Man who believed his mother was possessed shoots her dead after she threatened to evict him from her home

• Ronald Joseph Kirk was convicted of second-degree murder for killing his 61-year-old mother, Rosa Leyva, in Oregon.

• Prosecutors said Kirk believed his mother was possessed by demons and had become obsessed with exorcism while abusing drugs.

• Before the killing, Leyva planned to legally evict her son and had expressed fears about his violent behaviour.

• Kirk faces a possible life sentence with a minimum of 25 years in prison when he is sentenced.

An Oregon man has been found guilty of killing his own mother after convincing himself she was possessed by demons, in a case that has shocked many because of the disturbing events that led to her death.

A Clackamas County jury convicted 38-year-old Ronald Joseph Kirk of second-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm over the killing of his 61-year-old mother, Rosa Leyva.

According to prosecutors, Kirk had been living with Leyva at her home in Gladstone, Oregon, before things spiralled out of control. Family members and people who knew the pair told the court that Kirk regularly abused alcohol and methamphetamine, making him increasingly unpredictable and aggressive.

The case came to light on November 26, 2024, after Leyva failed to show up for work. Her colleagues and loved ones became worried when they couldn't reach her and requested a welfare check.

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When police arrived at the house, Kirk answered the door and reportedly told officers that his mother was inside and had been unconscious for about a day.

Officers entered the home and made a grim discovery.

Leyva was found sitting at the dining table in front of her laptop. Her body had been covered with pillowcases and she had suffered a single gunshot wound to the head.

Investigators later uncovered evidence showing the tragedy may have been building for weeks.

Court documents revealed that Kirk had become obsessed with exorcism and demonic possession, especially while under the influence of drugs.

About a month before the shooting, he left his mother a disturbing voicemail in which he claimed she was possessed and admitted he had "almost" put a bullet in her head the day before.

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The investigation also found that Leyva had become increasingly worried about her son's behaviour and was planning to remove him from her home.

She had even sent him a text message on November 8, 2024, telling him she wanted him out of the house and intended to begin the legal eviction process.

Prosecutors argued that the killing happened against the backdrop of Kirk's worsening substance abuse, violent behaviour and bizarre beliefs.

The jury agreed, finding him guilty of second-degree murder.

Kirk is expected to be sentenced on November 4. Under Oregon law, he could receive a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years behind bars before becoming eligible for parole.

The case has once again drawn attention to how untreated mental health issues, combined with drug abuse and access to firearms, can end in devastating violence for families.