The American missionary who was killed on a remote island in the Indian ocean may have been trying to bring about the apocalypse.
John Allen Chau, the 26-year-old who was killed on North Sentinel Island on November 17, belonged to Kansas City-based group called All Nations Family who subscribes to the belief that spreading the word of God to all nations will result in the second coming of Jesus, reported Mail Online.
In a blog post honouring Chau's life and service, All Nations' international executive leader Dr Mary Ho expressed hope that Chau's sacrifice will bear results later.
"We remember too, how throughout church history, the privilege of sharing the gospel has often involved great cost," Ho said in a blog post. "We pray that John’s sacrificial efforts will bear eternal fruit in due season."
"John was a gracious and sensitive ambassador of Jesus Christ who wanted others to know of God’s great love for them," Ho said. "As we grieve for our friend, and pray for all those who mourn his death, we also know that he would want us to pray for those who may have been responsible for his death."
Indian police are yet to retrieve Chau's body, and tribal rights activists believe it's best to leave the body on the island as it would be "incredibly dangerous" for both Indian officials and the Sentinelese tribe.
In an Instagram post, Chau's family said they have forgiven the tribe for killing their son.
"We forgive those reportedly responsible for his death. We also ask for the release of those friends he had in the Andaman Islands. He ventured out on his own free will and his local contacts need not be persecuted for his own actions," the family said.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)