At her sentencing, Mack expressed remorse. Several former members have alleged they were sexually assaulted and beaten as children. Patricia's husband, Brian, became severely depressed and began talking with Perez more, Sara said. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. According to affidavits taken by the Saguache County Sheriff's Office, the group was brainwashing people and stealing their money. The group didnt stay there long and within a few months moved to Wichita, Kansas. In the early 1970s, Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles renamed themselves Bo and Peep and took a road trip across the U.S., assembling a group they called "the crew.". Tonight on NBC'sDateline NBC, correspondent Dennis Murphy looks into the case of Angel's Landing and cult leader Daniel Perez, also known as Lou Castro. Cody would stay behind with his father, but K.L. At the time, there were many vehicles on the property worth more than $40,000 each as well as a swimming pool and multiple houses. . Angels Landing Commune: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. But in the 1990s, authorities in Canada began investigating the group amid accusations of sexual misconduct, and people started to leave. One day he and another detective showed up at Angels Landing with glossy photographs of made-up suspects. He had become depressed and was talking to Perez more often, one of the survivors, Sara, told Oxygen. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! The Angels Landing commune was a house on a 20-acre plot of land in a rural area north of Wichita, in the 9500 block of North Oliver, near Valley Center and Kechi, The Wichita Eagle reported. For well over a decade, conman Daniel Perez convinced a small band of followers into thinking he was possessed by three mostly evil angels, or maybe was an angel, and that he had the keys. The group rented a mansion in Southern California, where members took phenobarbital mixed with applesauce and washed it down with vodka, then put plastic bags over their heads. In 1993, the ATF and Texas National Guard raided the Waco compound. He was able to look at bank balances for the majority of the group members. He somehow appeared wise.. only stayed for two weeks before returning to North Dakota to finish school. The couple remained in contact via phone over the next year, but K.L. On the stand, he denied having any sort of magical powers and contended the sex was always consensual. First, there were the fancy cars most of the vehicles on the property were worth more than $40,000, according to the Wichita Eagle. This photo shows the Phoenix family in 1983. Joseph Di Mambro's gun was found during the investigation. The Russian doomsday cult was founded by Pyotr Kuznetsov. Multiple accounts of abuse and misconduct were carried out on this property, especially against minors. Unfortunately, the lab would be unable to get a good print off of anything the detective had collected. He. His sex offender registry indicates he began abusing children in 2001, and the abuse spanned more than a decade, ending in 2015. When Sara was in her mid-teens and Emily was around 11, their mother brought them into Perezs family. According to her interview with Oxygen, Sara did not like Perez at all, but her mom was convinced he was an angel and was able to predict death. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! began to visit Castro. Angel's Landing was the location where Daniel Perez's cult was housed. The two would have a child, Angelica in December 2004. In June 2003, Castro and Trish told Emily that it was Trishs time to go and that Trish had failed to cross over during an earlier accident. He claimed that he could make it rain, or see someones past, present, and future lives and could communicate with the other side.. In 2008, she would also lose her mother in a freak car crash. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. She told them how she was made to wait in an office nearby with her the infant daughter of the deceased. Friday night's Dateline delves into the world of self-proclaimed psychic and seer Daniel Perez, who was convicted this year in the 2003 murder of one of his followers. I dont think [cults] are common, McGrath said. The stories behind these cults' origins, leaders and demises are riveting and often disturbing. The penalty for a Class III offense may be any, all or any combination of the following: Restriction to inmates own cell, not to exceed three days;restriction from privileges, not to exceed 20 days;extra work for up to two hours per day, not to exceed 10 days;a fine not to exceed $10.00;restitution; oran oral or written reprimand.. McGrath said she and her family joined the commune after Perez met her mother, Jennifer Hutson, a Wichita real estate agent who sold him a house, in 2001. Lafferty was sent to Utah's death row; he died there in