Ex-deputy who claimed he was ‘God’ and could hear people’s thoughts pleads guilty to killing neighbor

WARE SHOALS, S.C. (TCN) — A 43-year-old former deputy will spend over three decades behind bars for killing his neighbor, who was found dead in his living room.

The Eighth Circuit Solicitor’s Office announced Oct. 22 that Justin Moody pleaded guilty to the murder of 48-year-old Oscar Rubio, and a judge sentenced him to 34 years in prison. Moody will not be eligible for parole.

According to prosecutors, in May 2023, Rubio’s girlfriend discovered her boyfriend deceased in the living room. Deputies responded to his home, where they found Rubio with a gunshot wound to the head and two gunshot wounds to the chest. Authorities also determined Rubio’s body had been dragged inside the home after the shooting, and they found blood on the porch and front yard.

According to prosecutors, “Multiple witnesses told investigators that Rubio had recently had an issue with his neighbor.” Witnesses also claimed Rubio had allegedly loaned Moody money in the past.

Greenwood County investigators attempted to speak with Moody at his home, but he reportedly did not comply. The solicitor’s office said a deputy who knew Moody personally eventually arrived, and the defendant answered the door, claiming “he had been sleeping.” However, deputies do not believe he had been asleep, as they noticed all the lights on in the residence. Officials also reportedly noticed a pair of pants with blood splatter on a kitchen chair inside Moody’s house.

Moody allegedly told investigators he had nothing to do with Rubio’s death, but he “knew an extraordinary level of detail about the crime scene.” According to the solicitor’s office, deputies continued to question Moody, and “he claimed to be God and could hear the thoughts of other people.”

Authorities reportedly found the gun used to kill Rubio in Moody’s residence, as well as boots that matched a footprint at the scene. On Moody’s kitchen table, prosecutors said investigators found a funeral pamphlet that read “RIP Oscar” and “you should love your neighbor.”

According to the solicitor’s office, officials located Rubio’s car keys and several thousand dollars in a duffel bag inside Moody’s house.

WYFF-TV reports that Moody previously worked for multiple South Carolina law enforcement agencies, including the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office.

Eighth Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo said, “This is an absolutely senseless act of violence. I cannot say enough about the excellent work done by the law enforcement investigators and our prosecutors to put Justin Moody behind bars for essentially the rest of his life. My hope and prayer is that Mr. Rubio’s family can begin to gain some closure and truly grieve his loss with the court case now behind them.”

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