Bizarre Doomsday/Conspiracy Cult Responsible For Young Womans Suicide.

Kelly Pingilley was trying to make sense of the voices in her head when she went looking for answers on the Internet.

She stumbled upon a website promoting a religion that believes in UFOs, vampires, conspiracy theories and doomsday prophecies.

Pingilley was drawn to the writings of time travel and people's thoughts being controlled by cell phone towers, friends said. With the teachings feeding into her delusions, Pingilley's behavior grew increasingly erratic.

In December, she wrote in a personal blog that the world was about to end in a lurid outburst of cannibalism, bestiality and the moon dripping blood. One week later she killed herself. She was 22.

"Someone in that state of mind can potentially be very vulnerable and suggestible," said Rick Ross, a frequently used expert witness whose Trenton, N.J., institute has been tracking cults for 17 years.

"The combination of a mentally unstable person and a destructive cult can be a very volatile mix."

Ross wasn't aware of Sherry Shriner, the woman behind the website that attracted Pingilley.

Pingilley's family and friends blame her death on the fringe religion, saying leader Shriner filled Pingilley's head with scary, apocalyptic thoughts.

"Kelly didn't hitch a ride on a spaceship. She didn't die peacefully," said Debra McCorkle, 54, a Pingilley family friend from Johnson City, Tenn.

"It was a cold and silent death alone in the woods. She was looking for God, and Shriner steered her into some weird crap."

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