An Alabama man who told California church officials he was the "Angel of Death" has been arrested after authorities said he threatened St. Michael’s Abbey and was found with a cache of weapons in his vehicle.
Joshua Michael Richardson, 38, of Jemison, Alabama, sent threatening emails to the Silverado, California, abbey in mid-August, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said. In the messages, Richardson allegedly described himself as the "rider of the pale horse" — a reference to the Book of Revelation’s Four Horsemen — and said he was "sent to do the Lord's reaping before his harvest," according to the DA’s office.
Authorities said Richardson arrived at St. Michael’s Abbey on Aug. 26 and attended a service. He later followed a priest into a private area, the DA’s office said. Law enforcement officers who stopped Richardson discovered what the office described as a "cache of weapons" in his vehicle. Officials did not immediately release a full inventory of the items found.
The abbey is located in Silverado, about 50 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Richardson allegedly told church officials in the emails that he planned to return to attend the Feast of St. Michael, an observance that runs from Sept. 28 through Nov. 8, the DA’s office said.
Prosecutors said Richardson also claimed he was the Archangel Michael, a figure in Roman Catholic tradition who is believed to assist souls in reaching heaven and to weigh a person's deeds at Judgment Day. The DA’s office framed the claims in the emails as part of the basis for authorities’ concern and subsequent actions.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office and local police handled the investigation and arrest. Officials have not yet released details about specific criminal charges or the date of the arrest. They also did not immediately provide information on Richardson’s custody status or any scheduled court appearances.
Religiously themed threats have led law enforcement agencies nationwide to treat communications and visits to houses of worship with heightened scrutiny, citing the potential for targeted violence. In this case, church staff reported the emails and Richardson’s presence at the abbey to authorities, prompting the investigation that culminated in the seizure of the weapons and Richardson’s arrest, the DA’s office said.
No injuries were reported at St. Michael’s Abbey in connection with the incident. Church officials declined to comment publicly, and the investigation remains ongoing as prosecutors review the evidence and consider charges, according to statements from the district attorney’s office.