It seems like the classic love story: middle-aged vampire runs for president, wins heart of teenage girl, stalks girl, girl is forced to make up a desperate story trying to get away from vampire, vampire is charged with a felony. Aww, sweet romance.
But this is no work of fiction. John Alfred Sharkey (pictured here), 44, a self-described "vampyre" who calls himself "The Impaler" and apparently ran for president in 2007 on the Vampyres, Witches and Pagans ticket, was held without bail in a Rochester, Minnesota jail this week on felony charges related to stalking a 16-year-old who commented on his Myspace page. Even after the girl told Sharkey she was "an elite vampire hunter," he called the girl and wrote letters to her parents.
It just so happens, the cover story from this week's "print edition" is all about vampire culture in South Florida. It's not nearly as rare as you'd like to think. And just like some of the vamps down here, the report says Sharkey told the Rochester police that he "needs to drink human blood for strength."
