In that time, Perez had one disciplinary violation, according to his prison record. But it didnt take long for things to turn.. Before Raniere's arrest, in 2017, a New York Times expos accused NXIVM of fronting a cult called "DOS" or "The Vow." Jennifer soon bought the adjoining ten acres and built two homes on it. READ NEXT: Daniel Perez Now: Where Is Cult Leader Lou Castro Today in 2022? According to the outlet, six purported accidental deaths over seven years led to millions of dollars in life insurance payouts. In September 2008, Saras mother died in a car accident, and Sara found her future husband, Daniel McGrath. TV actress Allison Mack (center) was sentenced on June 30, 2021, to three years for her role in the alleged cult. 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. In the beginning, things were all fine and dandy. Trish had also moved into a nearby apartment complex. She, as per the Dateline episode, was a paralegal in South Carolina, with hopes and ambitions of becoming a lawyer. (AP Photo/The Wichita Eagle, Mike Hutmacher), OWNERS OF LATE CHILD STAR JUDITH BARSIS HOME SAY THEY FELT A DARK PRESENCE IN MURDER HOUSE FLIP'. She eventually began dating a man named Daniel McGrath. First, there were the fancy cars most of the vehicles on the property were worth more than $40,000, according to the Wichita Eagle. Trish would tell others that when he was young Castro had died and when he came back he had these powers. He pleaded not guilty. (Photo courtesy of Oxygen), EX-JEHOVAHS WITNESS RECOUNTS SEXUAL ABUSE IN DOC, ORGANIZATION DENIES TRYING TO COVER IT UP. Through their investigation and Daniels tip, they found out that Castro had assumed a new identity Joe Venegas and was now residing in Columbia, Tennessee. At first, Angels landing was like a kids dream More on #Dateline tonight at 9/8c with @Dateline_Dennis. 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.". Constanzo had instructed his follower to kill him to avoid arrest. moved to Lees Summit, Missouri. Sara found solace in the arms of the man who would become her husband, Daniel McGrath. Perez was charged with 28 felonies. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! After three months the small group moved back to Wichita, Kansas where they lived in some townhomes while looking for permanent housing. The 2003 drowning death of 26-year-old Patricia Hughes at the group's compound outside of Wichita, Kansas, was originally ruled an accident. Investigators initially believed she drowned while trying to rescue her 2-year-old daughter from a swimming pool. She said she did not. (Photo courtesy of Oxygen. pic.twitter.com/LsUYdFja74, Dateline NBC (@DatelineNBC) August 7, 2020. Goodwyn intensified his investigation, afraid that after another two years there might be another death. Perez also collected millions of dollars over the years from life insurance policies on his followers who had died. Daniel Perez had been living there when he met Trish Gomez. However, there was little information linking Perez to the deaths. Castro told Emily that Trish would be found dead by the pool after she fell and hit her head. He. 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.) Emily would tell authorities that Nichole had fallen into the pool and Trish had slipped and drowned while trying to get to her daughter. They led to millions of dollars in life insurance payouts. Lou Castro lived extravagantly inKansas with hiscult-likefamily and was found guilty of rape and the murder of Patricia Hughes. Emily would tell investigators about Trishs drowning and that would end up being enough to put Castro away. As for his crimes in Texas that he had pleaded guilty to, but admits he never served any time for. MISSING IOWA TV JOURNALIST JODI HUISENTRUIT'S FAMILY STILL SEARCHING YEARS LATER, DOC REVEALS: IT'S HORRIBLE', Sara McGrath said she was too scared to come forward with her story. My mom had a journal and she had written how she felt she needed to protect Lou -- or Daniel, McGrath reflected. LAS VEGAS SHOOTING SURVIVORS RECALL CHAOS AND TURMOIL OF HORRIFIC NIGHT, MEETING RESCUER, IN NEW DOCUMENTARY, Sara McGrath today. 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. The man, who led a commune known as Angel's Landing, collected millions of dollars in. Though Sara had a bad feeling after their first interaction, she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt due to her mother. He claims that Trish had found him and had taken him to some people that cared for him until he recovered. Born Daniel Perez, the moniker was created only after he fled Texas. Authorities said Perez fled to Tennessee to avoid questioning about his followers' suspicious deaths. Emily was the 11-year old who witnessed the crime and would eventually reveal to authorities the truth behind the murder of Patricia Hughes. I dont think its a very common thing. Kuznetsov (pictured here with followers) reportedly attempted suicide when his doomsday prophecy didn't come true. It is the 20-acre property where Daniel Perez lived with his followers. Castro/Venegas was taken into custody that day. "Smallville" actress Allison Mack (seen here) was subsequently accused of recruiting "DOS" slaves by convincing women they were joining a female empowerment group that would help them overcome weaknesses. I remember saying, Am I fixed now?'