What The Ale?
44. The Kirtland Cult Murders
ghosts, cryptids, murder, conspiracies, beer, what? The L. Hello, friends. Hello, hello. Welcome back to What The L. I'm Moana Ray. And I'm Mama J. And before we get into it, Mama, what are you drinking this week? I am having a black-parent hot tea, because it's the morning for me. So I'm drinking some hot tea to get my day started. How about you? I'm also having caffeine. I'm having some cold brew that I made. But nothing crazy. Yeah. Do you have any wet the L moments this week? Just like excited, because a week from today, I will be on my flight heading to China. And I'm super excited for it. So yeah, I'm like, it's feeling very real now that the countdown is on, so. Yeah, but it's exciting. That's so exciting. I can't wait to see China. And we're going to see so many beautiful things and get to see the great wall. And yeah, I'm so excited for it that I can hardly contain myself, but yeah, I'm trying to get everything ready for the trip. And the young child is staying home and setting her up to do some visits. One of them is with you. So yeah, making sure everything's arranged for her to enjoy her time with some family. So yeah, it's a lot to plan for. But I'm super excited for it. That's exciting, though. Yeah. OK. What about me? I didn't prepare one. No, I'm I. Let's see. I am very excited about my sister's visit, who is coming, for a little year on vacation. And I am working on getting student tickets for us to see the premier production of the Great Gatsby here then. And something I guess kind of knew but didn't realize until I was like signing up for the student tickets or whatever was that the show, like the music for the show, was written by Florence, so Florence and the machine. Oh, really? I didn't know that either. And I think that's wonderful. Well, and when she's in Portland with her godfathers, they're going to take her to see "Girl from North Country," which I've never heard of. But I've heard of that music as Bob Dylan's music. Yeah, yeah, I've heard of that. Because I remember he was nominated for a Tony, I think, for that. Really? Yeah, I didn't even-- I've never heard of this. But yeah, it's coming through Portland, so the boys are going to take her there. So she'll get to see two shows the week that she's traveling while I'm away. So that'll be cool. Yeah, no, that's awesome. I'm excited for Great Gatsby. It's much better. I was a little nervous when Great Gatsby was coming up from her public domain, because what they did to Winnie the Pooh was atrocious. And if anyone has seen Winnie the Pooh blood and honey, you need to die, because that maybe is atrocious. I don't know. I cannot believe that you took a beloved storybook character and turned them into a serial killer. Like, what the hell? [LAUGHS] Well, I've never even heard of that. I didn't even know what you're talking about. That's crazy. They took Winnie the Pooh and made a horror movie, where he's like a killer-- A killer there. Yeah. I can't even imagine. And like, that's terrible. That is terrible, oh my gosh. And that was like one of your favorites when you were a tiny tot. I know, my friend Emma and I had a very intense conversation about it, because she also is a massive Winnie the Pooh fan. And she was like, they just ruined it. They have ruined the Pooh. And I was like, yeah, it's so terrible. So I hope Gatsby is better, because I do love the great Gatsby. Yeah. Oh my gosh. I've never even heard of that. That's crazy. Ridiculous. That's a good what the hell moment. Yeah, for sure. Not in honey. [LAUGHS] But anyway, are you ready to get into your story, Momo? What have you got for it? Well, I decided to do a story about a cult, because I don't feel like we've done a cult thing yet. Have we? I don't think so. We haven't. I've definitely thought about doing cults, but I feel like sometimes they're real downers. And so-- Yeah. And this one's kind of a short one. It is considered the worst mass murder in the history of Lake County, Ohio. But mass murder is-- there were five deaths. So yeah. But this is the Kirkland cult killings. Have you heard of that? The name sounds familiar, but I can't think of details or anything. Yeah, I really didn't know any details either. So it was interesting to learn. So the cult leader's name was Jeffrey Lundgren. And he was born in May of 1950 in Independence, Missouri. And it is said that he had really strict religious parents. And they came from the reorganized church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints, which is a offshoot of Mormonism. But they do believe in modern-day prophets. It seems pretty well documented that he was physically abused as a child, and that he didn't have many friends in high school. He was kind of a loner. But he would go hunting with his dad. So he was knowledgeable about guns. And then he was a religious fanatic that would use the Book of Mormon, but he would shift things to try to influence people. So after high school, he went to Central Missouri State University. And he started hanging out