Steve Mineo was murdered in the Pennsylvania Pocono Region in July 2017. To Police, it appeared to be a straight forward crime. Then they discovered that the victim was involved with an online community that believed devil-worshiping, shape-shifting reptiles from outer space were body-snatching humans. These “reptilians” were looking to bring about the rule of the Antichrist. Listen and decide if Steve Mineo’s beliefs lead to his murder or if this was a domestic dispute gone wrong.
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Steve Mineo’s Murder
In the early morning hours of July 15th, 2017, 42-year-old Barbara Rogers called 911 to report that her boyfriend had a gun. He told her to hold it “here” and pull the trigger. Just like that, he was dead.
When police arrived at their double-wide mobile home on Laurel Drive in Tobyhanna PA they found her boyfriend, Steve Mineo, had suffered a point-blank gunshot wound to the head from a .45 semi-automatic Glock. This was Barb’s firearm and was a military issue as Barb had retired from the military. His position indicated that he had been sitting on the floor criss-cross applesauce when he was shot.
Next to the body was a box of bullets. Rogers was immediately taken into custody and charged with criminal homicide. At first, it appeared to be a simple domestic violence situation in a “Snapped” style.
They seemed to be a couple in love. Steve Mineo called Barbara his wife and she referred to herself as “Barbara Mineo,” though the two were never married.
Earlier that Night
Barbara and Steve were out at a nearby bar until 2 a.m. The couple had a few drinks but they were not drunk. Once they got home, Steve Mineo suggested they go into the woods behind their house and shoot his gun. They went back to the house and Barbara claims they were in their bedroom when Steve put the gun to his own head, wrapped her hands around the weapon, and told her to pull the trigger.
Barbara’s Story
Rogers gave somewhat conflicting stories changing small details. In some instances, she claimed she didn’t know the gun was loaded and calls the shooting an accident. In others it was Steve who pulled the trigger, she was just holding the gun. Eventually, she admitted to killing him but maintains that it was Steve that told her to do so. She still pleads not guilty, even turning down a deal of third-degree murder for a much lesser sentence.
But what was the motive? Why would Steve want her to shoot him?
The Cult
According to Barbara, there was some tension due to their involvement and recent exile from a cult.
In the early 2000’s Steve began watching YouTube videos posted by Sherry Shriner, who according to her website was, “Servant, Prophet, Ambassador, Daughter, and Messenger of the Most High God.” He was also one of the first people to join her Facebook page. He was part of the “Truther” movement around uncovering government and block ops operations, so they had a lot in common.
The Cult’s Beliefs
The community’s foundational belief is that a race of sentient, devil-worshiping, shape-shifting reptiles from outer space has infiltrated human civilization. Through mind control and body-snatching, these “reptilians” purportedly seek to install totalitarian world government, thereby bringing about the rule of the Antichrist.
They believe the King James Version of the Bible purposely mistranslated the name of the Son of God from Yahushua to “Jesus” and that this “Jesus” being taught in the majority of churches today is not Yahushua Himself but Satan.
They believe that the Elect and the Church are two different groups and that there are two groups of 144,000. The first group being the Elect and the second group being from the ‘church’.
Barbara had gotten a following of around 20,000 people. Her background was in journalistic science but she says that the Lord pulled her out of broadcasting and wanted her to speak to the nations.
Sherry Shriner
Sherry had warned Steve Mineo that Barbara was a “Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier” who would do him harm. According to a statement made by Sherry, “we tried to warn him because we cared about him. She was dangerous and he was just blinded by her.”
According to Sherry she never trusted Barb and saw who she was as soon as she joined the chat group. Sherry’s contention towards Barb strengthened when she wrote Facebook posts talking about her cravings for red meat and preference for steak tartare. Shriner believed red meat was a sign that a person was actually reptilian.
I listened to an interview where Sherry says, what kind of Christian girl goes around eating raw hamburger meat!?
She stated in one of her YouTube videos, “There’s only certain types of people who crave the raw meat, because they crave the blood. Those with the vampire demon in them.”
She went on to say, “When the demon manifested in her, if it was the demon or a lizard if she had both, a human’s no match for that kind of supernatural strength.”
“Steve Mineo pushed back against that,” Galloway says. When Sherry made these accusations he became irate saying that she was disrespecting his wife. According to Barbara, Steve chose her over the cult but was so destroyed by the exile, he lost the will to live.
Within a year of Steve’s death Sherry Shriner also passed of natural causes.
The Trial
On March 26th, 2019 the trial began. The defense argued that it was an accident and that Barbara didn’t know the gun was loaded. According to the prosecutors, she could have prevented Steve’s death.
The Jury began deliberations around 1 pm On March 29. After asking the judge a series of questions over the course of several hours including the difference between first and third-degree murder and the definition of “beyond a reasonable doubt“ they found Barbara Rogers guilty of third-degree murder.
In Pennsylvania, a third-degree murder conviction does not require intent to kill as in first-degree murder, but still requires proof of malice. Malice in the case of third-degree murder is the same level as is required for aggravated assault, in which there is the knowledge that the conduct poses a threat to human life.
On June 10th, 2019 she was sentenced to 15-40 years. She believes it is extremely unfair and plans on appealing.
In a response to the conviction, Steve’s aunt told reporters “To me, it’s amazing that somebody could put a gun to somebody’s head, blow their brains out essentially, and a jury finds them guilty of third-degree murder and not first?”
Resources
- Homicide Trial: Woman Claims Online Alien Cult Led to Deadly Shooting.
- Sherry Shriner – New World Order – Bible Prophecy and Tribulation Last Days Prophet and Watchman
- Alleged Cult Killer in Court
- How YouTube Became a Breeding Ground for a Diabolical Lizard Cult
- Alien reptile internet ‘cult’ played role in NJ man’s death
- Barbara Rogers’ alien reptile cult murder conviction leads to 15 year sentence