Naman Shrestha
The episode titled ‘Devil in the Hallways’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘A Killer Among Friends’ delves deep into the sudden disappearance and horrific murder of 15-year-old Elyse Pahler in the summer of 1995. As all the leads ended up being dead ends, the investigators received an unexpected and chilling confession that cracked the case wide open. The documentary features Elyse’s loved ones and the officials linked to the investigation, which reportedly also involved a satanic ritual that drove the perpetrators to murder.
Elyse Pahler’s Remains Were Found Months After She Vanished
Elyse Marie Pahler was the beloved daughter of Lisanne and David Pahler. Her arrival on April 24, 1980, filled their household in San Luis Obispo County, California, with laughter and joy. She was raised in a nurturing environment in the company of her siblings, always surrounded by the love and warmth of all those who loved her deeply. Elyse shared a close relationship with her family members and was the apple of the eyes of her grandmother, Elyse Walter, after whom she was seemingly named. Though she was born in the tight-knit community of Templeton, the young girl and her family ultimately settled down in the town of Arroyo Grande by the time she was a teenager. She was an inquisitive and kindhearted individual who greeted everyone with a smile.
As per reports, Elyse had a knack for sewing and not only designed but also stitched her dresses. By the time she was 15 years old, she was a student at Arroyo Grande High School. Those who knew the blue-eyed girl saw a bright future ahead of her, one filled with promise, success, and hope. However, everything changed on July 22, 1995. On the fateful night, Elyse was reportedly watching the Western musical film ‘Paint Your Wagon’ alongside her family. The phone rang around 9:15 pm, and the teen proceeded to pick it up. After hanging up the call, she reportedly exclaimed, “I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”
Sadly, it was the last time the 15-year-old was seen alive by her family members. When Elyse was nowhere to be seen the following morning, the family reported her missing, and a months-long search was launched. Despite the best efforts of the authorities and the community, she could not be found until they received a shocking lead. Finally, in March 1996, her partially mummified remains were recovered from a Nipomo Mesa eucalyptus grove, about a quarter-mile away from her family’s house. The autopsy revealed that the teenager had been stabbed multiple times, stomped, and strangled.
Elyse Pahler’s Killers Claimed They Sacrificed Her For a Twisted Satanic Ritual
After several months of searching for the missing 15-year-old, Elyse Pahler, the authorities were contacted by Royce Casey, a 17-year-old who went to Arroyo Grande High School with her. According to reports, he admitted that he was one of the three individuals involved in the brutal murder. It was he who led the detectives to the burial site of the teenage girl in March 1996, after feeling guilty and scared that the other two accomplices would kill him too. Implicating his two other friends, Jacob Delashmutt and Joseph Fiorella, Royce told the detectives that on the fateful night of July 22, 1995, the trio lured Elyse to Nipomo Mesa eucalyptus grove, where they reportedly killed her as a sacrifice to Satan.
The authorities learned that the three friends were self-professed followers of Slayer and had even formed a death metal band of their own called Hatred. It was Joseph who reportedly initiated the plan to sacrifice Elyse as part of their devil-worshipping ritual in order to “enhance their death metal playing.” Thus, all three involved in the murder were arrested and charged with a total of seven counts, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit rape, and kidnapping. Although the detectives also pursued torture and rape charges against them, they couldn’t prove whether she had been sexually assaulted because of the decomposition of her remains. A few months later, in November, the Pahler family sued the heavy metal band named Slayer, alleging that their lyrics inspired the teens to commit murder.
Royce Casey and Joseph Fiorella Are Still in Prison, While Jacob Delashmutt is Out on Parole
Joseph Fiorella pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, and in March 1997, he was sentenced to 26 years to life in prison. As part of his agreement, his other charges, such as rape, were dismissed. At his sentencing hearing, Elyse’s father, David Pahler, addressed him, “Joseph, it’s a parent’s worst fear and lifetime pain to outlive their child. It’s even worse knowing she was murdered, tortured, and raped as a virgin sacrificed on the altar of Satan so that (you) can earn a ticket to Hell.” Royce Casey pleaded no contest to first-degree murder in exchange for avoiding a life imprisonment sentence without parole. In November 1997, he was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, having to serve a minimum of 21 years.
As for Jacob Delashmutt, he, too, pleaded no contest to first-degree murder in a similar deal. He was sentenced to 26 years to life in prison, having to serve at least 85% of it before being eligible for parole. Nearly two decades later, Royce was denied parole for five years at his first parole suitability hearing in July 2016. In December 2017, Jacob was denied parole for seven more years at his hearing. Less than a year later, in October 2018, Joseph filed a habeas corpus petition to challenge the decision of the court to keep him incarcerated. In his appeal, he argued that his mental fitness was not checked by his attorney during the trial.
Although two California parole board commissioners granted Royce parole in 2022, the California Court of Appeals overturned the decision. As of today, 47-year-old Royce Elliott Casey is serving his sentence at Valley State Prison in Chowchilla, California, while 45-year-old Joseph Leo Fiorella is incarcerated at High Desert State Prison in Susanville, California. Both are awaiting their parole. As for Jacob William Delashmutt, he was granted parole in January 2025 and released in July of the same year.
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