‘Angel of Death’ drives 2,000 miles to confront California priest, officials say
A man referencing himself as “Michael the Angel of Death” from the Bible drove more than 2,000 miles across the country after prosecutors say he threatened “do the Lord’s reaping” at a California church.
Joshua Michael Richardson, 38, of Jemison, Alabama, has been charged with multiple felonies, including criminal threats, possession of brass knuckles and possession of a dirk or dagger, in connection with his alleged threats to St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said in a Sept. 3 news release.
Attorney information for Richardson was not immediately available.
In a Sept. 4 email to McClatchy News, a St. Michael’s Abbey spokesperson asked that questions be directed to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, adding that “the Norbertine community is grateful to almighty God for His continued protection, and for the hard work and dedication of our local law enforcement.”
The Norbertine Catholic monastery got a threatening Aug. 19 email from a man, later identified as Richardson, saying he was the “‘rider of the pale horse,’ a reference to the last of the Four Horsemen in the Book of Revelation,” prosecutors said.
Richardson, in reference to “the end of the world,” said he was “‘sent to do the Lord’s reaping before his harvest,’” prosecutors said.
“According to the Book of Revelation, the rider of the pale horse is the personification of Death who is given the power to kill through the sword, famine, disease, and wild animals, and is closely followed by Hades, who swallows the souls of the condemned,” prosecutors said.
Richardson said he was Michael the Angel of Death, adding that he targeted “St. Michael’s Abbey as it is one of the few churches in the nation that still practices Michaelmas,” according to prosecutors.
St. Michael’s Abbey is scheduled to celebrate Michaelmas, the Feast of St. Michael, on Sept. 29, prosecutors said.
Richardson wrote in his email that he would be traveling from Alabama to the church soon, prosecutors said.
Then, a week after the church received the emails, a man, later identified as Richardson, attended an afternoon service at St. Michael’s Abbey, where dozens of parishioners also reside on the church’s compound, prosecutors said.
When the service concluded, prosecutors said Richardson followed “the priest into a private area of the church.”
“Richardson told the priest that he came to do the Lord’s work, to separate the weak from the weeds, and that he rode his white pale horse from Alabama,” prosecutors said.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said the priest contacted them after Richardson’s alleged church visit.
Two days after the reported visit, Richardson was arrested in Santa Monica, prosecutors said.
Deputies said they searched Richardson’s vehicle, where they “found body armor, high-capacity magazines, brass knuckles and knives.”
Investigators also found “several knives, a stun gun, … duct tape, rope, walk-talkies and other tactical gear” inside Richardson’s truck, prosecutors said, adding that neither guns nor ammunition were found.
“While incidents like this can feel unsettling, they also highlight the power of community,” deputies said. “If something seems off, say something. Trust your instincts and report suspicious activity, whether it is a strange message, unusual behavior, or something that does not sit right.”
In addition to multiple felonies, prosecutors said Richardson was also charged with “one misdemeanor count of possession of a large-capacity magazine.”
“The walls of our churches are not just symbols of sanctuary; they represent the most sacred places of worship and of peace,” District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in the release. “No one should have to worship in fear that a stranger would walk through the door with the intent to carry out their own day of judgement and determine who lives and who dies.”
Prosecutors said Richardson is being held without bail and was scheduled to appear in court for arraignment Sept. 4.
Silverado is about a 45-mile drive southeast from Los Angeles.
