The Hulu documentary series Daughters of the Cult is a chilling exploration of the Mormon religious cult established by Ervil LeBaron, who had multiple wives and many children who were brainwashed into acting out his will and carrying out his evil deeds. The brutal psychopath had at least thirteen wives and fifty children at the time of his death from suicide while in prison for his many crimes.
Who were Ervil LeBaron’s wives?
The polygamous Mormon cult leader was reported to have had at least thirteen wives.
Delfina Salido, Marilu Vega, Joy Marston, Anna Mae (Stephens) Marston, Lorna Chynoweth, Kristina Jensen, Rosemary (Worley) Barlow, Linda Johnson, Debra Bateman, Vonda White, Yolanda Rios, Teresa Rios and Rena Chynoweth are the names of the wives that were known to be involved with LeBaron.
In 1977, LeBaron would instigate the murder of Rulon C. Allred, who was the leader of another Mormon faction. His wife Rena Chynoweth would carry out the terrible crime, along with stepdaughter Ramona Marston. The event was recorded in a memoir written by Chynoweth called The Blood Covenant.
LeBaron’s tenth wife, Vonda White, was convicted and sentenced to a life sentence for murdering Dean Grover Vest, one of LeBaron’s heavies, who had attempted to leave the church. It was alleged that Vonda White may have been responsible for the murder of Noemi Zarate Chynoweth too.
Who were Ervil LeBaron’s children?
Anna LeBaron in an appearance on Life Today promoting her book The Polygamist’s Daughter
Incredibly, it is reported that Lebaron had over fifty children and stepchildren, and many of them are mentioned in the Hulu series. One of his children, Anna LeBaron, managed to escape from the cult and wrote a book about her time in the horrific environment. The Polygamist’s Daughter: A Memoir would explain a lot of the terrible ordeals that people went through. Anna would also act as a consultant on the series.
In an interview conducted by the BBC on the book’s release, Anna would say, “We were taught that we were celestial children, having been born from the prophet Ervil LeBaron. And we believed it. Even though we were treated so poorly we still believed we were celestial children.”
What was Ervil LeBaron’s evil legacy?
LeBaron was eventually arrested and jailed but while incarcerated he would continue to exert an evil influence over many of his family and followers. He left behind instructions for those who still believed in his power, and this led to what has become known as the “4 O’Clock Murders”, which would claim many lives, including that of former member Mark Chynoweth.
Astonishingly, as many as 50 murders are linked to Ervil and his family, and his evil also involved numerous other crimes including robbery, drug and gun trafficking, and the insidious sexual and physical abuse of women and girls. In 1981 LeBaron died in jail, by suicide while serving his sentence. He was fifty-six years old.
