By Shavonne Potts
Salisbury Post
A teen who authorities arrested this weekend for his involvement in a 2006 fire that killed 41 animals at Dan Nicholas Park’s petting barn is ó in his own words ó no stranger to harming animals.
On a page he created on the online social networking site MySpace, Jerry L. Harwood claims to have killed a neighbor’s pets and calls himself ‘Angel of Death.’
Authorities arrested Harwood, 18, of Rockwell, at his apartment Saturday in connection with the March 20, 2006 fire that destroyed the Stanback Petting Barn.
The arrest came after the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office received a tip through Crime Stoppers. Harwood is also listed as AWOL from the U.S. Marine Corps.
He faces charges for burning the barn and animal cruelty and has been linked to recent car and commercial break-ins in Rockwell.
Harwood has a page on MySpace that displays a large picture of the grim reaper and a pentagram with two-points up, typically used by neopagans or satanic groups.
Explaining the screen name he takes on MySpace, Harwood wrote, “My nickname is the Angel of Death, because i once took a 12 gauge out on the back pourch and killed everything that moved including the nieborors chikens and pets.”
The bright-orange page includes pictures of Harwood, a young woman and Harwood holding a baby.
The self-described redneck says that he is engaged and expecting a second child.
“My best friend is JACK DANIELS,” Harwood wrote.
He went on to write that he loves to hunt, fish and ride bulls. He says he is a U.S. Marine.
Listing his interests, Harwood wrote, “Fire Department. I love to ride horses and party hard. Plus, i love listenin to hard ass rock. But after that i’m just the same as everyone else.”
Harwood describes himself as a Wiccan. He also has a Wiccan Rede, which is a set of rules governing Wiccan behavior.
According to Religious Tolerance.org, the rede “permits Wiccans to engage in any carefully considered action, as long as it harms nobody, including themselves.”
Words that Harwood uses as a quote on his page ó “And Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will” ó are listed as the final words in the Wiccan Rede.
Harwood remains in the Rowan County Detention Center under $250,000 secured bond.
Contact Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253 or spotts@salisburypost.com.