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A MOTHER and daughter have pleaded guilty to murdering five of their close relatives, including three children, because "demons told them" the victims "wanted to die."

Shana Decree, 47, and Dominique Decree, 21, entered guilty but mentally ill pleas to five counts of first-degree murder in connection with the killings in .

Shana Decree, 47, pleaded guilty on Monday to murdering five of her relatives, including her adult daughter and teenage son
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Shana Decree, 47, pleaded guilty on Monday to murdering five of her relatives, including her adult daughter and teenage sonCredit: Bucks County District Attorney's Office
Dominique Decree, 21, also pleaded guilty to killing her twin cousins, two girls who were just nine-years-old
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Dominique Decree, 21, also pleaded guilty to killing her twin cousins, two girls who were just nine-years-oldCredit: Reuters

Authorities said the suspects claimed that "demons" had ordered them to kill their family members and that they believed everyone inside the apartment in Morrisville "wanted to die."

Deputy District Attorney Christopher Rees said Monday at the women's sentencing hearing in Bucks County Court that the murders took place over the course of three days.

A children and youth services case worker who went to the Decree family home in February 2019 found the bodies of Shana's children, Naa'Irah Smith, 25, and Damon Decree Jr, 13, according to .

The worker also found the body of Shana's sister from , Jamilla Campbell, 42, and Campbell's nine-year-old twin daughters Erika and Imani Allen.

Campbell had been strangled while the others had been suffocated, the coroner's office said.

Erika Allen, 9, was killed by her aunt and cousin in February 2019
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Erika Allen, 9, was killed by her aunt and cousin in February 2019Credit: ABC6
Erika's twin sister Imani was also a victim in the horrific killing
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Erika's twin sister Imani was also a victim in the horrific killingCredit: ABC6
Shana murdered her 13-year-old son Damon Decree Jr inside their apartment in Morrisville
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Shana murdered her 13-year-old son Damon Decree Jr inside their apartment in MorrisvilleCredit: Facebook

Shana and Dominique were found "disoriented" inside the apartment, where police said furniture had been turned over, drywall was cracked, and glass was strewn about.

The pair later gave conflicting stories of what happened but said everyone in the house "wanted to die," according to authorities.

Court-appointed psychologists and psychiatrists said at the Decrees' sentencing hearing on Monday that both women suffered from severe mental illness, including schizoid personality disorder, major depressive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Both had sought mental health treatment, and Dominique's attorney John Fioravanti Jr told the court his client had been in treatment since she was five-years-old.

Family members claim the mother and daughter were involved in some kind of religious cult, according to the news outlet.

Shana also took the life of her sister Jamila Campbell, the mother of her twin nieces
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Shana also took the life of her sister Jamila Campbell, the mother of her twin niecesCredit: Facebook
Shana also killed her other adult daughter Naa'Irah Smith, 25, in the family massacre
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Shana also killed her other adult daughter Naa'Irah Smith, 25, in the family massacreCredit: Facebook
A child services worker found the victims' bodies inside the Decree family home in February 2019
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A child services worker found the victims' bodies inside the Decree family home in February 2019Credit: AP:Associated Press

Shana Decree's attorney Christa Dunleavy said her client was isolated and delusional at the time of the murders and had believed "the world was ending and there were demons in her house, and she had to obey them."

"Her family tried to help her," said Dunleavy, "But the delusions were too strong."

Both Dunleavy and Fioravanti Jr said their clients had expressed horror and remorse after the killing.

President Judge Wallace Bateman told the women they had caused "unimaginable" harm, the reported.

"This is horrible and tragic, because I do believe the two of you have expressed remorse," Bateman said Monday. "Unfortunately, that doesn't bring them back. You can't say, 'Sorry' and expect people to move on with their lives."

Both women tearfully apologized to the court and other relatives in the courtroom.

Shana Decree strangled her sister and suffocated the other four relatives, according to a coroner
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Shana Decree strangled her sister and suffocated the other four relatives, according to a coronerCredit: AP:Associated Press
Shana told her relatives present at her sentencing hearing on Monday: 'I am sorry for taking away these beautiful souls in such a horrible manner'
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Shana told her relatives present at her sentencing hearing on Monday: 'I am sorry for taking away these beautiful souls in such a horrible manner'Credit: Facebook

"The hardest thing for me to do is decide who to say I'm sorry to first," Shana Decree said. "To my family, I am sorry for taking away these beautiful souls in such a horrible manner."

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Dominique Decree sobbed and said her actions will eternally haunt her.

"I'm so sorry for everything that happened, and I truly don't understand why it happened," she said.

Dominique Decree said she 'truly don't understand' why she murdered her family members
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Dominique Decree said she 'truly don't understand' why she murdered her family membersCredit: Facebook
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