Murder suspect told 911 world under evil control

photo Knoxville police SWAT team officers examine a suspect outside a room at the Days Inn hotel on May 27, 2014, in Knoxville.

KNOXVILLE - In audio tapes released to various media outlets from the 911 call of Florida triple-murder suspect David Eugene Smith to a Knox County dispatcher, Smith says the world is under evil control and speaks of demons and reptilian beings that eat souls.

Smith called 911 at 9:44 a.m. on May 27 from a Knox County motel room. He said his name was 'David, from the Bible, Prince David," and he was wanted for murder in Polk County, Florida, where he said he killed his sister and two others. He also said he had a .40-caliber rifle and was "attempting suicide by cop" because "this is what must be done."

"The world is under evil control right now. I swear on my life. I have understanding of a lot of things in the Bible," he said.

Later he said, "Jesus cannot save OK? ....My blood will cleanse the land, most likely, or, I don't know, it might actually just start World War III right away today."

According to an account of the recordings in the Knoxville News Sentinel Smith told the dispatcher he was bipolar and not taking his medication.

At one point he expressed concern that his father's car, which he drove up from Florida, be returned to his father after Smith's death, but then added that "me and my dad is one body, so he might die as well."

He also said that he did not want the 911 tapes released to the media, but added, "I highly doubt the world will survive my death because of who I am."

According to the Knox County Sheriff's Office, SWAT officers arrived at the motel about 10:45 a.m. Negotiators communicated with Smith before losing contact with him about 12:15 p.m.

At 1:20 p.m., officers gassed the motel room and entered. They found Smith suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.

The Polk County, Florida, Sheriff's Office identified the victims as Smith's sister, 31-year-old Danyala Smith, 25-year-old Nikosi Williams and 28-year-old Miranda Mims.

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