. In 2006, her husband Brian Hughes was killed when a carjack failed and he was crushed. Authorities also noted numerous high-end vehicles on the property, despite the community's apparent lack of financial resources. The couple remained in contact via phone over the next year, but K.L. The various group members would tell the jury about the control that Perez/Castro had over the group. Charges would be eventually filed against Perez for the rapes, but the case was dismissed when Perez was found dead in Mexico. By 2007, the acts of sexual violence increased with all three girls. Investigators found 48 bodies inside. pic.twitter.com/aps7CzzYu8, Dateline NBC (@DatelineNBC) August 6, 2020. He collected more than $1 million in life insurance payouts from Hughes death alone. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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. They told police they thought the human sacrifices would protect their drug smuggling operations. This photo shows the Phoenix family in 1983. The first seven, including leader Shoko Asahara, were hangedin early July 2018, and the remaining members were executed later that month. The outlet shared that in 2015 Perez was handed two life sentences, plus 406 months with no possibility of parole for 80 years. Before Trishs death, the group owned two Corvettes and several SUVs. Among those was Hughes husband, Brian. First, there were the fancy cars most of the vehicles on the property were worth more than $40,000, according to theWichita Eagle. Daniel Perez is currently incarcerated in Kansas'Lansing Correctional Facility. 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. 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. Famous celebrities from Wichita include actress Kristie Alley, Don Johnson, and Hattie McDaniel, who was the first African American to win an Oscar for her role in Gone With the Wind. It was extremely scary, she said. 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. Daniel Perez, 55, was sentenced Tuesday in Wichita, Kansas, by Sedgwick County District Judge Joseph Bribiesca to serve two life sentences, plus 406 months on charges that include first-degree. [Perez] is either very unlucky,with close friends dying, or he's involved in some way in making it happen, he told producers. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, In interviews she granted for "Wild Wild Country," she largely spoke kindly of Rajneesh, who died in 1990. She told them how she was made to wait in an office nearby with her the infant daughter of the deceased. 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. With those certificated, Trish was paid the death benefits. Within a few months, her life had completely changed. The third parcel was purchased and built upon completing what looked like a compound due to the homes placements. With this new name investigators were able to see that Joe Venegas had opened a new bank account in Tennessee. The life insurance payout for Hughes death alone exceeded $1 million. ", The Messed Up Truth About Cult Leader Daniel Perez. Applewhite plus 38 other people between the ages of 26 and 72 died in three groups over three days. Mack was also fined $20,000 and willhave to do 1,000 hours of community service as part of her sentence, CBS New Yorkreported. Among his victims was Patricia Hughes, 26. Once recovered he moved to Corpus Christi, Texas. Three years later, Patricia's husband Brian was killed in a similarly unusual incident while working in an auto body shop. When looking into the man who was calling himself Lou Castro, they couldnt find a paper trail or anything about his background. Through interviews with Sara, her younger sister and other members of the commune, they uncovered Perez's shocking methods of manipulation and abuse and he was charged with 28 felonies. He convinced members of the Angel's Landing commune - based in Kansas, the US - that he had magical powers, was hundreds of years old, could cure diseases and knew when people were about to die. She was dead. Kuznetsov, who was not with them, had told them to wait there for the end of the world, which he thought was coming in 2008. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Here, members of the cult stand by a table filled with satanic cult items. 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. At his trial, she even said that she was made to tape an 8-year old undressing as well at least twice. He is currently being housed at the Lansing Correctional Facility. One of the survivors, Sara, told Oxygen Perez raped her repeatedly, saying he was fixing her. 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. One day he and another detective showed up at Angels Landing with glossy photographs of made-up suspects. Former cult member Sara McGrath, who lived with Angel's Landing leader Daniel Perez, recounts the untimely death of her mother You can survive a traumatic event, McGrath told Fox News. Jennifer had sold Castro and his group property in Missouri when they had stayed there only a short time in 2001. In 1997, Applewhite persuaded 38 followers to kill themselves, telling them that they wouldn't be dying, but leaving their earthly vessels behind. The cult, based on New Age spiritualism, drew followers in Switzerland, France, and Canada. Daniel U. Perez, who went by the name Lou Castro, was the leader of a commune living there. The witnesses testified to the groups transient movements over a 15-year period that included a number of states (Texas, South Dakota, Missouri, Kansas, Tennessee, and