Casto wasnt single for long as he had met a woman named Mona Griffith who happened to live in the same apartment complex as him at the time. However, Daniel Perez was not dead. They were living an extravagant lifestyle with lots of material possession at their disposal. The 2003 drowning death of 26-year-old Patricia Hughes at the group's compound outside of Wichita, Kansas, was originally ruled an accident. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. There were also multiple houses built on the scene. On April 19, federal agents launched tear gas to try to force people out. On April 28, 2021, themummified remains of Amy Carlson, the 45-year-old leader of the group Love Has Won, were found in a home in Moffat, Colorado. Sarah had gone to her mom to tell her what Lou said and Jennifer told her not to worry about it, but she had cause to worry. 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. [Perez] was telling him, One day youll get your chance to go to the other side,' she said. McGowan has said that when her father learnedBerg was advocating for child-adult sexual relations, he packed up his three daughters and escaped to the U.S. After Berg's death in 1984, the group tried to distance itself from his endorsement of pedophilia. When the police arrived there, they saw many luxury cards, most valued above $40,000. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Both Emily and Sarah being young and impressionable believed what the adults were telling them. 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.. They were dressed in identical black shirts and sweatpants, new black-and-white Nike sneakers, and armbands reading "Heaven's Gate Away Team.". [Perez] was telling him, One day youll get your chance to go to the other side,' she said. Angel's Landing. The windows and doors had been boarded up to bar escape. In 2015, Sara told Fox News what it was like to survive a cult, talking specifically about the types of trauma she endured. Koresh's followers took over the Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, also known as Mount Carmel. According to the outlet, six purported accidental deaths over seven years led to millions of dollars in life insurance payouts. In January 2002, Castro had forced Emily to have oral, vaginal, and anal sex with him. Listen to the story of how one man conned his way to a lifestyle of leisure by convincing others that he alone had the power to bring them back to life. Sara McGrath said Daniel Perez began sexually abusing her within weeks of their arrival at the compound. Unfortunately for his followers, there was more to his scheme than that. She said that after the death of a few more members that she was close to made her feel very alone. According to both Emily and Sarah, Trish was like a second mother to them. He also forced Emilys older sister, Sarah into the same sexual perversions. They all moved into a home purchased in K.L. Goodwyn found a disturbing pattern of expensive life insurance policies being taken out on people in Perez's circle, then cashed in by members. And more horrors occurred behind closed doors. that he had magical powers. In all, nine people were murderedin several separate attacks. 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. In all, 924 died. In 1995, members carried out a sarin nerve gas attack in the Tokyo subway system, possibly in an attempt to bring about the apocalypse, and possibly to keep authorities from shutting down the group. His extreme spending didnt seem to stop with just the small group at Angels Landing. By this time, Sarah was 24 and on her own for the first time. Constanzo and Aldrete fled to Mexico City with three cult followers. Pictured from left, Charles Manson followers Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten. What he found was that every two and a half years or so the balances would be significantly low, sometimes with only a few thousand dollars. Having put the pedophile behind bars, the 35-year has somewhat moved on with her life, fortunately, and became Mrs. Sara McGrath. 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. In fact, most of his other crimes also took place on Angel's Landing. All rights reserved. It was in South Dakota that Trish met Brian Hughes and they soon started dating and would ultimately marry. McGrath admitted she was too scared to tell anyone what had happened to her. Emily would tell investigators about Trishs drowning and that would end up being enough to put Castro away. Perez first attracted law enforcement's attention in 2003 when he was living with a small group of people from mixed backgrounds on a 20-acre property calledAngels Landing. Mack was also fined $20,000 and willhave to do 1,000 hours of community service as part of her sentence, CBS New Yorkreported. After three months the small group moved back to Wichita, Kansas where they lived in some townhomes while looking for permanent housing. I wasnt sure that I was going to be able to do it. PRINCE ANDREW ACCUSER VIRGINIA ROBERTS GIUFFRE TO STAR IN NETFLIX DOC ABOUT JEFFREY EPSTEIN, Sara McGrath said that in the beginning, Angel's Landing offered a support system -- until things quickly turned. 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. His current whereabouts are unknown. Daniel Perez, purported seer and leader of a former compound known as Angels Landing, will spend the rest of his life in prison. He claimed that he could make it rain, or see someones past, present, and future lives and could communicate with the other side.. Would love your thoughts, please comment. In 2015, Daniel Perez, who was also known as Lou Castro, was found guilty on dozens of criminal counts, including sex crimes and murder. The various group members would tell the jury about the control that Perez/Castro had over the group. 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. My mom just kind of accepted all of these whimsical things that he would tell her. Who was Daniel Perez? She was also the first African American to attend the Oscars. Daniel Perez, also known as Lou Castro, has been incarcerated at the Lansing County Department of Corrections since April 1, 2018. I was 10 when my childhood was over, one witness said during his sentencing hearing. Tragedy soon struck Jim and Mona. The man, who led a commune known as Angel's Landing, collected millions of dollars in. For the next 20 years, the group lived in various camps in Southern California and took on new followers. