The Walking Dead: Man kills friend mistaking him for a zombie after watching the AMC show

Ever thought watching too much of The Walking Dead could get someone killed? It seems it has.

A 23-year-old man in New Mexico has been charged with murder after allegedly attacking his friend who he thought was turning into a zombie. The two had been binge watching episodes of the popular AMC show The Walking Dead. Damon Perry allegedly attacked Christopher Paquin with kicks, punches, sharp-edged items including kitchen knives, a guitar and a microwave oven until the latter died.

"Perry has told investigators he had been drinking large amounts of alcohol when he thought his friend began to change into a zombie," the police department said in a statement to Reuters. Police detective Moses Marquez said the murder was one of the "weirdest and most gruesome" homicides he has ever known.

Police officers arrived at an apartment complex following an emergency call on Thursday (22 October) afternoon and found Perry wielding a knife and maintenance workers struggling to hold him. They found Paquin's body inside the apartment where they believe the two were watching the TV show when the incident took place.

Neighbours said Perry left the apartment and began chasing neighbours, possibly soon after he killed Paquin. He followed one woman in particular with a knife until she locked herself inside her apartment. Later maintenance staff of the building pinned him down and called the police.

Perry is being held at the Cibola County Detention Center in New Mexico and a preliminary hearing in the case is set for 3 November.