Salzman, also known as Prefect, was a former nurse and trained hypnotist. Vile Dederich declared that, "having an abortion is like squeezing a boil, nothing more.". At the height of its influence, Synanon was an organization of more than 1,300 members. Thriault thought they worked together like ants, coining the cult name, The Ant Hill Kids. He married his followers to each other to eventually void them and later began having sex with his followers.

You have permission to edit this article. Hamilton-Byrne claimed to be all 28 childrens biological mother. He also sexually exploited them to recruit male followers. All thought the experience was beautiful. The organization spread, but Dederich wasnt satisfied. Synanons presence in Havasu, however, was part of a larger scheme by the organization. But he nearly lost his life as a result of his investigation into Synanon. The rattlesnake lashed out too quickly for Morantz to react. According to Morantz, Synanons weapon of choice was a matter of cost. Soon the OK on violence would spread to "splitees," suspected thieves and perceived spies and enemies. I would add weird, disturbing and creepy! This resulted in him speaking out against the Order of the Solar Temple, which would play a part in the groups plans to participate in a mass suicide. Morantzs name was mentioned in the tape along with threats to get the wives and children of adverse lawyers. It was read on the Synanon wire while Dederich would bellow when will one of you have the guts to go to LA and do something about him, break his knees. Synanon mobs attacked teenagers and youngsters who got too close to the property. The film stars horror icon Barbara Crampton as the leader of a sinister cult that worships a sea-dwelling deity. He convinced them to take part in human sacrifices since he held the belief that different parts of the human body had different powers. It was first offered to the selected few as an honor, but the entire population was eventually targeted. (West Magazine, l967, Morantz archives on Synanon) It became the format of destructive cults. Ultimately, it purchased an arsenal of high-powered weapons, developed its own security force and in an isolated concealed valley across its airfield called Depot Flats, it set up camp to train the Imperial Marines. He was convicted of murder and died by lethal injection on October 24, 2006. Its ultimate doom came when Dederich and members tried to kill by means of a de-rattled rattlesnake in the mailbox, Pacific Palisades lawyer Paul Morantz who was battling Synanon in the court and trying to expose the Foundation for criminal conspiracies. In l977 in Santa Monica, Synanon took in a woman in a pre-psychotic break, and would not return her to her husband and transferred her to Tomales Bay. Each Tripper was to write a paper on some feeling or admission. As these juveniles did not want to be there, Synanon methods failed. View our online Press Pack. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Morantz had prepared for that. Lundgren members rented a farmhouse for his followers to live in, which would of course come at a price. WebOnly five weeks before Jonestown, the bite of a diamondback rattler introduced many Americans to Synanon, a California cult molded by Charles E. Dederich; two members of Synanon's Imperial Marines were soon charged with placing the snake in the mailbox of attorney Paul Morantz, winner of a $300,000 judgment against Synanon for an ex-Synanite. ( Dederich tapes on Synanon history; Tony Lang, Synanon, Guy Endore, Synanon, Gerstel Paradise, Inc). It will produce a new breed of human beings with greatly expanded potentials. The two other Synanon Imperial Marines, one of whom was Lance Kenton, son of musician Stan Kenton, pleaded "no contest" to charges of assault and conspiracy to commit murder. He read Emersons "Self Reliance" and using it as a bible he quit his job to devout full time to cleaning up other Alcoholics. he rattlesnake lashed out too quickly for Morantz to react, and its fangs sank into his wrist. When the two married, the group radically changed. I hope he has left the army because of me but I can understand, having been in the military, why someone would want to serve their country's armed forces. WebIt was the heyday of the human-potential movement, when Americans were rushing off to therapists couches, new-age movements like est, religions like the Divine Light Mission, alternative communities like Esalen, and cults like the Peoples Temple and Synanonmany of which began in California.

