Aldrete and the other follower were arrested on the spot. Investigators initially believed she drowned while trying to rescue her 2-year-old daughter from a swimming pool. In the summer of 2001, Trish, Brian, and their newborn daughter, Nicole along with Castro and K.L. One day when Detective Goodwyn happened to come upon Castro driving down the road and he decided to follow him. Considering that Perez had convinced his followers that he was actually an angel who had existed for many decades, the property was aptly named. Castro had gone into a restaurant to have a meal with someone and when he left Detective Goodwyn collected Castros water glass and silverware. 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. Also on the properties were barn-like structures that housed the groups various vehicles and Castros large model airplane collection. In the beginning, it was like a huge support system and everybody was close, she said. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Some people who were born into the group later killed themselves, including one of Berg's sons, who first killed his nanny. He ran the Angel's Landing Commune back in the early 2000s where he would manipulate and murder to help finance his lavish lifestyle. At the time, there were. He even threatened to kill Emily and Sarahs father and K.L. Market data provided by Factset. The investigation continued into March 2011 with authorities interviewing Sarah and Emily on several occasions. Sedgwick County/Kansas Department of Corrections Here, locals and relatives of the cult victims wait in a Ugandan church compound during a mass burial in 2000. In September 2008, Saras mother died in a car accident, and Sara found her future husband, Daniel McGrath. When the police arrived there, they saw many luxury cards, most valued above $40,000. However, on investigating the money trail, the police discovered that he himself had not signed the papers for the property or for the multitude of luxury cars that he owned. 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.. It's unclear how many members the group still has. Legal Statement. If it werent for them and my husband, I wouldnt have been able to do it., He was sentenced to two life sentences in prison. Investigators found 48 bodies inside. In 2007, about 30 members of the group holed up in a cave in Russia's Penza region. 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. Megan and Castro were also dating at this time and Megan moved into Castros home. He also claimed he could predict when someone would die. I remember saying, Am I fixed now?'. Joaquin, age 9, is at center. Investigators would later learn Hughes was collecting millions of dollars in life insurance payouts, and that six deaths ruled as accidents were connected to the cult. The two along with Monas 14-year-old daughter Lindsey and son Cody moved in together. s home and arrested him. In the beginning, it was like a huge support system and everybody was close, McGrath said. At his trial, she even said that she was made to tape an 8-year old undressing as well at least twice. He was convicted of first-degree murder, eight counts of rape, eight other sex crimes, eight counts of making false writing and three counts of aggravated assault. Daniel Perez sits in a Sedgwick County courtroom during the first day of his murder trial on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015 in Wichita, Kan. Perez, 55, is charged with first-degree premeditated. Berg also encouraged sex with children. He had prepared a fabricated story that had cleared his name since initially, the police thought that her death was an accident. On April21, 2010, authorities arrested Perez at his new home in Tennessee. The two would have a child, Angelica in December 2004. The evidence conclusively shows that Mr. Perez used people as mere objects to fulfill his desire for money, sex and a lavish lifestyle, Bribiesca said. About 5 years later, the group isolated themselves from their friends, family and the public, and relied on the internet to recruit new members. My mom just kind of accepted all of these whimsical things that he would tell her. The Order of the Solar Temple was formed in 1984 by Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret. Once recovered he moved to Corpus Christi, Texas. Its' now famous name descends from Methodist minister Frederick Vining Fisher who, on his first visit to Zion Canyon in 1916 allegedly quipped only an angel could land there. Then, she saw Perez, wet and out of breath. In 1993, the ATF and Texas National Guard raided the Waco compound. 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.". Sara told Dateline and Oxygen that Perez regularly raped her and said that she remembered asking him after years of sexual abuse if she was fixed, since that was one of his excuses for doing what he did. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. On September 11, 2011, Perez/Castro/Venegas was charged in Sedgwick County District Court in Kansas with one count of first-degree murder for Tricia Hughess death, ten counts of rape, ten counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, three counts of aggravated assault, eleven counts of making false information, and one count of criminal threat. She, as per the Dateline episode, was a paralegal in South Carolina, with hopes and ambitions of becoming a lawyer. Daniel Perez, whose alias is Lou Castro, is the self-proclaimed 'seer' that foresaw Patricia dying. It is near Valley Center and Kechi. pic.twitter.com/JBtWCvFObn. 