November 2019. Thirteen people died, and thousands were injured in the attack. / CBS NEWS. He wasnt sure if he was dumped in Texas or Mexico. Soon after, the compound erupted in a massive blaze. Daniel Perez was convicted of 20 counts of sexual abuse of children, with his victims ranging in age from 8 to 16, according to the sex offender registry in Kansas. It was extremely scary, she said. After about six months, 14 members came out of the cave, and nine members came out later. The group believed that the apocalypse would occur on Dec. 31, 1999, and to avoid damnation, members had to follow the Ten Commandments very strictly. It turned out that he was collecting the payments from the life insurance policies of the deceased members, and this could explain how he was able to afford such an extravagant property as well. Jones was later found dead. It was during that time that Perez forced Michelle to have sex with him on several occasions. He had become depressed and was talking to Perez more often, Sara told Oxygen. Daniel reported all of this to the FBI in January 2010. What Detective Goodwyn theorized was that instead of dealing drugs to afford their lifestyle Castro had talked people into taking out large life insurance policies and then indoctrinating them into killing themselves. Here, attorneys representing Raniere prepare to hold a news conference after he was arrested on sex trafficking charges in March 2018. DETECTIVE RECALLS MEETING TRUCK STOP KILLER BRUCE MENDENHALL IN DEADLY RECALL: THERES EVIL OUT THERE. Sheela fled to Switzerland, where she served time for her crimes, and later opened nursing homes. READ NEXT: Daniel Perez Now: Where Is Cult Leader Lou Castro Today in 2022? When he died his assets and policies were paid out to various people he had been living with at Angels Landing. He convinced members of the Angel's Landing commune - based in Kansas, the US - that he had magical powers, was hundreds of years old, could cure diseases and knew when people were about to die. They were living an extravagant lifestyle with lots of material possession at their disposal. [Perez] is either very unlucky,with close friends dying, or he's involved in some way in making it happen, he told producers. They occurred within a seven-year time span. When they looked at bank surveillance tapes they could see him on film and knew they had him committing bank fraud. Prosecutors said at his trial that he aimed to use life insurance proceeds from the deaths of his followers to live a lavish lifestyle. It does not specify what type of job he is working. While other 10-year-olds were riding bikes or playing with dolls, I was laying naked in a bed with a pillow over my head, just waiting for it to be over. However, by the time Perezs trial rolled around charges had been amended to one count of first-degree premeditated murder; one count of sexual exploitation of a child; eight counts of rape; seven counts of aggravated criminal sodomy; three counts of aggravated sexual assault; and eight counts of making false information. To evade law enforcement, Perez would consistently be on the move, relocating constantly from one state to another. The Netflix documentary "Wild Wild Country" showed followers wearing only red and worshipping the mysteriously wealthy leader, even when he stopped speaking for a prolonged period. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Over the course of seven years, he collected millions of dollars in life insurance payouts. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Perez was, horrifyingly, raping Sara under the guise of fixing her, and the abuse continued on for 7 years. However, Daniel Perez was a United States citizen. Jennifer had sold Castro and his group property in Missouri when they had stayed there only a short time in 2001. Cults have made headlines around the world for many years and continue to fascinate in documentaries and popular podcasts. In Goodwyns mind, he believed that Lou Castro had influenced Jennifer to commit suicide. Manson's followers were mostly young women. I guess he appeared innocent or as someone who cared too much. Daniel Perez, also known as Lou Castro, was sentenced to life in prison for murder and the rape of children in his cult, known as the Angel's Landing commune. It earned the nickname cowtown as it was where cowboys would bring their livestock up from Texas to the railroads. Later, Jones had his followers kill themselves by drinking a cyanide-laced drink. K.L. After the fire, police found hundreds of other bodies in compounds across Uganda. First, there were the fancy cars most of the vehicles on the property were worth more than $40,000, according to theWichita Eagle. Applewhite plus 38 other people between the ages of 26 and 72 died in three groups over three days. The first seven, including leader Shoko Asahara, were hangedin early July 2018, and the