‘Satan is still in me:’ Florida man stabs roommate in attempt to release Satan, turns knife on himself

SANFORD, Fla. – A Florida man is behind bars after stabbing his roommate in the chest before turning the knife on himself, claiming he committed the crime to release Satan, according to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded to Vista Haven Apartments along Geranium Lane in Sanford Wednesday in reference to a stabbing, and when they arrived, deputies found a subject cutting himself with a knife and a victim suffering from a stab wound, according to a report.

The male harming himself was restrained and identified as 25-year-old Joseph Dolash; he attempted to resist deputies and was held to the ground when he began making comments such as “Satan will come out of my wound, you will see,” “Satan is still in me,” “Satan was a worm and is gonna come out of me,” and “If I can’t talk, Satan will kill me,” records show.

Deputies said the victim lying on the ground appeared to have a stab wound to his chest, and it was later determined that he was the roommate of Dolash. When deputies asked him about his injured roommate, Dolash said, “Can’t say he’s Satan.”

According to a report, deputies then made their way to Dolash’s apartment where blood was found on the walls and floors. Deputies said they located a fixed blade knife with a wooden handle covered in blood.

The victim was transported to a local hospital for his injuries where he later told deputies that Dolash held a kitchen knife to his throat then cut him multiple times, a report showed. Dolash told the victim that “the devil was in him and he needed to get the worm out” before he proceeded to stab him, according to investigators.

Dolash then told the victim to suck the worm and devil out of his blood from the cut on his wrist, according to a report.

When witnesses saw Dolash and the victim outside of the apartment, the victim still had the knife in his chest, deputies said.

Jail records show Dolash was arrested on one charge of first degree premeditated attempted murder and one count of sexual assault and battery. He is being held at the Seminole County Jail without bond.