BOSTON( WHDH/AP) — A childhood friend of the man accused of killing a 2-year-old girl whose body washed up on a Boston Harbor island in 2015 says the defendant believed he could drive demons out of a person’s home.
Michael Sprinsky, the prosecution’s top witness, testified Wednesday in Michael McCarthy’s murder trial. He says McCarthy was interested in the supernatural.
“He thought that he could remove demons from people’s houses,” Sprinsky said of McCarthy. “He was talking about demons and talking about evil spirits. Because I knew him so long, it was just in one ear and out of the other.”
Sprinsky, who lived with McCarthy and Rachelle Bond for a short while, also said he saw McCarthy lock baby Bella in a closet as a form of punishment on multiple occasions. “I heard something in the closet and he locked her in the closet,” he said.
Sprinsky also testified that Bella’s mother told him that McCarthy killed her daughter three months after the fact. He said he then sent McCarthy a text, which read: “She said you killed Bella, bro.” Sprinsky said McCarthy texted back and said: “What are you talking about? DCF took Bella.”
McCarthy’s lawyer on Tuesday rejected the prosecution’s claim McCarthy killed the girl because he believed she had become possessed by a demon. The defense attorney says it was Bond who wrote about children possessed by demons.
Bond’s daughter, Bella, was known for months only as “Baby Doe” as authorities struggled to identify her. A composite image of the girl was shared by millions on social media.
Prosecutors say Sprinsky helped authorities identify her.
Prosecutors allege McCarthy, who was living with Bella’s mom, beat the girl to death in her bed. McCarthy then allegedly held Bond hostage in a heroin-induced haze, threatening to kill her if she spoke of the girl’s death.
“She just died. It was her time. She was a demon.” McCarthy allegedly stated after killing the toddler.
A neighbor of Bond’s also took the stand and told jurors that she grew distant after McCarthy moved in.
Yessiomara Torres said Bond often appeared high, and that one day, baby Bella suddenly disappeared. Torres claimed that she saw Bond throwing away Bella’s belongings.
“I saw Rachelle throwing out her toys and clothes in the garbage can in the back,” Torres said. “But by that time, I was already not seeing Bella.”
Police also arrested Rachelle, accusing her of helping dump her child’s body in the water. But in exchange for her testimony, Bond cut a deal that gets her out of jail when McCarthy’s trial is over.
The jury is expected to visit the crime scene on Thursday.
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