The Rise of Ervil LeBaron

• 💡 Ervil LeBaron, dubbed the “Mormon Manson,” led a fundamentalist polygamous cult that practiced “blood atonement” to justify heinous acts.
• 🎯 Born into a polygamous family, Ervil was excommunicated from the LDS Church for plural marriage and later expelled from his brother Joel's sect due to his increasingly violent and ruthless nature.
• 🔑 Ervil's early life was marked by poverty and a stark contrast to his own extravagant lifestyle, funded by church money while his family lived in destitution.

The Doctrine of Blood Atonement

• 🩸 Blood atonement, an old Mormon doctrine, involves killing a sinner to atone for their eternal sin, shedding their blood as a sacrifice to save them from damnation.
• ⚠️ Brigham Young advocated for blood atonement to eliminate rivals, a practice the mainstream LDS Church renounced but Ervil reinstated in his cult.
• 🧠 Ervil believed he was a prophet with a direct line to God, using this perceived authority to enforce his own brutal interpretation of religious law and punish any disobedience with death.

Escalation of Violence and Control

• 🔪 Ervil's reign of terror included ordering the murders of rivals like Rulon Allred and even his own brother, Joel LeBaron, to consolidate power and control.
• 💰 He engaged in various get-rich-quick schemes and demanded tithes from followers, while his own family lived in poverty.
• 🎭 Ervil manipulated his followers through fear, isolation, and restricting their education, ensuring complete submission and loyalty.

Murders and Downfall

• 💔 Ervil orchestrated the murders of his own daughter, Becky, and her unborn child, as well as his 10th wife, Vonda White, who assassinated Dean Vest.
• 💥 The cult engaged in acts of terrorism, including the firebombing of Los Molinos, Joel's commune, resulting in deaths and injuries.
• ⚖️ After years of evading authorities, Ervil was eventually captured, convicted of orchestrating Rulon Allred's murder, and sentenced to life in prison.

Legacy of Evil

• 📜 Even from prison, Ervil wrote a manifesto, "The Book of the New Covenants," containing a hit list of over 50 individuals, continuing his influence beyond death.
• 🩸 His children and followers continued the cycle of violence, with many on the hit list falling victim to assassinations even after Ervil's death.
• ⚠️ The LeBaron family's legacy is intertwined with violence, polygamy, and ongoing issues with cartel activity in Mexico, with some followers still practicing polygamy in secret.