A MAN who believed he was Michael the Angel of Death has been arrested after allegedly loading his car with weapons, driving across the country, and threatening a church, prosecutors said.
Officials said they prevented a tragedy after cuffing Joshua Michael Richardson, 38, on August 28, and uncovering a stash of gun magazines, knives, brass knuckes, and a sword in his car.
InstagramJoshua Michael Richardson, 38, has been accused of driving from his home in rural Alabama with a stash of weapons to a church in California[/caption]
Orange County Sheriff’s DepartmentProsecutors say they found a stun gun, knives, and a sword in his car[/caption]
The raving suspect targeted churches named after Saint Michael because he believes that he was actually the biblical angel, prosecutors saidInstagram
Richardson left his home in rural Alabama and drove 2,100 miles to St. Michael’s Abbey in Orange County, California, to confront church staff, prosecutors said.
The man appeared to have a fixation on churches named after St. Michael, as he believed he was the biblical angel of the same name, according to Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.
In Catholic teachings, Michael is believed to carry the souls of the dead to heaven.
On August 19, before driving across the country, Richardson emailed the abbey and said he was the “rider of the pale horse” in an apparent reference ot the Four Horsemen in the apocalyptic Book of Revelation.
He said that he was “sent to do the Lord’s reaping before his harvest,” the district attorney’s office said.
The abbey didn’t respond to the now bone-chilling email.
On August 26, Richardson attended an afternoon church service at the abbey and followed a priest into a private area afterwards.
The suspect then told the priest he had come to do the “Lord’s work, to separate the weak from the weeds, and that he rode his white pale horse from Alabama.”
Two days later, Richardson was arrested after investigators determined the situation had every indication of turning “very, very dangerous,” Spitzer told Fox affiliate KTTV.
After searching his truck, cops discovered a stun gun, brass knuckles, knives, six high-capacity gun magazines, body armor, duct tape, rope, walkie-talkies, and a sword, prosecutors said.
In the weeks leading up to the incident, Richardson shared his disturbing religious views in videos posted on his Instagram.
At one point, he raged at Catholics for praying the Hail Mary saying, “What are you thinking?”
“You are putting the Earth mother of Christ on the same pedestal as the almighty father. Repent at once!”
DISTURBING CRIME
Richardson’s arrest came just one day after a deranged 23-year-old shooter sprayed bullets through the windows of a Catholic church in Minneapolis and killed two children as they prayed.
The FBI said the shooting, which also injured 21 people, including 18 children, is being investigated as a terror attack and hate crime against Catholics.
In a statement, Spitzer said, “The walls of our churches are not just symbols of sanctuary; they represent the most sacred places of worship and of peace.
“No one should have to worship in fear that a stranger would walk through the door with the intent to carry out their own day of judgement and determine who lives and who dies.
“A threat on one house of worship is an attack on every place of worship, and we refuse to allow threats and terror dissuade any person from practicing their faith without fear.
“Public safety is all our responsibility, and we are grateful for the quick action of the church officials and the Sheriff’s Department to prevent another tragedy from occurring.”
Richardson has been charged with one felony count of criminal threats, one felony count of possession of brass knuckles, one felony count of possession of a dirk or dagger, and one misdemeanor count of possession of a large-capacity magazine.
His bail was set at $50,000 at his first court appearance on Tuesday.
Full statement from the Orange County District Attorney’s office
“A man claiming to be Michael the Angel of Death who drove from Alabama to St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado Canyon after sending an email threatening to ‘do the Lord’s reaping’ at the church been charged with felony criminal threats and possession of six high-capacity gun magazines, brass knuckles, and a sword. Investigators also recovered several knives, a stun gun, body armor, duct tape, rope, walk-talkies and other tactical gear from the man’s truck. No guns or ammunition were recovered.
“On August 19, 2025, St. Michael’s Abbey received a threatening email from an individual later identified as Joshua Michael Richardson (aka Joshua Michael Jericho), 38, of Jemison, Alabama, claiming to be the ‘rider of the pale horse,’ a reference to the last of the Four Horsemen in the Book of Revelation, and that he was ‘sent to do the Lord’s reaping before his harvest,’ an apparent reference to the end of the world. According to the Book of Revelation, the rider of the pale horse is the personification of Death who is given the power to kill through the sword, famine, disease, and wild animals, and is closely followed by Hades, who swallows the souls of the condemned.
“In his email, Richardson claimed to be Michael the Angel of Death and explained that he chose St. Michael’s Abbey as it is one of the few churches in the nation that still practices Michaelmas. St. Michael’s Abbey is set to celebrate the Feast of St. Michael, who is regarded as the greatest of the archangels and a defender of the church against Satan, on September 29, 2025. In his email, Richardson stated that he would be traveling to the church from Alabama soon.
“On Tuesday, August 26, 2025, a man later identified as Richardson, attended afternoon church services at St. Michael’s Abbey and following the service, is accused of following the priest into a private area of the church. Richardson told the priest that he came to do the Lord’s work, to separate the weak from the weeds, and that he rode his white pale horse from Alabama.
“In addition to multiple public church services, St. Michael’s Abbey is also home to dozens of parishioners who live on the church’s compound.
“Richardson was arrested in Santa Monica two days later on Thursday, August 28, 2025, one day after a gunman opened fire during mass at a Catholic school near Minneapolis, killing two schoolchildren and injuring 21 people, including 18 children. Bail was initially provisionally set at $50,000 for Richardson during his first court setting on September 2, 2025.
“Richardson has been charged with one felony count of criminal threats, one felony count of possession of brass knuckles, one felony count of possession of a dirk or dagger, and one misdemeanor count of possession of a large-capacity magazine.
“Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer and Senior Deputy District Attorney Kelly Manley appeared in court Wednesday and successfully argued for Richardson to be provisionally held without bail based on the serious danger he poses to the public. Richardson is scheduled to be arraigned at the Central Justice Center on Thursday, September 4, 2025, in Department C57.
“‘The walls of our churches are not just symbols of sanctuary; they represent the most sacred places of worship and of peace,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. ‘No one should have to worship in fear that a stranger would walk through the door with the intent to carry out their own day of judgement and determine who lives and who dies. A threat on one house of worship is an attack on every place of worship, and we refuse to allow threats and terror dissuade any person from practicing their faith without fear. Public safety is all our responsibility, and we are grateful for the quick action of the church officials and the Sheriff’s Department to prevent another tragedy from occurring.’”
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