Man Tries To Perform Exorcism, Dies

PHOENIX — Officers responding to a report of an exorcism on a young girl in Phoenix say they found her grandfather choking her and used stun guns to subdue the man, who later died.

A police spokesman, Sergeant Joel Tranter, said officers arrived at the house Saturday and heard screaming coming from a bedroom.

Inside, he says they found Ronald Marquez, 49, choking his bloodied three-year-old granddaughter, who was crying in pain and gasping.

Sergeant Tranter says the girl's mother was in the room, naked and chanting something religious, as she and her father apparently tried to drive demons from the child.

After a struggle and jolts from tasers, Marquez was subdued, and the child was freed. Sergeant Tranter says Marquez then collapsed and was pronounced dead later at a hospital.

He says the girl is expected to recover but was taken from her mother, who could face charges.