Washington gang member sacrificed horse in ritual so murdered pal could ‘ride it into the Valhalla’
The founder of a white supremacist gang and an accused killer allegedly killed a horse in a bizarre ritual so that his friend could ride the stallion “into Valhalla.”
Brandon Gerner, 42, who is currently on trial for a double murder and first-degree animal cruelty, reportedly slaughtered the horse, named Lemon, so his friend Kody Olsen could reach the mythological Norse afterlife for warriors, according to a police report obtained by KATU-TV.
Gerner is accused of conspiring with Olsen to murder Robert Riley, 57, and Ashley Williams, 34, in what authorities believe was a “drug deal gone bad” on November 16, 2023. About a month later, Olsen died in a shootout with Pierce County, Washington, sheriff’s deputies, who had attempted to stop him on suspicion of driving under the influence.
According to investigators, Gerner carried out the horse sacrifice in the hours after Olsen was shot. The act was reportedly intended as a tribute to the Norse god of death, Odin, and so that Olsen “had a steed to ride into Valhalla.”
“He (Lemon) was killed in the most senseless way possible,” Delanie Greer-Breakall, the daughter of the horse’s owner, told the Tacoma News Tribune.
The horse was found shot point-blank in front of its stable. Lemon’s owner, Karen Greer, described the discovery: “I found him in the morning just lying out dead, and I’ll never get that out of my head.”
Gerner, who founded a white supremacist group while serving time in prison, was arrested in February 2024 and charged with both the alleged double murder and the animal sacrifice.
Authorities say Riley and Williams’ bodies were discovered hidden under trash, covered with a blue tarp and a blanket. Williams had been stabbed more than 20 times.
Gerner had previously served around 22 years in prison for a range of convictions, including burglary, robbery, and assault.
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