with other LDS students that I guess they had these regular group meetings that they would have so that they can build community at the college campus. And that's where he met a woman named Alice Keeler. And Alice, as a child, had been told by an elder that she was destined to marry a great church leader. So when she met Jeffrey, who was kind of a self-proclaimed prophet, she thought he's the one. He's the great leader that I met to marry. Oh, no. And then I will say she also had a history of physical abuse in her childhood. So maybe looking for father figures, someone to take care of her protector, that kind of vibe. So they start having a premarital affair, which is a big no-no in the church. I know, with the LDS. But of course, she ends up pregnant. And Jeffrey flunks out of college. So they get married, and then by 1980, they have four kids together. Oh, wow. That's a lot of kids. Yeah, and then he also met another person at the university whose name was Keith Johnson. But I've also seen that he was-- I had an old Larry Keith Johnson or something. So but it seems like he goes by both his first and middle name. OK. So he served four years in the US Navy shortly after they got married. And the family moved to San Diego. But because of the financial difficulties, they had to return to Missouri. Because if y'all don't know, San Diego is fucking expensive. It's really expensive. I mean, I love it there. And I might retire there, but it is an expensive-- I was going to say, you would love to live there. But it's so expensive. But it is a beautiful place to live. I don't blame them for wanting to be there. No. And then it seems that Jeffrey became abusive towards Alice. There are medical records that show that she was treated for a ruptured spleen after Jeffrey supposedly pushed her into a door handle. I want a ruptured-- pushed into a door handle? Yeah. It was like, how can we push her to have a ruptured spleen? Electric chair. That man, please leave. Yeah, I mean, that must have been a pretty bad push. I don't know how you do that, but there is reports of that. And then-- so when I said that he would interpret scripture-- so he would take Mormon ideas or whatever. But he would turn it in a way that was a little unconventional. And he was looking for patterns that, I guess, they're known as heastic or sheastic, I don't know. But he began to teach the concept of dividing the word or sheastic interpretation. And so he claimed that he created this interpretive method, which wasn't true. And then it was the weird idea that the foundation-- that everything that was created by God-- there was a right sign that's a mirror image. And therefore, scripture has to be interpreted using that same idea of mirror. And he cited that the Kirkland Temple, which we'll get to-- he worked there for a while-- is an example because the right side of the mirror image is the mirror image of the left side. And that if both things are consistent, then the center is the truth. But if there are different things that are in conflict, then the center is a lie. And so the teachings of the scripture, he would look for things where it was like mirror image that would be a lie. Oh, weird. OK. Oh, yeah, weird. I don't totally get how that works. But yeah, and so he did-- so he worked at that church in Kirkland, Ohio, the temple there. And apparently, he would lead a Bible study group. And it was determined that he was a bit problematic because an elder overheard him telling the group to just ignore what he heard at the service. And then he was spouting off about hell and all kinds of negative stuff and talking about this mirror thing about finding the truth and the lies. And so the elders told him that he can't do that. And then they also suspected that he was stealing from the temple store. And the estimates that I read were between $25,000 and $40,000 that he stole. Oh, wow. That's a lie. Yeah. And it didn't say if he stole money or like merch or what, but $25,000 to $40,000 worth of whatever. And he was kicked out of the church at that time. I mean, it makes sense. Yeah. So this was in 1987. And he had a small, small following from the church already. These were people that were in the Bible study group. And they believed that he was a prophet. And so he predicted that the city of Kirkland would be the location of the second coming of Christ and that his followers would see the face of God if they came with him. Well, I mean, that'd be interesting. Yeah. So he, his wife, their children, and eight followers went a property together that's on 15 acres of land. The members were Kevin Curry, Richard Graham, Greg, Winship, Sharon, Blanchely, David Craft, Debbie Alvarez. And then there was a family-- oh, I'm sorry. And then Ronald Susan left Dennis and Tanya Patrick. And then there was a family that also joined them that we're going to talk about. They were the Avery's. But before I get into them, I'm going to say that he practiced methods that were super cult-like, and they were consistent with Robert Lifton's criteria for mind control. And