Studies suggest that certain personality traits, such as a desire for certainty and a tendency towards dependent thinking, can make individuals more susceptible to cult influence.¹
Throughout history, charismatic cult leaders have exploited vulnerable individuals seeking meaning and belonging, often with deadly consequences.
While many cults remain relatively harmless, history has seen its fair share of deadly groups that have left a tragic mark. These cults stand out as the deadliest and most twisted in modern times.
1. Peoples Temple
Led by the infamous Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple started as a church promoting socialism and equality in the 1950s. However, things turned dark when Jones moved the group to Guyana and established the Jonestown commune.
In 1978, after a U.S. congressman visited the settlement to investigate claims of abuse, Jones orchestrated a mass murder-suicide, resulting in the deaths of over 900 people, including 304 children, by cyanide-laced punch.
The Jonestown tragedy remains one of the largest losses of American civilian lives in history. The haunting images of the lifeless bodies scattered around the commune serve as a grim reminder of the destructive power of cults.(ref)
2. Aum Shinrikyo
This Japanese doomsday cult, founded by Shoko Asahara in 1984, gained global notoriety for its deadly sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995, which killed 12 people and injured over 5,000.
Asahara preached that a world war initiated by the United States would trigger a global apocalypse that only his followers would survive.
Investigations following the attack revealed that the group had also been responsible for the murder of a lawyer working on a class-action lawsuit against them, along with his wife and child. Asahara was eventually sentenced to death in 2018 for his role in the attacks.
3. Branch Davidians
The Branch Davidians, an offshoot of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, gained international attention during a 51-day standoff with federal agents at their compound in Waco, Texas, in 1993.(ref)
Led by David Koresh, who claimed to be the final prophet, the group stockpiled illegal weapons and allegedly engaged in sexual abuse of minors.
The siege ended in tragedy when a fire engulfed the compound during an FBI assault, resulting in the deaths of Koresh and 75 of his followers, including 25 children. The Waco incident remains one of the most controversial law enforcement operations in U.S. history.
4. Order of the Solar Temple
This doomsday cult, founded in 1984 by Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret, blended New Age spiritualism with apocalyptic beliefs. As the group became more focused on the end times, it attracted wealthy followers in Switzerland, France, and Canada.
In 1994, a series of murders and mass suicides rocked the cult. A man who spoke out against the group was killed along with his wife and infant son. Days later, two Solar Temple buildings in Switzerland went up in flames, revealing 48 dead bodies inside, some of which had been shot or drugged.
Over the next few years, more cult members died in similar ritualistic fashions, bringing the total death toll to 74.
5. Heaven’s Gate
Founded by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles in the 1970s, Heaven’s Gate believed that Earth was about to be “recycled” and that the only way to survive was to leave their physical bodies behind and ascend to a spaceship trailing the Hale-Bopp comet.
In March 1997, 39 members, including Applewhite, were found dead in a rented mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California. They had taken phenobarbital mixed with applesauce and vodka and then lay down to die with plastic bags secured around their heads.
The mass suicide was a tragic end to a cult that had long been steeped in science fiction and spiritual delusions.
6. The Manson Family
In the late 1960s, Charles Manson formed a cult known as the Manson Family, attracting mostly young women with his charismatic personality and promises of a utopian lifestyle.
However, behind closed doors, Manson was a manipulative and violent leader who convinced his followers to commit a series of brutal murders, including the infamous Tate-LaBianca killings in 1969.
The Manson Family’s crimes sent shockwaves through the nation and became a symbol of the dark underbelly of the counterculture movement. Manson and several of his followers were eventually sentenced to life in prison, but the impact of their actions continues to haunt the public consciousness to this day.
7. The Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God
Founded in Uganda in the 1980s by Credonia Mwerinde and Joseph Kibwetere, the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God was a doomsday cult that blended elements of Christianity with apocalyptic beliefs.
The group’s leaders claimed to receive visions from the Virgin Mary and predicted that the world would end on January 1, 2000.
When the prophesied apocalypse failed to materialize, the cult’s leaders became increasingly paranoid and controlling. In March 2000, the group’s compound was set ablaze, killing over 700 members, including many women and children.
Investigations later revealed that the leaders had orchestrated the mass murder-suicide to cover up their fraudulent activities and maintain control over their followers.