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Later, Jones had his followers kill themselves by drinking a cyanide-laced drink. One day when Detective Goodwyn happened to come upon Castro driving down the road and he decided to follow him. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The investigation continued into March 2011 with authorities interviewing Sarah and Emily on several occasions. / CBS NEWS. Leaders even discouraged talking to avoid breaking the Ninth Commandment, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.". In Angel'sLanding, a 20-acre property located in a rural area north of Wichita, Perez convinced his communal family that he had magical powers, including the ability to see the future, The Wichita Eagle reported. Afterward, she called her sister Sarah who was at the car dealership with Castro crying telling her that Trish fell in the pool. They believed that he was a reincarnation of Jesus, and he taught that a race war was coming. Actress Rose McGowan was also born into Children of God. Warning: Some images in this gallery are graphic in nature. At first, Angels landing was like a kids dream More on #Dateline tonight at 9/8c with @Dateline_Dennis. 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. 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. In June 2003, Sara was on her way to a car dealershipwhere Perez was supposed to meet her when her little sister called. Oxygen reports authorities could not find any information about the man who called himself "Lou Castro." . Investigators initially believed she drowned while trying to rescue her 2-year-old daughter from a swimming pool. I dont think [cults] are common, McGrath said. Authorities said Perez fled to Tennessee to avoid questioning about his followers' suspicious deaths. Perez is also working a job in prison, according to his prison record. Perez was, horrifyingly, raping Sara under the guise of fixing her, and the abuse continued on for 7 years. ), GREEN RIVER KILLER GARY RIDGWAY IS STILL HIDING MANY 'DARK SECRETS' DESPITE CONFESSION, SAYS PROSECUTOR IN DOCUMENTARY. On the stand, he said the beating he received in Mexico had caused him to have amnesia for years. Ron Lafferty's brother, Dan Lafferty, seen here in 2003, is serving a life sentence in connection to the murders. 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. This led to the big break in the case. Brian was a diesel mechanic and from those that knew him, he was always safety conscious when working under vehicles. She told police she was 11 years old when Perez told her to lie to them, saying Hughes had fallen and drowned in the pool. By 2007, the acts of sexual violence increased with all three girls. That is when he came across an obituary for Mona, Jim, and Lindsey that had Lou Castros name attached to it. The case of Kansas cult killer Daniel Perez, also known as Lou Castro, is being explored on Sunday. It does not specify what type of job he is working. Lou Castro seemed to meet all of the groups needs. Perez led a cult that lived at Angels Landing, a 20-acre property in the 9500 block of North Oliver in a rural area north of Wichita, near Valley Center and Kechi. In 2007, about 30 members of the group holed up in a cave in Russia's Penza region. At his trial, she even said that she was made to tape an 8-year old undressing as well at least twice. In the beginning, things were all fine and dandy. (Photo courtesy of Oxygen), EX-JEHOVAHS WITNESS RECOUNTS SEXUAL ABUSE IN DOC, ORGANIZATION DENIES TRYING TO COVER IT UP. Then someone would die and the insurance payout would replenish the accounts. In the early 2000s, a man named Lou Castro set up camp in a sprawling area outside Wichita, Kansas. Prior to his arrest and conviction, Perez was the cult leader of a Wichita, Kansas, group called Angel's Landing. Mona also met a man named Jim and the couple soon became engaged. Sara and her younger sister Emily were barely teenagers when their mother, Jennifer Huston, packed their bags up and moved into Angels Landing in Kansas to be a part of Daniel Perezs cult. 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). In 2006, her husband Brian Hughes was killed when a carjack failed and he was crushed. According to Oxygen, police first began to be suspicious of Perez in 2003 when he was living with a small group of people on a 20-acre property called Angel's Landing. With the help of the district attorney and his assistant, I was able to do it. Tonight on NBC'sDateline NBC,Dennis Murphy interviews cult leader Daniel Perez, also known as Lou Castro, who told his followers at Angel's Landing that he was a 1,000-year-old angel who could see the future. Their mother believed that he was an angel who could predict peoples death. NXIVM founder Keith Raniere was accused of running an abusive sex cult through his Albany-based seminar company. As for his crimes in Texas that he had pleaded guilty to, but admits he never served any time for. In April 1996, Perez met a woman named Marilynn along with her son and 14-year-old daughter, Michelle. Powered by. Angels Landing was the location where Daniel Perezs cult was housed. The fix her part of his plan was to have sex with her on an ongoing basis. Trish would tell others that when he was young Castro had died and when he came back he had these powers. Daniel Perez takes the stand in his trial. The group didnt stay there long and within a few months moved to Wichita, Kansas. Hughes death was ruled accidentalat first. On April 21, 2010, a search warrant was executed for Venegass Tennessee residence. He told the members he was an angel who was hundreds of years old and needed to have sex with children, or he would die. Perez allowed the small family to stay with him for a few weeks as Marilynn was getting ready to move to Amarillo. Born Daniel Perez, the moniker was created only after he fled Texas. His followers were the ones that had taken on this responsibility. In one letter to members, he said, "God created boys and girls able to have children by about 12 years of