Robert Lifton was a psychiatrist and author. And he primarily studied psychological causes and effects of wars, political violence, and the theory of thought reform. Wow. So it seems like thought reform or mind control is definitely a part of Jeffrey's plans. He told his followers that they need to erase the memories of what they've been taught previously and that they had to believe what he was telling them wholeheartedly without question. They were not allowed to pray without him. And of course, with all cults, they were required to turn over all of their possessions and paychecks to him. He would also eavesdrop on their conversations and then later confront them about things he's heard. But he would convince them that he was reading their minds, not that he overheard it, that he was reading their minds. And that's how he knew what they had been talking about. So there's a supernatural aspect. He's acting like he's a god. Yeah, acting like he's got some powers. All right, weird. And then followers were not allowed to talk to each other because that would be a sin, which he called murmuring. And they had to fast while watching him eat like a king. That's not fair. Yeah, I was gonna say, I think that alone, if I had to watch you eat all this good food and I had to fast, I'd be like, I'm out because I like to eat. Yeah, but I would also say, yeah. So I'm gonna get back to the Avery family that I mentioned. So they were among his followers. And the father was Dennis Avery, and he worked at a bank. His wife's name was Cheryl. And they had three daughters, 15-year-old Trina, 13-year-old Rebecca, and seven-year-old Karen. And they all loved to read and just spend quiet evenings at home together. Now, Jeffrey had a problem with Dennis because he thought Dennis let his wife, Cheryl, wear the pants in the family. And when they sold their home, when they moved to Kirkland, Dennis did give Jeffrey $10,000 from the sale of their home, but he did keep some of the money for his own family. And they decided to get their own place and not move into the property that Jeffrey and the rest of the court were living at. And so that all really pissed off Jeffrey and the other members, you know, because they felt like they were supposed to live there with them and they were supposed to give them all of their worldly possessions and money. So they were all offended that they did not do that. Oh, okay. I mean, good for them for having boundaries, I guess. Yeah, but it doesn't turn out well for them, but, so the cult did, you know, come onto the police radar starting April 23rd, 1988, when a neighbor told Kirkland police officer Ron Adelsick that she suspected that it was a cult living in the farmhouse. And apparently, Lungren's Jeffrey's son warned of the neighbor's children that the earth would open up and demons would emerge on May 15th. Your birthday, Alana, happy birthday. - Well, we're still here. - Yeah. Okay. So, you know, he started preaching about the end of days and started plotting to raid the temple that had fired him. And so they started gathering weapons and practicing military maneuvers. And they were dressing in military clothing, all of that kind of freak neighbors out and they reported concerns, but there was no real follow-through. - Okay. - And then member Kevin Curry in 1988 decided that this has taken a turn that he didn't sign up for. So he leaves and goes directly to the FBI and tells them of the plan to seize the Mormon temple by force. - Oh, wow. - And so the FBI contacted Kirkland police chief, Dennis Yarbrough. And they called him in, you know, Jeffrey, they called him in and they questioned him, but he denied any of those plans. And I read that Yarbrough didn't really believe the informant and thought it was all kind of bullshit, but then I also read that they initiated surveillance at that time. So I'm not sure if that's true or with the surveillance entailed. If they were surveilling, I would argue it wasn't effective because of what happens. But anyways, when Jeffrey got home from the police department, he didn't tell anybody that the police had questioned him. Instead, he said that he had spoken to God and the plan was no longer to raid the church. - Oh. - But he did reassure them that there would be a different violent act that would appease God. So of course he turned his attention to his members and said that there was an evil presence that they needed to cleanse sin from the group. And he decided to name the Averies as the sinners, which again, everybody was kind of mad that they didn't move in and didn't give money. So it makes sense that they would be the scapegoats. And obviously he was just like holding a grudge because the Averies had had those boundaries with him, but he would like talk trash about them. And just constantly say that they were sinners and had to be in order to win salvation for the rest of the cult that Averies had to be sacrificed. And I read somewhere that he referred to the murder of the Avery family as pruning the vineyard. - Okay. - It's like, okay, asshole, don't