Mexico). Life atAngels Landing took a dark turn after a few months, however. Trish, age 26, was pronounced dead with her cause of death being accidental drowning. Perez was found guilty in February 2015 of fraud, child exploitation, rape and first-degree murder. In court Friday, the 23-year-old woman who is the key witness told jurors that about a week before Hughes died, Perez foretold her death. Not to be deterred, Castro and Trish repeatedly visited the insurance agency while the search for the downed plane continued. Emily then heard a shriek from Trish and a splash. Insurance salesman Bill Hatton confirmed Daniel Perez collected $2 million from the death of Patricia Hughes alone. He was found guilty of 28 crimes in Sedgwick County District Court in Kansas in 2015. PatriciaHughes,whowas like a second mother to the girls,had slipped and fallen in the pool. pic.twitter.com/JBtWCvFObn. Congressman Leo Ryan flew into Jonestown to investigate. His death benefit was paid out to K.L. All rights reserved. Daniel Perez was convicted of 20 counts of sexual abuse of children, with his victims ranging in age from 8 to 16, according to the sex offender registry in Kansas. In Sarahs mind, she would do anything to protect her dad so she kept quiet about the abuse. In April 1996, Perez met a woman named Marilynn along with her son and 14-year-old daughter, Michelle. His parents, suspicious that the group was becoming something more insidious than a religious community, decided to separate from the group in 1977, when Joaquin was 3 years old. . Authorities spent nine years investigating Perez. Afterward, she called her sister Sarah who was at the car dealership with Castro crying telling her that Trish fell in the pool. While police do not believe that there was any foul play associated with Carlson's death, seven members of the group were arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse and two counts of child abuse. 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. Manson instructed followers to kill people because he believed the murders would provoke the race war. Within weeks after their first meeting, Sara, her sister Emily, and her mother moved to Angel's Landing and became part of Daniel Perez's toxic "family.". Perez was charged with multiple criminal counts, including first-degree murder. If theres one message McGrath hopes viewers will get from experience is that cults can find ways to entrap people without them even realizing it. Days later, two Solar Temple buildings in Switzerland went up in flames. The murder victim, Patricia Hughes, was a 26-year-old wife and mother who lived at Angels Landing. All the vehicles had vanity license plates with Angel 1, Angel 2, and so forth. Jim had a private pilots license and had taken them up one day never to return. Upon his arrival in Kansas, Daniel Perez introduced himself as Lou Castro and managed to convince numerous people he was an angel, who could perform medical miracles and predict the future. In August 2006, Sherri Cox and her 8-year-old daughter, C.C. Perez told commune members that she had slipped and fallen into the pool. A detective sifted through his trash and followed him to a local restaurant in hopes that he could find a fingerprint. pic.twitter.com/aps7CzzYu8, Dateline NBC (@DatelineNBC) August 6, 2020. Debuting in 1992, it has discussed many cases that have left the audience shocked at the violence and atrocities. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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 this photo, one of their bodies is carried out of a hotel room in Southern California. Castro and Trish attempted to cash in Monas policy, but the insurance company would not release the money since Monas body had not been recovered. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The couple still lives in Wichita, Kansas. In fact, most of his other crimes also took place on Angel's Landing. It was during that time that Perez forced Michelle to have sex with him on several occasions. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. McGrath said she was terrified when she came face-to-face with Perez in court to testify. The investigation into Daniel Perez centered around what investigators called his unexplained wealth, according to The Wichita Eagle. Wichita, Kansas is located on the Great Plains and began as a trading post up the Chisholm Trail back in the 1860s. One such story, where the cult leader Daniel Perez aka Lou Castro repeatedly manipulated and abused his followers, has been covered in the episode called Angels and Demons. For him to have been able to do such abhorrent acts, one wonders what the tools at his disposal were. In all, nine people were murderedin several separate attacks. Emily told the couple that she was sad about Trish dying, but Trish assured her that she would eventually come back in a new healthier body. 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. About every two and a half years, bankaccountbalances would get low in the makeshift family, then someone would die, Goodwyn said. Living under the same roof with this man would lead them to experience many painful events. With the help of the district attorney and his assistant, I was able to do it. An addition to the small group was Jennifer Hutson. She was a wife and mother who lived and died at Angels Landing, The Wichita Eagle reported. His useful 2021 return (.250-84-20-60) is still in the reasonable range of outcomes. Tonight on NBCsDateline NBC,Dennis Murphy looks into the case of cult leader Daniel Perez, also known as Lou Castro, who told his followers at Angels Landing that he was a 1,000-year-old angel who could see the future and heal their injuries. In 2004, the couple began living together and they eventually married. 