An Alabama woman feared “demonic black magic” when she killed pastor’s father and shot mother

A woman has been refused bail Anja’s law after reportedly killed her father and shot her motherher ex-boyfriend and shooting of her brother in Mobile.

On Wednesday, Judge George Zhogby ruled in favor of the state’s motion to deny bond to Charity Matthews, who is accused of committing a fatal shooting over the course of two days.

Aniah’s Law, passed in 2022, was added to a list of serious crimes for which a suspect can be held without bail before trial.

According to testimony at the hearing, Charity initially shot her brother, Michael Matthews, while he was in his car on October 19, and later that day shot her ex-boyfriend, Samson Moore. He survived his injuries.

The next day, Charity then shot her parents, Twinetta and Robert Matthews, killing Robert and seriously wounding her mother. Robert Matthews was reportedly the preacher from Joy Tabernacle Full Gospel Church.

After allegedly shooting her parents, Charity fled to a local hotel with her two children where she was arrested early in the morning of October 21.

According to testimony from two law enforcement officers at the hearing, Charity believed that “demons” had possessed her mother and ex-boyfriend and repeatedly referred to “Yahweh.”

Defense attorney Tom Walsh asked Detective Rory Graves about his interview with Charity after her arrest.

Graves testified that Charity told him there was an “order from the gods” and that Moore was a “great demon.”

According to Graves’ testimony, Charity also said she believed Moore, the father of her two children, was sexually abusing the children.

Graves said Charity told him something similar about demons being near Twinetta and that there was “black demon magic” in her parents’ house trying to suffocate her daughter.

“She said something that basically sounded like her mother, or she believed there were demons,” Graves said. “And she referred to demonic black magic that might have brought her daughter under the pillow.”

Charity allegedly confronted Twinetta at gunpoint and Robert intervened.

A struggle resulted in Charity shooting Robert before shooting Twinetta.

Corporal Phillip Morris also testified that after officers arrived at the hotel to arrest Charity, she locked herself in the room with her children for more than three hours.

During this time, Morris said officers heard her continuously screaming Yahweh during the standoff and even after she was placed in handcuffs.

Morris testified that the children were unharmed.

The prosecutor argued that Charity showed signs of mental instability, posed a danger to the community and was a flight risk.

They said she could receive mental health care at the Mobile County Metro Jail.

The defense argued that the prison did not have the proper resources to provide help with possible mental health problems.

A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for November.