It was founded as a tax-exempt, non-profit organization in 1958 by Charles Dederich for the purpose of rehabilitating drug addicts and engaging in research and public education. quick-thinking neighbor saved the lawyer's life. His following grew as he drugged and sexually violated female followers. Another of Thriaults wives, Gabrielle Lavalle, experienced severe abuse; she had lost several limbs, had her head smashed in with an axe and was nearly killed until she fled and contacted the police. This town got together for a reason, Masden said. The Marin County Supervisors, including Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein did not want to take a public position against Synanon as it was a constituent. How can the government say Ireland is a neutral country? He was sentenced to life in prison and died on November 19, 2017. Dederich preached "Act as If" which meant do not try to reason as to what Synanon asks they do; as thinking got them there, just trust what they were told and act as if it is right. (Dederich, "Act as If)." At age 4, when his father died in an auto crash, his mother, an accomplished pianist, made him the family male figure and her favorite. Each soldier carries an M16 rifle and a 9mm pistol sidearm. (Tony Lang, Synanon, Morantz archives on Synanon). Susan Atkins, Leslie Van Houten and Patricia Krenwinkle were also convicted; Van Houten is the last surviving and remains in prison. When they became free from The Familys shackles, they went to the authorities to tell them of the horrors at the house. Which cult do you find the creepiest? WebShannon Airport has been used by the US military on their way to/from wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere for over a decade and a half. Di Mambro and 12 high ranking members recreated the Last Supper just days before they carried out the first mass suicide. I believe force is sometimes necessary to enforce peace; in the sense that police sometimes have to use force on the streets. According to Morantz, Synanons scheme for Havasu was simple. We held an assembly at the old junior high school to talk about it. Ex-Synanon members heard from members inside Synanon, that they had Morantzs address and that he was next, While Morantz was meeting with the California terrorist unit and LAPDID (intelligence) for protection on October 10, 2008, Synanon Marines Joe Musico and Lance Kenton, son of band leader Stan Kenton, as part of conspiracy with Dederich and other top officials, placed a 4-foot rattle snake sans rattles in Morantz's mailbox. Low 49F. According to Langerveld, members of the cult had entered Havasus medical profession, ingratiating themselves in the community as they made house calls, performed routine checkups and conducted business in the city. Order of the Solar Temple was an amalgamation of other ideologies belonging to the Knights Templar, New Age, Evangelicalism and freemasonry. This was the end of the Ant Hill Kids. The call was traced to a Synanon-owned building on Aviation Boulevard. (Casriel, So Fair a House, Yablonski, The Tunnel Back: Guy Endore, Synanon; Charles Dederich tapes on history of Synanon, Columbia Pictures: Synanon). Upon listening to The Beatles White Album, Manson felt as though the band was speaking directly to him and warning him of a race war, Helter Skelter.. Some cried for their mothers. Other journalists who took on Synanon were LA Times reporter Narda Zuchinno and CBSs Connie Chung. Dederich declared when he moved to The Home Place in Badger he did not want ex dope fiends around him (Gerstel, Paradise Inc.). Whichever body parts were not used as part of the ritual were buried on their Matamoros property. Synanons purchase of over $200,000 dollars of weapons from a single gun store also brought media attention. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Julie Moncharsh recalled: "One boy, who was mentally retarded, was physically beaten because he did not do the 20 push-ups he was assigned. At age 8 his youngest brother died of influenza and Dederich felt guilty and responsible. He married, but drinking ended it. It was known for communal living, A Los Angeles District Attorney search warrant led to a discovery of an audio tape wherein Dederich bragged of beatings that had occurred, the Imperial Marine training, and said one day the message would be delivered to everyone "Dont mess with Synanon. Justice of the Peace Gene Milam talks to reporters after the 1978 arrest of Synanon founder Charles Dederich in Lake Havasu City. The children were told to hide when there were any visitors. (Morantz archives on Synanon, People vs Dederich, IRS vs. Synanon). A Synanon mob beat Gambini in front of his family. Robson wrote back the mission was accomplished (Garfield-Robson letters). Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Concerns by California officials created the potential for Synanons charitable trust status to be revoked, Morantz said. One was four months pregnant. Information from former members of the cult quickly identified two of Synanons Imperial Marines as suspects in the snake-attack. accounts, the history behind an article. When asked if any children were on the property, she denied there were any there at all. Applewhite used the internet to acquire more followers through their Higher Source website and even ads in the newspaper. The women wore long, very plain dresses, Masden said.