try to get all poetic. - Yeah, and also like murder is not okay and any fucker. - Yeah, I would think that would be a bigger sin, but who am I to judge, right? So on April 17th, 1989, the Averies were called to the property and Debbie Alaveras walked them into the house and then Dennis was called out to the barn. And they hit him with a stun gun, which some accounts say knocks him out and then other accounts say that there was a malfunction and he was not rendered unconscious. So I don't know whether he was unconscious or not. I did see stories that said that he was like begging for his life and saying this isn't necessary. But either way, we do know that he was gagged and he was put into a pre-dug pit where he was shot twice in the head. - Wow. - Yeah. And then they lure Cheryl in by saying that her husband needs help. Then she is lowered into the pit and shot three times and they shot her twice in her breasts and one in her abdomen, which just feels personal inside and now that seems weird. And then the three daughters were also shot and placed next to their parents in the pit. And the sad thing was like one of the daughters, they like were joking with her and playing with her and they gave her a piggy back right out to the barn. So she thought everything's fine, nothing's going on. And then they put her in the pit and shoot her. It's so sad. - Man, these people. - So all of the members were present, went along with the plan. They even ran a chainsaw to mask the sound of the gun shot so that the neighbors wouldn't hear the shots. And then they covered the bodies with lime and then put trash all over them, which it's like, I don't know. That feels very disrespectful. Just fucking bury them. But like to throw trash all over them just feels wrong. I mean, all this feels wrong, but that feels just dirty. - Yeah, it just feels really personal. Like they wanted to make a point. - Yeah. So then they go back to the house and have a prayer meeting, you know, as one does after we're, and then the next day, the FBI and police happened to combine to do a welfare check because neighbors had been making complaints about noises and then the arsenal of weapons. So the FBI is basically there to interview everybody just to see if they're there by their own choice and like they're not being held against their will. And the members were asked about the Avery's because the FBI also wanted to interview them, but the members just stated that the Avery's were not very active and didn't need to participate in the conversation. And so sadly, the FBI didn't push back and never tried to find the Avery's who were just dead in the barn, not far from where they were sitting. The cult was starting to feel some pressure. So they decided to move on, you know, just because now with the FBI looking at them, they felt like they couldn't really do much else. And so they decided to move on so they moved to a campsite in West Virginia and lived there for seven months. - Oh, wow. - And, you know, this was even though he told them that Jesus was coming to Kirkland. So they were all like, "Where are we going to Virginia if Jesus is supposed to meet us in Kirkland?" But the long grins, you know, Jeffrey and his family, eventually leave everybody else and head to Southern California. And one of the women named Catherine Johnson goes with them. - Yeah. - And then by December 31st, 1989, oh, it was Larry Keith Johnson. But yeah, by December 1989, Larry Keith Johnson, whose wife had rushed off with them, he realizes that the whole situation's fucked up and he contacts ATF, which if you don't know, that's the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in Kansas City and he tells them everything and even draws a map so they can find the bodies. The bodies are recovering, the arrest warrants are issued for the long grins and 12 followers. The charges were kidnapping, conspiracy to commit, aggravated murder and complicity to aggravated murder for the followers. All of them were arrested within a week and a few of them were released because they were not as involved, but they still had to come back to face charges of obstruction. - Okay. - And then Richard Brand, please and turns on those, 'cause he just decides how bad of this. So he decides to plea bargain and turns on those that were more involved. But when it says more involved, I don't know, because he didn't admit that he bound and gagged the family before they were shot. So to me, that was pretty fucking involved. So to act like other people were more involved, okay. Other than pulling the trigger, what is more involved than binding them and gagging them, you know? - Yeah, you're still torturing them. Like, come on then. - Yeah. But anyways, he makes a plea deal. And so Lungren was given the death penalty. Alice received five life sentences or 140 years to life, verb conspiracy, complicity and kidnapping. Their son, Damon, was sentenced to 120 years. Up to was one of the main planners and facilitated the murders with Jeffrey, was sentenced to 170 years. Daniel Kraft