Police say John Joe Thomas, 28, has
admitted to stoning to death 70-year-old Murray Seidman because the
senior had made advances toward him.
Thomas allegedly beat his longtime
friend with a sock full of rocks in his Lansdowne, Pennsylvania
apartment five days before he claimed to have found the senior's
remains on January 12.
“Thomas explained to investigators
that he killed Seidman because Seidman had been making homosexual
advances toward him over a period of time and that he had read in the
Old Testament that homosexuals should be stoned in certain
situations,” a police spokesman told reporters.
Detectives first spoke to Thomas in
January, but he wasn't arrested until this week after a witness came
forward. Thomas allegedly told police that he bashed Seidman in the
head approximately 10 times with the sock full of rocks.
“Thomas told detectives that he
received answers to his prayers to put an end to Murray Seidman's
life,” the spokesman added.
The retired hospital worker lived in
the same Lansdowne Avenue apartment building as his killer.
Thomas was the sole beneficiary of
Seidman's will and had power of attorney over the senior's affairs.