Destructive “Sons of Anarchy” actor Johnny Lewis was not only close to Katy Perry, he also had deep ties to Scientology, according to a new report.
Lewis, who allegedly murdered his elderly landlady in a drug-fueled rage, had deep ties to the religion and its drug-abuse program, TMZ reports.
Johnny Lewis’ father Michael had reached one of the highest levels in Scientology, even co-writing a movie with L. Ron Hubbard about Dianetics in the 80s, the Web site claims.
Johnny, 28, was also active in the Church, particularly its drug abuse program, Narconon, TMZ adds.
In 2004, when Johnny was on the TV show “Quintuplets,” he was photographed speaking at a substance abuse prevention event on behalf of Narconon after the Church claimed Johnny’s mother was able to keep him off of drugs by using the principles of Scientology’s drug-abuse program.
Johnny was unable to stay clean, however, since he was in rehab this year and eyewitnesses say he was clearly on drugs at the time of the murder, TMZ reports.
Indeed, at one point during the rampage that ended with both Johnny and his landlady dead, he was manically swinging a 2×4 board, law-enforcement sources told TMZ.
After TMZ contacted Scientology about Johnny’s involvement with their religion and Narconon, they removed his picture and the story about his 2004 appearance from their Web site.
A Scientology official told TMZ that Johnny was not active in the Church for several years.
Police are investigating what sent Johnny on the rampage, and cops are looking into whether he was on PCP, crystal meth or a new designer drug known as “Smiles,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
Johnny displayed “super-human” strength and was oblivious to being punched, the painter told the newspaper.
His home had been ransacked and a dismembered cat was found at the scene.
Johnny, who played aspiring biker-gang member Kip “Half Sack” Epps on the FX series “Sons of Anarchy,” had been sprung from jail on burglary and assault convictions just six days before the melee occurred.
The show’s creator Kurt Sutter said the once-promising actor had been on a “destructive path” for some time and the violent end was predictable.
Additional reporting by Hilary Lewis and Chuck Bennett in NY and Helen Kumari in Los Angeles