Jack Callahan, a 22-year-old man from Massachusetts, allegedly drowned his father, Scott Callahan, in a pond three years ago in what he believed to be a baptism-style exorcism. Scott Callahan was a banker at Texas Capitol Bank, and Jack, who was 19 at the time, claimed that his father was suffering from alcoholism. The incident took place in June 2021 when Jack picked his father up from a Boston bar, suspecting that he had been drinking, and asked the Uber driver to drop them off at Island Creek Pond for a smoke break. An altercation occurred between the two during their time at the pond.
During Jack Callahan’s trial, it was revealed that he told police he believed his father was possessed by a demon named “Dirty Dan” and thought that dunking him underwater multiple times would exorcise the demon. He described the act as a baptism, holding his father in the pond like a baby and dunking his head in the water between four to eight times. The prosecutor stated that Jack would lift his father’s head out of the water when he started to cough and choke, only to push it back underwater when his father fought back. He continued this until his father stopped struggling and ultimately drowned.
At the time of the incident, Jack Callahan was reportedly worked up and distraught, at times becoming so hyperventilated that he passed out. Scott Callahan was pronounced dead at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth following the incident. The district attorney handling the case mentioned that Jack claimed his actions were an attempt to perform a religious ritual to exorcise the demon from his father. Despite the tragic outcome, Jack Callahan maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to the murder charges.
The prosecution at Jack Callahan’s trial described the details of the incident, including the moments leading up to his father’s drowning and the actions taken by Jack during the alleged exorcism. They painted a picture of a troubled young man who believed he was performing a religious act to rid his father of a demon. The defense, on the other hand, argued that Jack’s actions were a result of his own troubled mental state and potentially influenced by his father’s alcoholism. The trial shed light on the complexities of the relationship between Jack and Scott Callahan and the tragic consequences of Jack’s beliefs and actions.
The case of Jack Callahan’s alleged murder of his father shocked the community and raised questions about mental health, religious beliefs, and the limits of parental authority. The prosecution presented evidence of the events leading up to the drowning and Jack’s belief in exorcising his father, while the defense highlighted Jack’s mental state and potential influence from his father’s alcoholism. The trial served as a reminder of the devastating impact of untreated mental health issues and the importance of seeking help when faced with challenges. Ultimately, the tragedy of Scott Callahan’s death serves as a cautionary tale of the consequences of unchecked beliefs and actions, leading to the loss of a prominent banker and a family torn apart by a horrific event.
