Church of Satan threatens to hex arsonist who burned down OnlyFans star Matthew Camp’s home
The home of Matthew Camp, previously owned by a Church of Satan member, was burned down. (Instagram/ witchcraftdistrict)
The Church of Satan has threatened to hex the arsonist who burned down the home of Matthew Camp, which previously belonged to a high-ranking member of the church.
Matthew Camp and a roommate narrowly escaped when their home was set on fire in the early hours of 14 January. Both were unharmed by the blaze, which Camp believes was a “hate crime”.
Police are currently searching for the arsonist was captured on CCTV spraying gasoline on the porch, while supporters have started a GoFundMe to support Camp, who lost all his material belongings in the fire.
Before Camp purchased the property in October 2020, the house in Poughkeepsie, New York belonged to the late Joe “Netherworld” Mendillo, a high-ranking Church of Satan member, who passed away in January 2020, and was locally known as the “House of Netherworld” or “Halloween House”.
The high priest of the Church of Satan, Peter H Gilmore, said in a statement that the church “cannot be certain” of the arsonist’s motivation, but that some were “offended” at Mendillo’s membership of the church.
Gilmore said: “Those who took the time to research our religion learned that it is not devil worship, but instead an atheist philosophy of individualism, liberty, and fulfilment.
“Whether they felt sympathetic to those views or not, Joe was always gracious and offered people advice on gardening, home restoration and décor, among other topics, which he characterised as being a ‘dark side Martha Stewart’.
“He was a knowledgeable man and generous to those requesting his informed perspective.
“He performed the first legal same-sex Satanic wedding in New York State, when that became an option for couples.”
In 2013, Mendillo conducted the “first legally recognized same-sex wedding in New York State by a Satanic clergyman”.
According to the Church of Satan website, when same-sex marriage was legalised across the US, “the happy couple publicly re-affirmed their vows in a Beetlejuice-themed ceremony attended by scores of costumed revellers this past Halloween season with Magister Netherworld as proud officiant”.
Camp has urged the queer community to “please stay vigilant” as he believes the fire was a hate crime.
“Share this story because queer people are still under attack all over the world,” he said. “Our voices will not be silenced.”
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Members of the church are now vowing to hex the arsonist, and Isis Vermouth told the Poughkeepsie Journal: “Everybody’s in shock and everyone in the neighbourhood is worried.
“Whoever did this is going to be hexed by all of us.
“I feel like this was definitely malicious. Someone showed up in a hazmat suit and poured two huge jugs of gasoline on the porch while everyone was sleeping.”
Gilmore added that while the house is unlikely to be restored, a park could eventually be formed in its place.
He said: “There is melancholy poetry to the thought that the ashes of Magister Netherworld himself, stored in his haunted palace, have now mingled with those of that brooding structure he made a reflection of his essence, melding them for all time, and infusing that unholy plot for eternity.”
