sacrificed by orders of drug dealer and Mayombero, Adolfo de Jesus Costanzos. After the media attention and accusations of Satanism died down, the facts pointed to Costanzos' individual and psychopathic involvement in Palo Mayombe.

In essence, it appears that Costanzos used Palo Mayombe and the resulting sacrifice to convince his workers in the drug dealing trade that they would be protected in their illegal endeavors.

Matamoros, many scholars of Afro-Caribbean belief systems assert, was an aberration involving an especially deviant personality who used his involvement with and knowledge of Palo Mayombe for his own economic, criminal, and psychological needs. To these scholars, Costanzos was yet another true criminal involved in spiritual ritualism. Others believe that Mark Kilroy was a human sacrifice murdered because Costanzos' true belief in Palo Mayombe required his death; for these adherents, what happened in Matamoros could and does happen across the nation.

Murder and Human Sacrifice

Probably the most controversial crime allegedly committed for occult purposes is murder perpetrated for spiritual reasons and sometimes to provide a human sacrifice. Sacrificing a human being and cannibalizing human remains have played a part in some historical and a few contemporary rituals. Historically, early Pagan rites included both animal and human sacrifice; some medieval Witches practiced such rites on a small scale and probably occasional basis (Russell Interview, March 1989); and early Haitian Voodoo practiced the blood sacrifice of the "goat without horns", usually a young boy or girl. (d'Argent, 1970:27).

Contemporarily, both Palo Mayombe practitioners and Satanists are often linked to human sacrifice. Such links, however, have rarely been systemically and rigorously examined, much less proven. Except for the recent sociopathic events in Matamoros, human sacrifice has not been absolutely linked to Mayomberos. Likewise, such links have not been proven for practicing Satanists except in a few sociopathic cases. It appears that Satanists are especially targeted as practitioners of human sacrifice because The Satanic Bible suggests such action is acceptable under two circumstances: "to release the magician's wrath in the throwing of a curse, and more important, to dispose of a totally obnoxious and deserving individual." (LaVey, 1968:88.)

LaVey is, however, careful to add that "under no circumstances would a Satanist sacrifice any animal or baby!...The purest form of carnal existence reposes in the bodies of animals and human children who have not grown old enough to deny themselves their natural desires...Therefore, the Satanist holds these beings in sacred regard, knowing he can learn much from these natural magicians of the world." (LaVey, 1968:89.) Regardless of LaVey's claims, law enforcers are generally consensual in their belief that Religious Satanists affiliated with either the Church of Satan or the Temple of Set are rarely if ever involved in human sacrifice.

Where such consensus ends is with the involvement of the other three types of Satanic groups: the self-styled Satanists, Youth Subculture Satanists, and Cult Satanists. Some believe Youth Subculture Satanists who have become true believers commit murder for sacrificial reasons required of their spiritualism. Two recent cases involving self-styled juvenile Satanists who committed murder have been cited in defense of this belief.

In the Summer of 1983, a troubled 14-year-old named Sean Sellers began dabbling in Satanic theology and ritual. By early 1985, according to later court testimony, he dedicated his life to the powers of darkness by burning incense and writing in his own blood, "I renounce God, I renounce Christ. I will serve only Satan... Hail Satan." On September 8, 1985, Sean and a friend who was also involved in Satanism, stole his grandfather's .357 Magnum and drove to a convenience store where he shot and killed Robert Bower, a clerk who once refused to sell them beer. Several months later, Sean, who still claims he remembers nothing about the incident, shot and killed his mother and stepfather. At his trial, his defense attorneys unsuccessfully argued that being under the control of Satan constitutes insanity.

Throughout 1987, three teenagers living in the small town of Carl Junction, Missouri, were deeply involved in several rebellious trappings of troubled teenagers especially heavy metal and drugs. Moreover, they had also been dabbling in Satanism for quite some time. By December, they were tired of dabbling with their previous Satanic-related crimes which primarily included scribbling satanic graffiti on abandoned buildings and sacrificing a few animals. On December 6, Jim Hardy, Pete Roland and Ron Clements decided, according to later court testimony, to bludgeon a human being to death, offering a "sacrifice to Satan." During Pete Roland's trial, the accused testified that "I did as I was told." The victim was a socially maladjusted "wanna be", Steve Newberry, who had occasionally been involved in the group's discussions about Satanism. Again, as in the Sellers case, defense attorneys unsuccessfully used the insanity plea.

Detractors of the true believer theory argue that self-styled juvenile Satanists like those above are disturbed young people with histories of familial problems and anti-social and sometimes criminal behavior. Satanism, they assert, is the rationale for committing these heinous crimes - it is not the motive. Further, they often cite evidence of extensive drug use that, rather than Satanic involvement, often encourages such heinous crimes.

Ritualistic Abuse

Cult Satanists are often accused of sacrificing humans, especially infants. Currently, such sacrifices are more commonly known as ritualistic abuse. Beginning in 1980 with the