8. The Children of God
The Children of God, later known as The Family International, was a religious cult founded by David Berg in the late 1960s. The group became notorious for its unconventional sexual practices, including the sexual exploitation of children and the use of sex as a recruitment tool, known as “flirty fishing.”
Berg, who referred to himself as “Moses David,” encouraged his followers to engage in incestuous relationships and promoted pedophilia through his writings.
The cult’s abusive practices came to light in the 1970s and 1980s, leading to numerous investigations and legal battles. Despite the controversy, the group operated under various names until Berg died in 1994.
9. The True Russian Orthodox Church
The True Russian Orthodox Church, also known as Heavenly Jerusalem, was an offshoot of the Russian Orthodox Church founded by Pyotr Kuznetsov.
In 2007, around 30 members holed up in a cave near the village of Nikolskoye, waiting for the world to end in 2008 as Kuznetsov had prophesied.
After two members died in the cave, some eventually left due to concerns about toxic fumes from the corpses and the cave’s collapsing roof. Authorities ultimately blew up the cave in May 2008 after removing the bodies.
10. Love Has Won
In April 2021, the mummified remains of Amy Carlson, the 45-year-old leader of Love Has Won, were found in a Colorado home. Carlson, known to followers as “Mother God,” claimed to cure cancer, communicate with angels, and be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ and Marilyn Monroe.
While police did not suspect foul play in Carlson’s death, seven group members were arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse and child abuse. Affidavits revealed the group was brainwashing people and stealing their money.
11. The Narcosatanists
The Narcosatanists were a Mexican drug cartel that incorporated elements of satanic worship into their criminal activities. Led by Adolfo de Jesus Constanzo, the group believed that human sacrifice would protect them from law enforcement and rival cartels.
In 1989, the Narcosatanists kidnapped and murdered Mark Kilroy, an American college student who was vacationing in Mexico. Constanzo and several of his followers were eventually apprehended, but Constanzo died in a shootout with police before he could be brought to justice.
12. Ant Hill Kids
Founded by Roch Thériault in the late 1970s, the Ant Hill Kids was a small religious cult based in Quebec, Canada. Thériault, who claimed to be a prophet, demanded total obedience from his followers and subjected them to brutal physical and sexual abuse.(ref)
In 1989, Thériault was arrested after one of his followers, Solange Boilard, died from injuries sustained during a gruesome ritual.
Thériault had disemboweled Boilard with a kitchen knife, claiming that he was performing surgery to cure her stomach ailment. He was eventually convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
13. The Ripper Crew
The Ripper Crew, also known as the Chicago Rippers, was a satanic cult that terrorized Chicago in the early 1980s. Led by Robin Gecht, the group was responsible for the brutal murders of at least 18 women.
Gecht and his followers believed that by committing these horrific acts, they were pleasing Satan and gaining supernatural powers. The group was eventually apprehended in 1982, and Gecht was sentenced to 120 years in prison for his crimes.
14. The Fall Rivers Cult
In 1979, the bodies of three young women were discovered in a wooded area near Fall River, Massachusetts. The victims, Doreen Levesque, Barbara Raposa, and Karen Marsden, had all been brutally murdered as part of a satanic ritual.
Carl Drew, the leader of a local satanic cult, orchestrated the killings. Drew and his followers believed that by sacrificing these women, they were gaining favor with Satan. Drew and two of his accomplices were eventually convicted of the murders and sentenced to life in prison.
15. The Kirtland Cult
The Kirtland Cult, led by Jeffrey Lundgren, was an offshoot of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (RLDS). Lundgren claimed to receive divine revelations and convinced his followers he was a prophet.
In 1989, Lundgren and his followers murdered five members of the Avery family, including three young children, in an attempt to cover up the group’s illegal activities. Lundgren and several of his accomplices were eventually convicted of the murders and sentenced to death or life in prison.
Source:
Read Next:
Martha A. Lavallie
Martha is a journalist with close to a decade of experience in uncovering and reporting on the most compelling stories of our time. Passionate about staying ahead of the curve, she specializes in shedding light on trending topics and captivating global narratives. Her insightful articles have garnered acclaim, making her a trusted voice in today's dynamic media landscape.