age.". After the fire, police found hundreds of other bodies in compounds across Uganda. There was an autopsy conducted with the coroner finding that Trish had a blunt force injury to her head, but based upon witness statements of her being seen slipping and hitting her head then drowning her death was ruled accidental. DETECTIVE RECALLS MEETING TRUCK STOP KILLER BRUCE MENDENHALL IN DEADLY RECALL: THERES EVIL OUT THERE. Authorities found the corpses lying in bunk beds, covered by a purple cloths. s mother. Though initially from Texas, Perez settled down here in Kansas with his followers. Daniel U. Perez, who went by the name Lou Castro, was the leader of a commune living there. Emily was the 11-year old who witnessed the crime and would eventually reveal to authorities the truth behind the murder of Patricia Hughes. Constanzo had instructed his follower to kill him to avoid arrest. He was imprisoned until his death in 2017. Thankfully, Perez was sent to jail for . Manson instructed followers to kill people because he believed the murders would provoke the race war. The Branch Davidians originated in 1955 from a schism among the Shepherd's Rod/Davidians, which stemmed from Seventh-Day Adventist teachings. Lou Castro was a man with a shadowy past who somehow convinceda number ofpeople that he was an angel,could heal the sick and see into the future. In Goodwyns mind with the group of homes being referred to as Angels Landing and all the cars vanity plates with the angel designation he thought he might be dealing with a cult. Some were shot, some were found with bags over their heads and some had been injected with tranquilizers. Emily then heard a shriek from Trish and a splash. As the twos relationship deepened Sarah shared with Daniel about all of the group members deaths along with the group expectation that they serve Castro, but most importantly that the group was supported financially by the life insurance payouts they had received over the years. Detective Goodwyn, still not giving up on finding out just who Lou Castro was, decided to try to get his fingerprints again. She was a wife and mother who lived and died at Angels Landing, The Wichita Eagle reported. Castro was always present when these policies were taken out and had directed who would be taking policies, how much the policies would be for, and who would be named the beneficiaries. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The girl claimed she had actually heard a splash and scream before seeing Perez drenched and out of breath. Legal Statement. Castro told Sarah that he would meet up with her at a local car dealership and to go ahead without him. Kidnapping Survivor Abby Hernandez Reveals How She Never Lost Hope. Jim had a private pilots license and had taken them up one day never to return. At that point in time, both of them resided at Angel's Landing, a 20-acre property in rural Kansas. Emily would tell authorities that Nichole had fallen into the pool and Trish had slipped and drowned while trying to get to her daughter. Debuting in 1992, it has discussed many cases that have left the audience shocked at the violence and atrocities. Trish had also moved into a nearby apartment complex. [Perez] is either very unlucky, with close friends dying, or hes involved in some way in making it happen, Sedgwick County Sheriffs Offices Detective Ron Goodwyn told Oxygen. Carlson was known to her followers as "Mother God" and claimed to be able to cure cancer and communicate with angels. In total, there were six reported accidental deaths over seven years at Angels Landing. To establish his alibi, Perez drove out to a dealership and instructed the girl to go to the pool after 20 minutes and call 911. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Sara McGrath with her mother during happier times. Trishs death was the only one Daniel Perez stood trial for. Sara McGrath is thankful she has been able to move on with her life after surviving a cult. Sara was 17 when she was introduced to the cult and to Perez. Later Perez would state that he pled guilty to the charges and was given probation. He is currently being housed at the Lansing Correctional Facility. The case of Kansas cult killer Daniel Perez, also known as Lou Castro, is being explored on Sunday. Not only did Perez tell followers that he could heal the sick, he also allegedly told them that he could tell them when they were going to die. If it werent for them and my husband, I wouldnt have been able to do it.. They led to millions of dollars in life insurance payouts. did not know where Perez was living. Sara became even more concerned when some of Perez's more disturbing predictions came true. Castro had gotten the girls and others to believe that he was over a hundred years old and his body was often inhabited by one of three angels Arthur, Daniel, and Amber, who was the angel of death. The Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God was a breakaway movement from the Roman Catholic Church founded in Uganda in the 1980s. Due to there being no updates in the news since the report, and a lack of social media accounts, we are not exactly sure about her whereabouts today. Nettles died of liver cancer in 1985, but Applewhite (seen here) continued to lead the group. Perez was found guilty in February 2015 of fraud, child exploitation, rape and first-degree murder. This photo shows the Phoenix family in 1983. 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. Joseph Di Mambro's gun was found during the investigation. Earlier this year, commune members Sara and Emily opened up about what it was like to live in the cult and talked about Lou Perez, who was regularly raping Sara for years under the guise of fixing her. Commune members also report that he told the members that he needed to have sex with young girls to stay alive. After his time here, Perez moved out to Tennessee to live in a colonial-style mansion with his fianc and their daughter. Extreme spending didnt seem to stop with just the small group at Angels Landing collected. This responsibility Texas that he told the members that he would tell the jury about man. At their disposal fixing her, and Lindsey that had taken them up one day when Goodwyn. 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