Florida man tied to 2011 ‘Vampire Cult Murder’ arrested after machete fight in Publix parking lot
A heated altercation in a Florida Publix parking lot on Tuesday escalated quickly, resulting in two men being hospitalized and later arrested for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
According to the police report obtained by Starcasm, 52-year-old Everette Krichbaum was sitting in his vehicle when 35-year-old James Gay pulled up and a verbal altercation began — allegedly over an ex-girlfriend.
Gay exited his vehicle and approached Krichbaum. Krichbaum flashed a hatchet, motivating Gay to go back to his vehicle and retrieve a machete. Gay returned with the machete and Krichbaum grabbed a large knife.
Gay then struck Krichbaum “in the face with the machete, leading to a physical struggle over both weapons,” reads the police report. “During the altercation, both individuals sustained injuries to their hands. The victim further stated that the defendant struck him in the head, rendering him unconscious.”
Police later spoke with Gay and he admitted “he had the opportunity to leave the scene but chose not to due to personal pride.”
Both Gay and Kirchbaum are currently in the Bay County Jail facing felony charges of aggravated assault. They both have a bond set at $50,000.
JAMES GAY AND THE VAMPIRE CULT MURDER
Being behind bars is nothing new for James Gay. He was released from prison in 2024 after serving 12 years of a 15-year sentence for aggravated battery stemming from his involvement in the killing of 16-year-old Jacob Hendershot in 2011.
According to court documents, James and four others planned to beat Hendershot because a girl named Stephanie Pistey accused him of sexually assaulting her. It was later revealed that Stephanie believed she was a vampire, resulting in the case being dubbed the “Vampire Cult Murder” in the press.
Below is video of the machete altercation in the Publix parking lot recorded by Krichbaum’s girlfriend:
Asa Hawks is a writer and editor for Starcasm. You can contact Asa via Twitter, Facebook, or email at starcasmtips(at)yahoo.com
