Susquehanna Man Blames Planetary Alignment for Murder

A Susquehanna, Pennsylvania man is under arrest for the shooting death of a woman on Powers Road in Jackson Township, claiming he needed to 'align the planets'.

State Police say 41-year-old Ruben Mudge is accused of shooting Rebecca Gordon to death in the couple’s bedroom early March 16.  State Police say a 16-year-old boy was apparently in the home at the time of the shooting.  He was not injured.

According to an affidavit released by the Pennsylvania State Police, the boy heard the couple arguing at around 2 a.m. and then heard a gunshot before he fled the house in his pickup truck.  According to the statement, the teen was approached by Mudge a short time later in another pickup truck and was told by the suspect to go to his grandparent’s house and that “the planets are aligning.”

Investigators say Mudge told them during an interview “Becky is bad” and talked about the galaxy, the human brain, god and his plans to align the planets.  Authorities say Mudge told them he had recently used crystal methamphetamine and alcohol.

Mudge is charged with criminal homicide.