was sentenced to 50. And then five of the cult members were released about 20 years after they were incarcerated because they had been less involved. But I guess there was a couple of times where they were up for release and they were denied a few times. And then there were Catherine, Tonya and Dennis Patrick that were involved in the murders, but they only received one year sentences for obstruction of justice. - Okay. - That's not a very long sentence, but. - Yeah. And then Jeffrey at his sentencing, you know, you're allowed to make a statement if you want to. So what do you think that he did? Did he say something about Jesus? What did he say? - This motherfucker preached for five hours. But he kind of showed everybody how crazy he was, like all the crazy things he believed in and everything. So he got sentenced to the electric chair. - Wow. - Now in October, October 17th of 2006, you know, because by that time, you know, they no longer were using the electric chair and so it would have been lethal injection. And so they, Judge Gregory Frost temporarily delayed Lungren's execution because he was trying to join this lawsuit with five other Ohio death row inmates. And they were claiming that because they were obese, that lethal injection would be particularly painful for them. And that would amount to cruel and unusual punishment. So they were trying to argue that because of their weight, that it would be more painful, so they should not be killed. - Okay. - So the circuit court of a, so, you know, the general gym patrol tried to appeal it to the circuit court, six circuit court. And they issued an order allowing the execution to go forward. And then the US Supreme court refused a last minute request to stop the execution. And then the governor Bob Taft also denied clemency. So on October 24th to 2006, he was executed by lethal injection in southern Ohio correctional facility. And, you know, the thing that I wanna say about this, that is good is no friends or family came to support him and no one claimed his body. So he was buried in a prison grave all alone. - Well, good for him. - I know 'cause he doesn't deserve much more than that. And then a Missouri church raised thousands of dollars to pay for the burial of the Avery family. And they started in children's charity in their honor. So I thought that was really nice. - I mean, yeah, I'm glad that there was some support, at least for the Avery's at the end. - Yeah, so anyways, what do you think about this story? - I've been like really falling down the rabbit hole of cult documentaries recently. I've missed this one somehow, but yeah, I just don't understand. I mean, I know it's like a certain type of crazy, you know, like it's you kind of in this situation. And I don't know, like it just is, I don't understand how the idea that like murder is okay comes into the brains of cults a lot of the times. Like I don't understand, like 'cause like they're like, oh God's coming or whatever, or God is like an alien. And then it's like, okay, cool. But then like suddenly everyone's gonna die or you're gonna murder people for no reason. And it's like, like I don't know. - That's what I don't get, you know, 'cause I'm not a religious person, but like, you know, I know what the fucking 10 commitment is for. And it's now showing up murder. So the idea that God would want you to murder people who, you know, seem to be decent people, you know, and that that sacrifice is gonna be your salvation. I mean, to me, the idea that so many people will believe that kind of bullshit is crazy. And I totally have watched the documentaries about like, how do they convince people or what strategies do they use? And obviously in here that there were some strategies that were used, but it's always shocking to me. Maybe I'm just skeptical or whatever that these people don't question more or, you know, don't push back or, you know, but if he's saying he's the, you know, a prophet and, you know, whatever, I guess they feel like they can't question him, but it always shocks me that people will go along with things that they would never do on their own, you know, and then under the guise that it's for God or it's God's will, it's just crazy to me. - Yeah, well, and I feel like with, 'cause I mean, in my brain, like they probably do pick people who are vulnerable to or like open to suggestion or more like as bad as it sounds, like easier for folks to manipulate, right? Like they probably choose people really intentionally to be followers, like there probably is a lot of that, but yeah, it's just, I don't understand how you could like, just like stand back and watch like someone, like people murder an entire family or like support the murder of an entire family. Like adults are one thing, but children too, like, come on. Like, I don't get it. When I just can't imagine like, you know, if, you know, Dennis had been one of my friends and he's sitting there begging, please, you know, this isn't necessary, you don't have to do this. Like at that point, don't you go, you know, at Jeffrey, he's