Mexican police have apprehended three men believed to be responsible for the massacre of several families with dual American-Mexican citizenship. This tragic incident has shed light on the experience of survivors who endured decades of abuse and violence within a fundamentalist Mormon cult, led by a polygamist known as “The Mormon Manson.” The chilling details of this cult, named the Church of the First Born Lamb of God, are explored in the new Hulu documentary series “Daughters of the Cult,” which was released on January 4th.
The LeBaron family, led by self-proclaimed prophet Ervil LeBaron, established the Church of the First Born in Chihuahua, Mexico. The cult is credited with dozens of assassinations, as its followers carried out their leader’s bidding. Ervil LeBaron’s children, who were interviewed for the documentary, express their disbelief at the atrocities committed by their own family members. The children estimate that they have approximately 50 siblings from their father’s side.
The origins of this cult can be traced back to the Mormon church, officially known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In response to the Mormon church’s abandonment of polygamy in 1890, Alma Dayer LeBaron, Ervil’s father, moved his family to Mexico in 1924. Ervil and his older brother initially attempted to join the Latter-day Saints but were excommunicated for practicing polygamy. In response, they started the Church of the First Born.
Under Ervil LeBaron’s leadership, the cult adopted the doctrine of blood atonement, an old Mormon belief that allowed sinners to be killed to cleanse them of evil. Although leaders of the Church of the First Born claim that they do not practice this principle, it served as the justification for the cult’s killings. Ervil LeBaron even murdered his own brother in 1972 to gain control of the group. He was later sentenced to life in prison for the death of rival sect leader Rulon Allred.
Despite his imprisonment, LeBaron continued to manipulate his followers into carrying out further killings on his behalf. The cult was responsible for at least 25 murders in Mexico, targeting rival cult leaders and individuals who were seen as threats. In 1981, Ervil LeBaron died by apparent suicide in jail, but his followers continued to commit acts of violence in his name.
The chilling legacy of the LeBaron family extends beyond the cult’s existence. Surviving members of the family have compiled a hit list of approximately 50 people, as revealed in a screed written by Ervil LeBaron during his incarceration. Several members of the cult have been arrested over the years, with one arrest in 2011 connected to four Texas killings.
Tragically, in 2019, nine members of the LeBaron family were shot dead by Mexican hitmen while traveling in a convoy to a wedding. It is believed that their outspoken stance against drug traffickers and advocacy for looser gun controls to protect themselves made them targets.
The release of the Hulu documentary series “Daughters of the Cult” sheds light on the dark history of the LeBaron family and their involvement in a violent and deadly cult. The survivors’ testimonies provide a haunting account of the abuse and violence they endured, while also highlighting the ongoing threat posed by cults and extremist groups.
