Rebekah Gay Murder: Pastor, who is an ex-con, admits to killing Mich. mom as part of sex fantasy, reports say

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Rebekah Gay

/ CBS Detroit

(CBS/AP) BROOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. - An ex-convict has confessed to beating and strangling his 24-year-old neighbor as part of a sexual fantasy, hiding her body, and then returning to her home and helping her three-year-old son get costumed for Halloween, authorities said Thursday.

PICTURES: Ex-con, pastor admits to murdering Mich. mom

John D. White was arraigned Thursday on first-degree murder charges and ordered jailed without bond.

According to an affidavit that was used in his arrest warrant, White admitted that for two weeks he thought about killing Rebekah Gay and having sex with her dead body.

White told investigators he went to Gay's trailer about 2 a.m. Wednesday, struck her head repeatedly with a mallet, then strangled her with a zip tie. He said he stripped her body but did not remember carrying out a sex act.

Authorities say White led them to Gay's body, half a mile from the home in Isabella County's Broomfield Township.

Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski told reporters that White had known Gay for some time but was not a close friend.

Gay's three-year-old son was home at the time his mother was killed, Mioduszewski said, but was unharmed.

After using his pickup truck to move Gay's body, the mallet and bloody towels, White returned to her trailer, the sheriff said. He said White took care of the boy in the morning, dressed him in his Halloween costume and took him to an area Meijer store to be picked up by his father.

A judge appointed a public defender to represent White, who is scheduled to return to court Nov. 8.

White told the judge that he was a church employee until Wednesday. White's church affiliation was not mentioned in court, but Christ Community Fellowship church elder Donna Houghton told WOOD-TV that White was a pastor at the church in Mount Pleasant.

White served prison terms for assault with intent to murder and for manslaughter and was released in 2007, the Michigan Department of Corrections told WLNS-TV.

The manslaughter conviction was for killing Vicky S. Wall in 1994 in Kalamazoo County, the Kalamazoo Gazette reported at the time.

5 Photos

Ex-pastor gets 56 years in Mich. mom's slaying

View the Full Gallery »

27 Comments +

Add a Comment

See all 27 Comments


by sweetcakesmaria November 4, 2012 7:52 PM EST: Isn't our system great. This man had already been convicted of murdering a woman in 1994 so how could he possibly serve such a short prison sentence? It's almost like the woman he murdered in 1994 life didn't mean anything. So they released him after a short prison sentence on an unsuspecting community where he killed again. For people against the death penalty, why would anyone want to save the life of this animal?; Reply to this comment


by nfission November 4, 2012 11:46 AM EST: We have the prison system to blame for this one, this guy was let out after a manslaughter conviction and an assault with intent to murder. He never should've been released, he was far too dangerous to ever be returned to society. It seems the courts and the prison systems find females to be expendable compared with keeping a killer incarcerated for the rest of his stinking life.; Reply to this comment


by eroteme2 November 3, 2012 5:32 PM EDT: There may be a simple explanation. The Devil made him do it?; Reply to this comment

by Jonseen November 3, 2012 4:20 PM EDT

Yeah, the religion-haters flock to something like this. But in what way does this creep resemble what a Christian is supposed to be? The Bible says that murderers and liars will not be allowed in heaven.

I agree that horrible things have been done in the name of religion, including the Christian religion. But the real thread of Christianity is found through the martyrs, not "The Church" of any denomination. It was those who gave unselfishly and died for what they believe: those are the ones who carried faith forward. And Christ was the first.

Yes, it's easy to slam Christians, and it's even EASIER to find the worst of hypocrites. Can't argue with that. But it's not easy to criticize Jesus Christ. He's the one we need to be looking at, to study, to read about because - Jesus does make a difference in those who want to know Him.

Reply to this comment


by marine1957 November 3, 2012 10:35 PM EDT: Thank you, Jonseen, for a clearly explained philosophical position that reflects truth and reality.

by lami987 November 3, 2012 3:00 PM EDT

There is nothing new there. Churches and other religious institutions are favorite gathering places for psychos and criminals.

Reply to this comment


by IPonUall2 November 3, 2012 3:59 PM EDT: We have a statue in New York that has a placard stating that the world should send scum to America.


by nc2010 November 3, 2012 9:29 AM EDT: "Beware of false pastors who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are savage wolves." Jesus; Reply to this comment

by Caligirl7 November 3, 2012 7:47 AM EDT

I fault the mother for dating a convicted murderer. If she had not her beautiful daughter would be alive today. There is not that much forgiveness in the Universe.

Reply to this comment


by marine1957 November 3, 2012 10:40 PM EDT: You are not alone, Caligirl17, in your insight into where the fault actually lies.
The mother's inability to perceive good v.s. evil character in another person, and her inability in her faith to be able to pray and ask God if it was OK to be involved with that guy, cost her her daughter's life.


by johnlockesghost November 3, 2012 2:07 AM EDT: And you're not supposed to execute the insane. PFUI!; Reply to this comment


by decotoguy November 2, 2012 10:54 PM EDT: The people of this religion thought Pastor John D. White was the living God on earth.
Then how does one become a pastor?
I admit I don't know anything about religion, I equate religion as a drug addiction.
This creep is beyond rehab.; Reply to this comment