US man killed his children over 'serpent DNA': Report

A 40-year-old American man, who killed his two children with a spear fishing gun, has said he was "enlightened" by QAnon and other conspiracy theories and was saving the world from "monsters" who had "serpent DNA", according to authorities.

Matthew Taylor Coleman was charged Wednesday with taking his children, aged two years and 10 months, to Mexico and killing them there before returning to the United States. Coleman, a surfing school owner in California, told authorities he knew he was doing wrong, but that "it was the only course of action that would save the world," the complaint prepared by federal agents said.

AFP reported that, according to the complaint, Coleman said that "he believed his children were going to grow into monsters so he had to kill them". He told agents that he was "enlightened by QAnon and Illuminati conspiracy theories and was receiving visions and signs revealing that his wife ... possessed serpent DNA and had passed it on to his children". The complaint said he believed he was "saving the world from monsters".

Coleman's wife reported to Santa Barbara police on August 7 that her husband had left with the children in the family's van. She said Coleman told her he was taking them camping, but refused to tell her where and did not answer calls or text messages.

Coleman's wife said she didn't believe the children were in any danger and that she hadn't had any problems with Coleman, according to the court affidavit. She also said "they did not have any sort of argument" before he left.

Police tracked Coleman a day later using the Find My iPhone app, which showed his last known location as being in Rosarito, Mexico. He was detained by the FBI at the border as he crossed back into the US the next day. Coleman was charged with the foreign murder of US nationals.