WEST BEND - A 21-year-old suspect accused of spraying satanic graffiti on the Holy Hill National Shrine says he has no remorse.
Tyler Groth of Neosho and his 17-year-old cousin, David Groth of Hartford, were charged Friday with the vandalism spree.
In an exclusive interview, Tyler Groth told TODAY'S TMJ4's it was meant to be a prank. "We didn't want to damage anything," Groth said. "We just wanted to spray something because we knew it could be cleaned up. We didn't want to do any permanent damage to anything. So we thought it was one of the minor things we could do."
Groth said he actually thought the spray paint would wash off in a day. In realty, crews have been out sandblasting to get it off. And they'll be back next week to finish cleaning the walls and the statues.
Groth bailed himself out of jail late Friday.
Vandalized StatueWhen TMJ4 reporter Mick Trevey tracked him down, Groth admitted he and his cousin vandalized the peaceful Catholic meditation site with satanic messages.
Trevey: "Are you religious?
Groth: "No."
Trevey: "Do you have a problem with people who are?"
Groth: "No."
Trevey asked him why he sprayed satanic graffiti on these holy shrines.
Groth said, "'cause I'm a punk - that's what I do."
Groth thanked the Christians who have prayed for him. But said he doesn't feel bad about what he did.
Most of the red paint has now been cleaned off the statues at Holy Hill. So Trevey asked Groth if he was going to do anything to pay the church back. He said he doesn't want to - but said he will if the judge orders it.
And as if desecrating church grounds wasn't bad enough, Trevey asked the self proclaimed punk about another mistake he made.
Trevey: "Do you know you spelled Satan wrong?"
Groth: "No - I'm not aware of that."
Trevey: "You spelled it satin - like the fabric."
Groth: "See - if I was big into the devil, I would have spelled it right."
Trevey: "Do you think that's funny?"
Groth: "That I spelled it wrong? No - I'm a bad speller."
Father Don Brick of Holy Hill offered this reaction to the charges against the suspects. "We as a community are praying for them and supporting them and hoping their hearts will change, and that they will see that goodness is a great thing in the world."
Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan will say mass Saturday afternoon at 4:30 at Holy Hill. Dolan said that when he heard about the vandalism, "I said I gotta get up there, I just want to do what I can to reclaim it and restore it." In a written statement Dolan said, "The gates of hell will not prevail."
Sheriff deputies arrested Tyler Groth on Wednesday night after he and his cousin, David Groth came back to Holy Hill to show off their work to friends.
David GrothDavid Groth was arrested Friday morning after authorities found him hiding at a friend's house in Richfield.
Washington County District Attorney Todd Martens said, "I view this case as an affront the church and the tens of thousands of people who are Catholic and it's an affront to what is a symbol of our community."
The duo face more than three years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.
They are expected back in court next Wednesday.
The vandalism happened Tuesday night on June 6, 2006 or 6-6-6.
SignThe vandals attacked the monastery, spray painting in red "Hell On Earth" on the front door along with a pitchfork and "666" on its walls.
On another monastery entrance the vandals spray painted an obscenity and "Happy Birthday Satan."
The vandals also defaced four outdoor statues involving the cross, spray painting them in red. On one where Jesus is stripped of his garments before he is crucified, the vandals spray painted a red pentagram.
The Shrine director, Father Cyril Guise said people from all over the world come to the Holly Hill shrine to find peace. "It's like going down to Washington D.C. and defacing the Washington Monument or the Capitol. This is a national shrine for the country."
Some of the vandalism was so shocking and disturbing that church officials covered it with tarps so parishioners wouldn't see it.
Some church goers called it a vicious prank. Others believed it was brought on by someone trying to make a statement about Tuesday's 6-6-6 date. But everyone visiting the shrine felt defacing a church crosses the lines of decency.
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