MS Coast ‘prophet’ says he killed a man after botched exorcism, police say
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Pass Christian man charged with murder after claiming exorcism led to killing.
- Victim flew from Brazil to visit his online spiritual mentor.
- Judge found probable cause; set bond at $350K despite prosecution's objections.
A Pass Christian man who identifies himself as a prophet told police he was trying to cast the devil out of a man during a botched exorcism, so he shot and killed the man, according to a Pass Christian police investigator.
Eric John-Moran Ladnier, 63, is charged with first-degree murder in the May 21 shooting death of Marion Becker, 43, and a native of Pequannock, New Jersey, who happened to be living in Brazil at the time of his death.
The shooting happened at Ladnier’s home on Demourelle Road in Pass Christian.
Ladnier appeared before Justice Court Judge Theressia Lyons on Wednesday, after which she heard testimony from police before finding probable cause to bind the case over to Harrison County grand jury for indictment.
Ladnier told Pass Christian police detectives that he came to know Becker during conversations they had over the years over Skype. Becker became one of Ladnier’s believers.
Becker was one of over 20,000 followers who subscribe to a YouTube channel Ladnier named SustenanceNCovering. Ladnier defined the channel as one “dedicated to not only surviving the current apocalypse, but actually enjoying it.”
In the broadcasts, Ladnier offers his interpretation of biblical teachers, talks about an angel that visited him for years and warns of a rapture coming in September that will transport believers from Earth to heaven as part of the second coming of Christ.
When Becker decided to make a trip to New Jersey to visit his brother in May, a detective said, Becker arranged to make a flight to South Mississippi to visit Ladnier as well.
Ladnier picked up Becker at the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport; then, the two went to Walmart to pick up a few things before heading to Ladnier’s home.
After they got there, Ladnier told police that he and Becker ingested a Delta 8 THC gummy that Ladnier had at his home.
Ladnier said he decided to lay down afterward in one of the two beds he and his wife kept on the porch to sleep on when it wasn’t too hot. He said he woke minutes later after Becker started acting erratic and allegedly hit him.
Ladnier said he could see that the devil had gotten to Becker, and he tried unsuccessfully to place his hands on Becker to cast out the demon.
Afterward, Ladnier told police that he saw Becker dancing and spinning around with Ladnier’s wife and telling her that he loved her. Ladnier said he then heard his wife screaming, “Help, he’s attacking me.” the police detective said.
Ladnier told police he went to an upstairs bedroom, grabbed a 9 mm pistol and then shot Becker in the side of his back from the top of the stairs.
When Pass Christian police got to the home, they found Becker dead of a gunshot wound to the back at the bottom of the stairs.
A detective said that when police questioned Ladiner’s wife, the woman at first claimed she was sitting on a bed when she heard a loud pop that was sound of the gunshot. She later changed her story, police said, and said Becker was attacking her when the shooting happened.
During the preliminary hearing, Ladnier’s attorney, Phil Wittmann, argued the murder charge against Ladnier should be dismissed because he was acting in self-defense, but the judge ruled against him.
The defense attorney did successfully argue for a bond lower than $1 million for Ladnier on the murder offense despite objections from Harrison County prosecuting attorney, Herman Cox. The judge agreed to lower the bond by $650,000 to $350,000.
On his application for a public defender, Ladnier indicated that he was homeless though he lives in the home in Pass Christian. He told police his income is social security.
This story was originally published June 5, 2025 at 3:45 PM.
