The 41-year-old woman is understood to have been beaten to death during the course of several hours on Saturday. Her body showed evidence of multiple blows to the chest and stomach.

A towel was used to muffle the woman’s screams. The ultimate cause of death was suffocation, prosecutors said.

Five people, including a 44-year-old woman, her 21-year-old son and 19-year-old daughter as well as two minors were arrested in the case.

Prosecutors allege they had been attempting to evict demons from the woman, who they believed to be possessed. It is unclear whether the woman had given her consent prior to the exorcism.