right, we don't have to do this. What do we do? You know, the fact that these were their friends and none of them stood up for them or said it was wrong or called the police or did anything to stop it. Like, I just don't understand that. And I've never been in a cult. I know that the brainwashing is like a real thing and whatever, but, you know, and yeah, you watch some of those documentaries and you're like, yeah, probably anybody could be brainwashed who all kinds of things, but it just makes me so sad that people don't feel like they have a voice where they could speak up if they're noticing some things wrong. - Yeah, it is really sad. And it's just like, I don't even know. Yeah, like, I don't even know what we're supposed to have. Like, I don't know what documentary I was watching. It was some, have you seen the mother god documentary on Netflix? - Yeah. - I think it's on Netflix. Fucking crazy. They like, this woman like died and they transferred her dead body across the country. And like, it's this whole thing. Anyway, but some of the people from that cult, like they've like escaped or their families like kidnapped them essentially. And then like, they go back or, you know, whatever. Like the brainwashing is real. No, it's, it's sad. - When I guess I get it a little more when they start with the kids, you know, 'cause I think kids are so easily influenced and, you know, if you tell kids you have to have faith and whatever, but I'm just shocked how many adults get sucked in, you know? - Yeah. Well, it's hard too, 'cause like, I know, I know like, very extreme example, but like Jim Jones, you know, Jamestown, like something he did was like, he pretended he was a miracle worker and to like, cure people of tumors. But what he really did was like, have people like swallow like gullets from like birds and then like, pull them out and you'd be like, it's your cancer that's been removed. And like, people thought he was a miracle worker and like, that's how it started, you know? And it's, it's just crazy how it, yeah. Just how it, how it goes. Like people just get into deep. It's, it's really sad. - Yeah. Well, I know somebody that got involved in a cult as a teenager, but it was like the, you know, they would frame it as like, oh, well, we're gonna hold your money to help teach you how to manage your money. So the person would work, but then have to hand over the paychecks. And then they would give enough for like rent and food, but not much else. And, you know, but that made it hard for this person to leave because if they have control of your money, you don't have anything to leave with. - Yeah. - So I know, I know that controlling the money makes it really hard for people to leave once things, you know, turn release sideways. But yeah, I just, the whole, how do you get into it to begin with is always like surprising to me. - One of, I mean, you think of things where it's like, like with the Manson family, it was like, they were all just hanging out at the Beach Boys' house, like having a good time, having like orgies and shit. And then it turned into murder. Like it's like, it's so crazy. - Yeah. - Yeah, I don't know. - So friends, don't join cults, it always ends badly. And if, you know, you think you're, maybe there's a cult in your area or maybe you're being recruited, think twice before, you know. - I was gonna say, if you have any doubts or you're feeling any weird vibes, take a minute to really think it through. - Yeah. - Before you invest any more time or energy into those groups. - Absolutely, absolutely. - And don't give them your money. You guys, once they've got your money, you're very stuck. - No, that gets into the realm of human trafficking if y'all don't know that, so. - Yeah. (laughing) - Okay. - Anyways, that is the Kirkland cult killings, Alana. - That's a lot, I've never heard of it, but I didn't, I didn't know details, I guess, so interesting. - Yeah. - But anyway, friends, thanks for listening to cults, to our cult story. If you like this episode, you can like it and rate it five stars wherever you get your podcasts. You can follow us on Instagram @whithyopod. You also, if you have your own personal listener story or story ideas that you want us to cover, like feel free to reach out to us at whithyopod@gmail.com and we will do our best to integrate it into our show. And we also have a lovely Patreon, you could follow with bonus episodes and things at patreon.com and then you just search whithyopodcast and we'll be there. And the bonus episode this month is gonna be a real good one 'cause Alana's covering the amazing Harvey Milk. - Yeah, yeah, it's a great, I mean, he was a great person, it is a very sad story. - Yeah. - But everybody should know that story, so it's a good one if you wanted to join this month for Pride. It's a really important story that everybody should know. - Agreed. But outside of that, friends, we just wanna say I appreciate you, mama, and for telling your story. - Thank you, I appreciate you too, baby. - And we appreciate you, friends. Bye-bye. - Bye.