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. Noor Malhotra August 7, 2020 Sara and her younger sister Emily were barely teenagers when their mother, Jennifer Huston, packed their bags up and moved into Angel's Landing in Kansas to be a part of Daniel Perez's cult. Sara McGrath said Daniel Perez began sexually abusing her within weeks of their arrival at the compound. Thirteen people died, and thousands were injured in the attack. (Photo courtesy of Oxygen. There was nothing I could do, she said I remember saying, Am I fixed now?'. 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. She was eight months pregnant. He didn't appear to work, and local law enforcement couldntfindapaper trail on the man calling himself Lou Castro.. When the apocalypse didn't come, leaders proposed a new date: March 17, 2000. Authorities were further frustrated because they could not confirm the true identity of the man who called himself Lou Castro. As 2000 approached, the group prepared for the end. Judge Joseph Bribiesca ordered that Perez would serve his sentences consecutively, making it so Perez will not be eligible for parole until he is 120 years old. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! He went on to tell Emily that after Trish passed that she would put Nicole into the pool then pull her out and call 911. 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. As the cult became more doomsday focused, it got more followers, who brought in more money. Perez told his followers that he needed to have sex with young girls to stay alive. He also had a camera placed in the bathroom to watch her change. The tally includes two Utah men who have died in the last month. The case of Kansas cult killer Daniel Perez, also known as Lou Castro, is being explored on Sunday. They would later find three more. In 2006, her husband Brian Hughes was killed when a carjack failed and he was crushed. 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. A detective sifted through his trash and followed him to a local restaurant in hopes that he could find a fingerprint. He claimed that he was not home the day Trish Hughes drowned and he had no part in her death. 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. On the stand, he said the beating he received in Mexico had caused him to have amnesia for years. With this new name investigators were able to see that Joe Venegas had opened a new bank account in Tennessee. Sara McGrath is thankful she has been able to move on with her life after surviving a cult. Upon settling, Trish took out a $1 million insurance policy on her life that included an accidental death rider. Jones taught a blend of Christianity, socialism and communism, with an emphasis on racial equality. Jones was later found dead. Ron Lafferty's brother, Dan Lafferty, seen here in 2003, is serving a life sentence in connection to the murders. Kansas Department of CorrectionsDaniel Perez Prison Record. He had become depressed and was talking to Perez more often, one of the survivors, Sara, told Oxygen. Law enforcement came to K.L. One such episode, 'Angels and Demons,' presented the heinous crimes committed by self-proclaimed psychic Daniel Perez, whose known alias is Lou Castro (amongst others.) Soon after, the compound erupted in a massive blaze. The outlet noted that the Kansas Bureau of Investigations sex offender registry showed Perezs victims range in age from 8 to 16. 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. I remember saying, 'Am I fixed now?'. He collected more than $1 million in life insurance payouts from Hughes death alone. Here, women prepare a communal meal in a Children of God mess hall in 1971. Cody would stay behind with his father, but K.L. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, All rights reserved. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. In September 2008, Detective Goodwyn was notified that Jennifer Hutson was killed in a car accident. The Family International, also known as the Children of God, was founded in Huntington Beach, California, by David Brandt Berg in 1968. His sex offender registry indicates he began abusing children in 2001, and the abuse spanned more than a decade, ending in 2015. The rapes continued even after the family moved. 