David Adam Pate poses for a bizarre mug-shot with his surgically split tongue out and his gang tattoo '974' clearly visible. The word 'Satan' is inked over his eye.
A forked-tongued freak with "Satan" inked above one eye killed his best friend before dumping his body in South Carolina woods, police said. David Adam Pate, 24, allegedly took his pal Ricky James, 33, into forested land near Lancaster in mid-October to bludgeon him to death. He is then accused of leaving the corpse, lightly covered with brush, in an area where it could be easily found by neighborhood children.
WBTV reports that kids finally made the grisly discovery last weekend. Pate, already in jail after being arrested two weeks ago for disorderly conduct, was a main suspect.
LANCASTER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
Cops said they formally charged him with murder after receiving lab tests on Friday.
He posed for a mug-shot, with a sly smile on his face, by sticking out his surgically split tongue.
Dozens of his tattoos are also visible, including "974" — allegedly the sign of street gang Gangster Disciples.
"Our deepest condolences go out to the family of Mr. James," Lancaster County Sheriff Barry Faile told the station. "We are thankful we were able to solve this case so quickly. Our investigators did a great job putting this case together. We are thankful he is in jail where he belongs," he added.