'American Sniper' suspect says he took 'couple of souls'.

• Author: Stengle, Jamie
• Position: News

Byline: Jamie Stengle

STEPHENVILLE, Texas -- Police video played in court Thursday showed a former Marine telling officers investigating the deaths of two men including ''American Sniper'' author Chris Kyle that he had ''taken a couple of souls'' and had more to take.

The recording shows police in Lancaster, near Dallas, trying to coax Eddie Ray Routh from a pickup in the hours after famed Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield were found dead at a shooting range in February 2013.

Officers in the video are seen trying to talk Routh into surrendering as he makes comments such as, ''Anarchy has been killing the world.''

''He told us he'd taken a couple of souls and he had more souls to take,'' Lancaster police Lt. Michael Smith testified Thursday.

Defense attorneys have said Routh, 27, was insane when Kyle and Littlefield took him to a shooting range to provide support and camaraderie.

Routh believed the men planned to kill him, his attorneys say. Routh faces life in prison without parole if convicted.

The case has drawn intense interest, largely because of Kyle's memoir, ''American Sniper,'' about serving four tours in Iraq. The Oscar-nominated film based on the book has grossed nearly $300 million.

Officers testified that hours after the bodies were discovered, Routh returned to his home in Lancaster, driving Kyle's pickup.

Officers spoke with him as he sat in the pickup but he refused to leave the vehicle, eventually speeding off with police in pursuit. He stopped minutes later after one police vehicle rammed the pickup.

At one point Routh, wanted his parents to come. ''There's no trust anymore,'' the video showed Routh saying.

At different points, Routh made comments such as, ''I didn't sleep a wink last night at all,'' ''I don't know if I'm going insane,'' and ''Is this about hell walking on earth right now?''

Authorities say Routh had earlier driven his...