It’s so sad that this guy survived prison only to be killed by a deranged person at a rest stop on the NJ Turnpike:
A man fatally beat a former Soviet political prisoner at a highway rest stop Thursday after the victim declined an offer to buy hisreligious CDs, police said.
Brian K. White, 26, of Humble, Texas, was charged with murder, eluding police and weapons charges.
Authorities said White stopped at a rest stop along the New Jersey Turnpike and approached Michail J. Makarenko, 75, who was traveling from his home in Hillsboro, Va., to New York to see friends, and asked him if he wanted to buy religious CDs.
When the man declined, authorities said witnesses told them, White picked up a rock and started striking the man in the head before getting back in his car, a Chevrolet Camaro, heading toward New York City.
Makarenko, who spent a total of 11 years in prison for anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda – he owned an art gallery that exhibited works of banned artists – died before a medical helicopter could reach him, said his interpreter and secretary, Gregory Burnside.
[…]
State Police Sgt. Stephen Jones said White told troopers he was motivated by religion, but Jones did not elaborate about the nature of his beliefs.
[…]
His mother said in a telephone interview that she did not think her son could have killed someone.
“He’s a Christian guy. He made lots of Christian CDs. My son has never been involved in anything…” she said, her voice trailing off into sobs.
You can check out his MySpace page here.