A motorist beat a former Soviet political prisoner to death with a rock Thursday at a highway rest stop after the victim declined to buy his religious CDs, police said.
Brian K. White, 26, was arrested after a 90-mile chase and charged with murder, eluding police and weapons violations.
The victim, Michail J. Makarenko, 75, spent 11 years in prison for anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda, said his interpreter and secretary, Gregory Burnside. He lived in Hillsboro, Va., and owned an art gallery that exhibited works of banned artists, Burnside said.
Authorities said White approached Makarenko at a rest stop along the New Jersey Turnpike near Moorestown and began striking him in the head with a rock after he declined to buy the religious CDs. Then White got back in his car and headed toward New York City, police said.
Troopers said they caught up with him about 15 minutes later and chased him for about an hour before he pulled over to the side of the road in Teaneck, jumped out of his vehicle and charged at them.
White was quickly subdued, police said.
"He possibly is delusional," said State Police Maj. Mary Beth Mahlmann.
White's mother, Laverne Cavitt, and his sister, Marsha White, confirmed that Brian White has a MySpace page featuring his music. His picture is also posted on the page and resembles a driver's license photo released by police.
In an undated writing on his MySpace page, White discussed his beliefs. He wrote that his latest recording, "The Book of Brian" would one day become part of the "next century Bible."
According to one passage about the hip-hop CD: "The Book contains Chapters and in them is True Secrets straight from God. Aliens are among us, the secret scrolls is real, We have a secret city the Gov has made, and the cloning of men is now and real. God is very angry with us, and he will soon change his face."
His mother said 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.
A judge set bail at $750,000 and ordered White, of Humble, Texas, to have a psychiatric exam before he can be released from jail. He was expected to appear in a court hearing Friday.