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. Five more members died in a burned Quebec house in 1997. He convinced his communal. His sex offender registry indicates he began abusing children in 2001, and the abuse spanned more than a decade, ending in 2015. It was in South Dakota that Trish met Brian Hughes and they soon started dating and would ultimately marry. Some were shot, some were found with bags over their heads and some had been injected with tranquilizers. Days later, two Solar Temple buildings in Switzerland went up in flames. The group moved from state to state, making it difficult to track Lou Castro and his crimes. Sara McGrath said she was too scared to come forward with her story. Would love your thoughts, please comment. One of the survivors, Sara, told Oxygenin 2020 that when Perez raped her repeatedly, he would say he was fixing her. LAS VEGAS SHOOTING SURVIVORS RECALL CHAOS AND TURMOIL OF HORRIFIC NIGHT, MEETING RESCUER, IN NEW DOCUMENTARY, Sara McGrath today. Prosecutors said at his trial that he aimed to use life insurance proceeds from the deaths of his followers to live a lavish lifestyle. Tragedy soon struck Jim and Mona. But I also think that people who are in a cult may not realize that theyre in a cult until theyve been out for a while. Two weeks after their conversation, Castro told Emily that it was time. Daniel Perez Now: Where Is Cult Leader Lou Castro Today in 2022. In all, nine people were murderedin several separate attacks. This came to fruition in June 2003 when Patricia Hughes, who lived on the property, died. ), GREEN RIVER KILLER GARY RIDGWAY IS STILL HIDING MANY 'DARK SECRETS' DESPITE CONFESSION, SAYS PROSECUTOR IN DOCUMENTARY. As reported by Columbia Daily Herald, authorities linked Daniel Perez to a total of six accidental deaths, for which Perez collected an estimated $4.2 million. The life insurance payout for Hughes death alone exceeded $1 million. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Then they deported him to Mexico. Powered by. It earned the nickname cowtown as it was where cowboys would bring their livestock up from Texas to the railroads. Brian was a diesel mechanic and from those that knew him, he was always safety conscious when working under vehicles. Applewhite plus 38 other people between the ages of 26 and 72 died in three groups over three days. It was extremely scary, she said. Constanzo and Aldrete fled to Mexico City with three cult followers. s mother. They occurred within a seven-year time span. He did not appear to have any employment records, and they had no proof of his existence before he appeared in Wichita looking to purchase property. The man, who led a commune known as Angel's Landing, collected millions of dollars in. He was found guilty of 28 crimes in Sedgwick County District Court in Kansas in 2015. The deadly and devastating secrets of this traveling commune will come tumbling out, Friday on #Dateline at 9/8c. In this photo, bodies are placed on Army trucks after the mass suicide. He preached a "religious-less religion" that embraced sexual liberation. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Perez was charged with 28 felonies. Constanzo had instructed his follower to kill him to avoid arrest. While in South Dakota, Castro, Trish, and Mona had met with an insurance salesman. Ron Goodwyn, a Wichita Narcotics Detective, had been investigating Lou Castro and his group in 2003; the year Trish died. They all moved into a home purchased in K.L. Powered by. left that the family moved on to South Dakota. He was finally . Lafferty claimed he committed the killing after a revelation from God. Investigators in Sedgwick County, Kansas learned that Lou Perez and the Angels Landing commune was tied to six deaths which were ruled accidental. Now they preach that they are in a war of good versus evil. TV actress Allison Mack (center) was sentenced on June 30, 2021, to three years for her role in the alleged cult. 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. Castro/Venegas was taken into custody that day. 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. Kramer and Raymond were released from jail on personal recognizance bonds, with more hearings scheduled for later this month. When he died his assets and policies were paid out to various people he had been living with at Angels Landing. Three other people connected to Heaven's Gate later committed suicide, bringing the cult's death toll to 42. In 2003, 26-year-old Patricia Hughes, a follower, drowned atthe compound. The two are closer than ever with each other and their father. In that time, Perez had one disciplinary violation, according to his prison record. The story of the rural Kansas compound, its survivors and Daniel Perez is being told on a new episode of Dateline, which originally aired on NBC Friday, August 7, 2020 at 9/8C. On the stand, he denied having any sort of magical powers and contended the sex was always consensual. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Her husband, Brian was the beneficiary with K.L. Earlier this year, commune members Sara McGrath and her sister 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 about six months, 14 members came out of the cave, and nine members came out later. Afterward, she called her sister Sarah who was at the car dealership with Castro crying telling her that Trish fell in the pool. 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. There was nothing I could do, she said. s name. Before Raniere's arrest, in 2017, a New York Times expos accused NXIVM of fronting a cult called "DOS" or "The Vow." In his profession unexplained wealth usually meant drugs. Then, in 1995, a Solar Temple building in the Swiss Alps was found burned down with 16 bodies inside. By this time, Sarah was 24 and on her own for the first time. Castro was never named as a beneficiary or named in any of the policies. 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