US: Man jailed for 15 years for killing his cross-dressing voodoo priest lover

A man has been jailed for 15 years in Florida for murdering his cross-dressing voodoo priest lover. Malherbe Francois, 24, from North Miami-Dade, pleaded guilty to the second degree murder of Beauglais Bazelais who he said had attacked him with "a magic substance".

During the trial it emerged that the 42-year-old Bazelais had invited Francois to live with him after discovering he was homeless. After a while they began a relationship and Francois had asserted that the first time they had sex he was drugged by the older man.

He revealed that Bazelais often told friends that they were married and would charge money for casting spells and healing people, often from the Haitian community living in Florida. Francois added that the older man would often dress as a woman in public.

Just days before the murder in February 2013 Bazelais had been to a nearby cemetery to "collect souls" for a voodoo ceremony he was hosting whilst Francois was with a female friend in a park. When the younger man got back to the home they shared, the priest was there with a group of men "and a spirit".

Francois, said that Bazelais was jealous about his trip to the park and was threatened by him so he immediately began packing his things to leave the property. He then said he was attacked by Bazelais "with a white or yellow magic substance on his hands," according to the Miami Herald.

"I can do what the hell I want and I'm doing to make sure you are dead," Bazelais yelled, Francois told police. The priest then walked towards Francois with the substance and in retaliation, he took a Glock .40-caliber pistol from the kitchen cabinet and shot Bazelais three times, killing him instantly.

It was then said that Francois walked to a nearby gas station and bought some cigarettes before calling 911 to report the incident. The case was described by prosecutors as having religious undertones, with both men believing in ancient Haitian Voodoo rituals.

The charge was reduced to second degree murder as Francois believed the perceived threat of the substance. Curiously after arrest Miami-Dade homicide detectives took Francois to a Wendy's restaurant for a spicy chicken sandwich, fries and an orange soda.