Defendant in Killing Linked to Satanism

SANTA MONICA —  Glen Mason, one of three homeless youths charged in the death of 14-year-old Shevawn Geoghegan, preached Satanism to friends, considered himself immortal and may have orchestrated the killing as part of a ritual sacrifice, according to evidence presented this week during pretrial proceedings.

Jury selection in the case against Mason, 23, is expected to begin next week.

Friends say that Mason considered himself the demon in charge of the abandoned building at 1525 Euclid St., which a group of runaways called home. After Shevawn was found Feb. 26, 1998, strangled to death in a sleeping bag in the basement of the building, Mason told friends he was responsible, court records indicated.

Mason, also known as Jason Allen Ballis, is charged with murder and receiving stolen property. Police believe that he ordered friend Jimmy “Linus” Turner and another runaway, Elizabeth Ann Mangham, 17, to bind and gag Shevawn in his room at the building on Euclid. Then Mason allegedly strangled Shevawn.

Mangham and Mason told police that Turner killed Shevawn during a game that involved her being tied up, defense attorney Marc Lewinstein said.

Turner is still at large. He was featured on the television show “America’s Most Wanted.”

Shevawn, a ninth-grader at North Hills Preparatory School, lived in Santa Monica with her parents, but many of her friends were homeless youths. She had a habit of running away, but generally remained in contact with her parents and returned home after a few days. Shevawn’s body was found two days after she was killed.