Louisiana pastor Tony Spell claims that the neighbor's son he is accused of assaulting made graphic threats against his family, which he says motivated his actions. Spell, pastor of the Life Tabernacle Church, stated that the neighbor's son threatened to rape his wife and kill his grandchildren.
Spell recounted the alleged threats on Wednesday, explaining that the incident occurred while he was changing the battery on one of his buses. He said the neighbor's son hurled expletives and made the violent threats. According to Spell, the neighbor's son said, "Tony, I'm going to rape your wife, I'm going to rape all your grandchildren, and the next time you go out of town, I'm going to kill them." Spell asserted that he had a "duty and obligation" to protect his family, stating, "I will not allow a man to murder my children when I'm gone."
The pastor is facing charges of second-degree battery after allegedly striking the victim eight times and then wrestling him to the ground, where he delivered an additional 27 punches. The alleged victim required five stitches to his chin. Spell was released on bond and is scheduled to appear in court on September 15. If convicted, he faces up to eight years in prison.
This alleged confrontation follows a history of disputes between the Spell family and their neighbors. In May, Spell's wife, Shaye Spell, filed police reports detailing incidents where she claimed the neighbor's son, Luke, harassed her. In one instance, she alleged Luke flipped her off, then pursued her in his car and hurled expletives. She stated she drove away quickly out of fear.
In a subsequent complaint filed days later, Shaye Spell claimed Luke again flipped her off while she and her husband were backing out of their driveway. She further alleged that Luke "grabbed his crotch" before swerving across three lanes of traffic in pursuit of them, nearly causing a crash. Police had reportedly warned Scott Sherwin, the father of Luke, that his son should not follow or contact Shaye Spell.
The Spells reportedly witnessed an officer speaking to Scott Sherwin and, according to a police report, approached them with their phones out. Officers ordered Tony Spell to return to his truck and urged Scott Sherwin to calm down. Sherwin allegedly gestured at Spell, but no further police action was taken at that time.
The rivalry with the Sherwin family reportedly dates back to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, Tony Spell sued Scott Sherwin, alleging that Sherwin had installed surveillance cameras to monitor activity on the street. Spell claimed in the lawsuit that he had been followed and his phone tapped. The lawsuit, filed in May 2020, came weeks after Spell was charged with six misdemeanor counts for violating a COVID-19 ban on large gatherings. In 2023, Shaye Spell also claimed that a neighbor moved traffic cones to block her church's entrance.