Man found dead inside home of Father Jesus in downtown Gulfport, police say
Gulfport police have confirmed a man was found dead at the home of Father Jesus in downtown Gulfport on Monday.
Police spokesman Sgt. Jason Ducré said Father Jesus called to report the death. The 40-year-old man was found about 4 p.m.
The body is being sent for an autopsy.
Coroner Brian Switzer told the Sun Herald that the death is not considered “suspicious.”
Switzer said, “We’re doing our normal investigative route, looking at everything.”
He said the man died in his room, where he was staying at the house.
Father Jesus made headlines in 2018 when he wanted to build a church on his residential property next to his home, but the proposal was denied. He instead turned his home into a castle in 2020.
Harold Ray Laster Jr. legally changed his name to Father Jesus in September 2018.
His YouTube videos, one of which has garnered over 1 million views, has raised eyebrows in Gulfport. In some of the videos, women are seeing kneeling at his feet or kissing his feet. In one video, Father Jesus was seen petting a woman and a dog.
A Detroit native, Father Jesus he had a revelation when he was a child that he was the embodiment of Christ, much as a Catholic priest is in persona Christi — the person of Christ. He says his church ministers to the homeless, but prominent leaders of the homeless community in Gulfport have never heard of him.
Sun Herald reporter Anita Lee contributed to this report.
This story was originally published December 21, 2021 at 9:50 AM.
