

harming a child is NOT a part of the Wiccan faith. One of the chief tenants is "And it Harm None...." children are precious! This man deserves the same thing he gave these poor kids. no mercy.

Wednesday, Jan 9 at 3:26 PM Anonymous wrote ...

KARRIE NYME THANK YOU FOR YOUR INFO-MAYBE THIS WILL STOP THE VIOLANCE

Wednesday, Jan 9 at 2:38 PM Cyra Pa'avani wrote ...

Claiming ones religion caused you to do a crime is like allowing someone to say "The Devil made me do it." It shouldn't be taken in as the whole religious community for that sector of religious beliefs. No ones religion or beliefs should be the cause of someone's death. Those poor children were murdered, and it is wrong for him to claim that a religion that many don't understand is the cause for it. He is going to cause many good people in the Pagan community to be persecuted.

Wednesday, Jan 9 at 2:05 PM Tommy wrote ...

What kind of incoherent rabble was that? Here's a way to keep kids safe: keep them away from people who would stab and burn your childern.

Wednesday, Jan 9 at 1:53 PM Art wrote ...

This man's religious beliefs would not have been mentioned had he belonged to a mainstream faith. This is sensationalist journalism at its worst.

Wednesday, Jan 9 at 1:07 PM Karrie Nyne wrote ...

Police should know that correlation is not causation and the public should not that the same is not a cure. Domestic abuse crosses all boundaries, including religious ones. See (book) “Cop's Guide to Occult Investigations: Understanding Satanism, Santeria, Wicca, and Other Alternative Religions," by Tony M. Kail. See (book) The "Law Enforcement Guide To Wicca," by Kerr Cuhulain. There are warning signs of abuse and ways to keep children safe. Include them!

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