remaining members were executed later that month. He was very charismatic and quite the talker. This came to fruition in June 2003 when Patricia Hughes, who lived on the property, died. Tragedy soon struck Jim and Mona. Daniel Perez was convicted of 20 counts of sexual abuse of children, with victims ranging in age from only 8 years old to 16, according to the Kansas Sex Offender Registry. On September 5, 2018, officials said he violated a published order, considered a class 3 offense, which is the least serious type of offense, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. K.L. She also said she was the reincarnation of both Jesus Christ and Marilyn Monroe. Daniel U. Perez, 55, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder in the 2003 drowning death of 26-year-old Patricia Hughes at Angels' Landing, the group's compound in the Wichita suburb . (Photo courtesy of Oxygen), EX-JEHOVAHS WITNESS RECOUNTS SEXUAL ABUSE IN DOC, ORGANIZATION DENIES TRYING TO COVER IT UP. At first, Angels landing was like a kids dream More on #Dateline tonight at 9/8c with @Dateline_Dennis. In September2008, Sara's mother died in a freak car accident. Goodwyn began to do an internet search to find out what he could on Lou Castro. In 2001, there was a plane crash that killed a group member, her boyfriend, and her 12-year-old daughter. The cult, based on New Age spiritualism, drew followers in Switzerland, France, and Canada. Sarah would later state on the show Deadly Cults that Lou Castro told her he had to fix her so that she would be able to get married and have babies someday. Lou Castro Told His Followers He Was A 1,000-Year-Old Angel. It was in Angels Landing that Emily had moved into the master bedroom with Daniel Perez. That is when he came across an obituary for Mona, Jim, and Lindsey that had Lou Castros name attached to it. This led to the big break in the case. Former cult member Sara McGrath, who lived with Angel's Landing leader Daniel Perez, recounts the untimely death of her mother Once recovered he moved to Corpus Christi, Texas. But the big break came when a girl told investigators she was 11 years old when Perez told her to give authorities a made-up story about Hughes demise. It was three months into K.L. The cult was never banned in Japan, and lives on in offshoots including Aleph and Hikari no Wa, which have an estimated 1,500 followers today. The investigation continued into March 2011 with authorities interviewing Sarah and Emily on several occasions. However, her mother seemed to be enthralled with the self-proclaimed angel and believed he had their best interests in mind. He left the care of his daughter to Hutson, who died in a traffic accident in 2008. His extreme spending didnt seem to stop with just the small group at Angels Landing. They are one count first-degree murder, eight counts of rape, seven counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, three of aggravated assault, one of sexual exploitation of a child, and eight of making false information. Debuting in 1992, it has discussed many cases that have left the audience shocked at the violence and atrocities. Daniel Perez had been living there when he met Trish Gomez. She said that living on the property with her family and the other members of the commune was fine at first. He eventually attracted several thousand followers. Daniel Perezs cult was motivated by greed, investigators learned. The property is huge and situated in the 9500 block of North Oliver in a rural area of Wichita, Kansas. Although he claimed he was simply trying to "fix" her, she knew it was wrong. Unfortunately for his followers, there was more to his scheme than that. Castro told Emily to take Nicole into a nearby pool house and not come out. Here, members sing before sitting down for lunch at their Los Angeles headquarters in February 1971. Emilys sister, Sarah did not move with the group as she was living on her own outside of Angels Landing. Trishs death was the only one Daniel Perez stood trial for. Kramer and Raymond were released from jail on personal recognizance bonds, with more hearings scheduled for later this month. Five drug smugglers were arrested in connection with the murders. The Branch Davidians originated in 1955 from a schism among the Shepherd's Rod/Davidians, which stemmed from Seventh-Day Adventist teachings. For more on the shockingAngels Landing story, including Sara's firsthand account of living with Daniel Perez and the incredible lengths law enforcement went to catch him, watch Deadly Cults atOxygen.comand airingSundays at 7/6conOxygen. Kuznetsov, who was not with them, had told them to wait there for the end of the world, which he thought was coming in 2008. Now they preach that they are in a war of good versus evil. It was during that same year that Jennifer began dating David Quiring who had joined the group in 2003. You can survive a