According to investigators, the 13 officials were accused of conspiring to sell unregistered Home Place stock over a two-year period, from Sept. 1978 through Dec. 1980. Teeth were knocked out. Members were subjected to pedophilia, adultery and incest, including Zerbys son, Ricky Rodriguez. The Marines were led by Dr. Douglas Robson who would eventually flee in fear of arrest and set up practice in Seattle. Be Proactive. For more information, please visit TIME's Privacy Policy. A Catholic Workers group broke in and damaged a US navy passenger plane. Slasher: Ripper Star Eric McCormack On Playing A Diabolical Character In The Shudder Series, Invoking Yell: Black Metal Meets Queer Women In New Chilean Found Footage [Unnamed Footage Festival 2023 Review], Stalker Star Stuart Brennan On The Claustrophobic New Thriller, This #1 Thriller Series Netflix Has Viewers Fired Up: Cancel the plans and press play, All The Horror Films Coming to Monsters & Nightmares in April 2023, The Artifice Girl Trailer: A New Twist On AI Horror, The Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God.

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Jones was found with what was believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his head following the mass-murder suicide. Synanon declared bankruptcy and dissolved in 1991. According to Lake Havasu City resident Barbara Masden, now 82, Synanon members were instantly recognizable. He proclaimed to have a vision of a nuclear attack and when it would occur, causing him to move his church from Indianapolis to San Francisco. After complaints about child abuse attracted attention in the press and visits from the police, Dederich ordered followers in 1976 to stop having kids, saying: I think children are a very bad investment.". Follower and wife, Solange Boilard, was killed after yet another failed operation from Thriault. He volunteered for a Dr. Keith Ditman LSD experiment and felt he had a cathartic break through and now understood the world and that good and bad were the same. Aids, who did their homework, provided ammunition to the Conductors on each Tripper. Then they started to get more political, and started buying more real estate here. A little creepy, but interesting to say the least! Synanon would send people to the compound in Havasu to make them better people. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Mitchell had tried to warn authorities, without success, that Synanon was going to try to kill Morantz. Some laughed, others howled and sobbed. On an October afternoon in 1978, Lawyer Paul Morantz reached into the In 1971, Manson was convicted of first-degree murder. This is how the cult went undetected for years. Heavens Gate rented a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe to live in until they saw the Hale-Bopp comet, the marker they had been waiting for, to graduate from the Human Evolutionary Level. Asahara believed the end of the world would happen in 1996 or 1999-2003 and that the only ones who would survive would be his followers. More than 80 people had been attacked by Synanon, Morantz said. But it wasnt too long before I knew it was true, Morantz says. WebSynanon is a US-founded social organization created by Charles E. "Chuck" Dederich Sr. in 1958 in Santa Monica, California, United States. Paddy Wagons awaited Synanon protesters. All such "notions" Dederich declared were also a "squeeze" to get rotten fruit out of Synanon (those who will not obey). He stumbled backward as the four-foot serpent tumbled from his mail chute. About 60 percent of us thought they were bad news, Langerveld said.

WebTo stand out in front of Marines as a Marine Officer is to lead each battle on every front, to ensure both the welfare of those you fight alongside, and the success of our Nation against His meeting with Havasu residents, as well as their reaction, is a memory thats special to him 40 years later. The "Game" could be considered a therapeutic tool, likened to group therapy; or a social control, in which members humiliated one another and encouraged the exposure of one's innermost weaknesses, or both. I am quite willing to break some lawyer's legs and next break his wife's legs and threaten to cut their child's arm off. He was passed out when he was arrested for the assault and attempted murder of Paul Morantz. In not too long of a time, Synanon commenced training the Imperial Marines in Depot Flats in the Badger Mountains and then attacked over 40 people (some attacks were before Marines trainedDederich, "New Religious Posture, Dont Fuck with Synanon. Then it went to war.