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. Prior to his arrest and conviction, Perez was the cult leader of a Wichita, Kansas, group called Angel's Landing. My mom just kind of accepted all of these whimsical things that he would tell her. 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. They were dressed in identical black shirts and sweatpants, new black-and-white Nike sneakers, and armbands reading "Heaven's Gate Away Team.". 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. There was a swimming pool and multiple houses on the propertyas well. Castro then came to Emily and told her to wait until he met up with Sarah at a local car dealership and then call 911. While in South Dakota, Castro, Trish, and Mona had met with an insurance salesman. Legal Statement. did not know where Perez was living. In 1993, the ATF and Texas National Guard raided the Waco compound. After that Castro started to get nervous telling Sarah that they were trying to get him. Lou took off to look at houses in Tennessee. Berg also encouraged sex with children. that he had magical powers. Years later, details surrounding her death surfaced when one of the girls in the cult brought them to police, even though Castro had initially persuaded her to lie for him. But in the 1990s, authorities in Canada began investigating the group amid accusations of sexual misconduct, and people started to leave. As reported by Oxygen, the woman, who was like a second mother to Sara, slipped and fell in the compound's pool and drowned. In Columbia, he tried to pass himself off as Joe Venegas, an alias he used to open the bank account after using the name Lou Castro and living on a 20-acre spread in Kansas known as "Angel's. Tonight on NBCsDateline NBC, correspondent Dennis Murphy looks into the case of Angels Landing and cult leader Daniel Perez, also known as Lou Castro, who told his followers he was a centuries-year-old angel who could see the future, predict their deaths and heal their injuries. Wasco residents were frustrated by the cult members, known as Rajneeshees, to begin with, but tensions rose when the Rajneeshees attempted to take over the government of the nearby town of Antelope. And the FBI contacted them back.. pic.twitter.com/JBtWCvFObn. The windows and doors had been boarded up to bar escape. He convinced his communal. Sara didn't like Perez at all, she told producers, but her mom felt a bond with him and was convinced he was anangel, who could tell you when you were going to die. . Sedgwick County/Kansas Department of Corrections The girl claimed she had actually heard a splash and scream before seeing Perez drenched and out of breath. Let's start with one you might not have heard about. Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for May 1, Kansas Bureau of Investigations sex offender registry, Jay Leno shows off 'new face' after suffering third-degree burns, Kylie Jenners ex Travis Scott nightclub incident: New York police investigating alleged bar brawl, Ricou Browning, 'Creature from the Black Lagoon' star, dead at 93, 'Wheel of Fortune' contestant scolded by Pat Sajak, ripped apart by fans, Jillian Michaels suffered a spinal injury in secret that left her crawling due to pain, 'Friends' star Courteney Cox almost left Hollywood in the '80s, father told her it was 'time to pack it in'. Although the siblings have suffered humungously because of the criminal Daniel Perez, they feel that they should be the light that counters his darkness. Daniel Perez claimed to be some sort of angel. "Deadly Cults" airs Sunday, May 3 at 7 p.m. on Oxygen. I dont think [cults] are common, McGrath said. 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. While everyone inside Angel's Landing knew the suspected cult leader as Lou Castro, that had not always been his identity. At his trial, she even said that she was made to tape an 8-year old undressing as well at least twice. His extreme spending didnt seem to stop with just the small group at Angels Landing. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Lou dumped the photos on a nearby pool table and used his fingernail to move the photos around like he knew exactly what the detective was trying to do. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He and his family were among the dead. For more on the shockingAngels Landing story, including Sara's firsthand account of living with Daniel Perez and the incredible lengths law enforcement went to catch him, watch Deadly Cults atOxygen.comand airingSundays at 7/6conOxygen. Many who go there want to experience untamed adventure and get a classic photograph. named the co-beneficiary. There was a sense of urgency since it was getting to the 2 year mark. Later, Jones had his followers kill themselves by drinking a cyanide-laced drink. I wasnt sure that I was going to be able to do it. Where Are Sara and Emily from Dateline's Angels and Demons Now? However, after this testimony, they were able to bring him down, and he is currently serving two life sentences and has been charged on 28 counts, including first-degree murder and sexual misconduct with minors.