traumatic event, McGrath told Fox News. He also claimed upon cross-examination by district attorney Marc Bennett, that he had no idea where the money had come from that paid for his lifestyle and that of the other group members. Perez, also known by the name Lou Castro and many other names, convinced his followers he had magical powers. Thirteen members of the group received death sentences. He was already suspicious about the accidents that occurred within the family and would work go on to work with the FBI in 2010 to find Daniel Perezs next identity (that he would use in Tennessee.) He denied the charges after his March 2018 arrest, but a judge ordered him held without bailuntil trial. Emily was 10-years-old at the time. The day after the guilty verdict, Goodwyn and two investigators he worked with - former Wichita. For 15 years, Daniel Perez a self-described "seer" who claimed to be a 1,000-year-old angel led a traveling group of mostly women from state to state. In June 2003, Sara was on her way to a car dealershipwhere Perez was supposed to meet her when her little sister called. READ NEXT: Angels Landing Commune: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. Daniel Perez claimed to be some sort of angel. pic.twitter.com/JBtWCvFObn. The Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ was founded by Jim Jones in Indiana in 1955. Berg also encouraged sex with children. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. In the early 1980s, Rajneesh was having trouble with the Indian government and sent his followers to buy a ranch in Wasco County, Oregon, which they converted into a compound (seen here). I remember saying, Am I fixed now?'. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Upon settling, Trish took out a $1 million insurance policy on her life that included an accidental death rider. The raid led to a shootout that left four agents dead, followed by a 51-daystandoffwith the FBI. The leaders planned a big party at a secluded church. Police identified the arrested members as Ryan Kramer, Christopher Royer, Sarah Rudolph, Karin Raymond, Jason Castillo, John Robertson and Obdulia Franco. They believed that he was a reincarnation of Jesus, and he taught that a race war was coming. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! On April 21, 2010, authorities arrested Perez at his new home in Tennessee after learning about what had been going on at Angels Landing in the past years through interviews with members of the commune. According to her testimony: Perez told her "something. Daniel U. Perez, who went by the name Lou Castro, was the leader of a commune living there. Tonight on NBC's Dateline NBC, correspondent Dennis Murphy looks into the case of Angel's Landing and cult leader Daniel Perez, also known as Lou Castro, who told his followers he was a. The deadly and devastating secrets of this traveling commune will come tumbling out, Friday on #Dateline at 9/8c. By 2007, the acts of sexual violence increased with all three girls. It was in South Dakota that Trish met Brian Hughes and they soon started dating and would ultimately marry. The episode ofDateline,titled Angels & Demons, features interviews with Daniel Perez, commune members Sara and Emily as well as with Detective Ron Goodwyn and more. He also would tell her that if she told anyone he would kill her dad. Daniel U. Perez has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Patricia Hughes. They would later find three more. On the stand, he said the beating he received in Mexico had caused him to have amnesia for years. Then, she saw Perez, wet and out of breath. When looking into the man who was calling himself Lou Castro, they couldnt find a paper trail or anything about his background. Daniel Perez, who also went by Lou Castro and many other names, traveled around the United States convincing people, mostly women, that he was a 1,000-year-old angel with magical powers. While in South Dakota, Castro, Trish, and Mona had met with an insurance salesman. had initially stayed behind with Emily and Nichole so that they could finish up school, but the three eventually joined the group in Tennessee in June of 2009. McGrath was about 17 at the time. Perez allowed the small family to stay with him for a few weeks as Marilynn was getting ready to move to Amarillo. Perez was 46-years-old at this time. The group broke off from the Russian Orthodox church. Three years later, Patricia's husband Brian was killed in a similarly unusual incident while working in an auto body shop. Around that time, some members warned American media of mass suicide rehearsals at Jonestown. ), GREEN RIVER KILLER GARY RIDGWAY IS STILL HIDING MANY 'DARK SECRETS' DESPITE CONFESSION, SAYS PROSECUTOR IN DOCUMENTARY. Verdict, goodwyn and two investigators he worked with - former Wichita digital evidence,! 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