The 4 O'Clock murders was a coordinated shooting of four people at the same time on June 6, 1988, at three locations in Texas led by Mormon fundamentalist leader Heber LeBaron of the Church of the Firstborn.[1][3] Heber was the successor as church leader to Ervil LeBaron (nicknamed the "Mormon Manson" after Charles Manson)[3]: 4 of the similarly named Church of the First Born of the Lamb of God. Ervil had previously orchestrated the murder of several others he perceived as apostates.[4][5] Authorities say the religious organizations were responsible for over 20 deaths over several decades.[6]
| 4 O'Clock murders[1] | |
|---|---|
| Location | Houston, Texas, Irving, Texas |
| Date | June 27, 1988 4:00 PM (Central Time Zone) |
Attack type | Murder by shooting |
| Weapons | Guns |
| Deaths | 4 |
| Victims | Mark Chynoweth (38), Duane Chynoweth, Jennifer Chynoweth (8), and Eddie Marston[1] |
| Perpetrator | Aaron LeBaron[2] |
| Assailant | William Heber LeBaron, Douglas Lee Barlow, and Patricia LeBaron |
| Motive | Following commands of religious leader to punish specific apostates. |
Depictions
editThe murders were depicted in the 2024 Hulu documentary Daughters of the Cult,[5][7] and the 1992 book The 4 O'Clock Murders: The True Story of a Mormon Family's Vengeance.[8][3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Wheeler, Brian (February 17, 2017). "Anna LeBaron: How I escaped my father's murderous polygamous cult". BBC News. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ "LeBaron gets 45-year sentence". Deseret News. Associated Press. June 13, 1997. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ a b c Anderson, Scott (1992). The 4 O'Clock Murders: The True Story of a Mormon Family's Vengeance. Doubleday. ISBN 9780385419048. Retrieved April 10, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Cannon, Lou (August 7, 1977), "Violent Death Shadows Polygamist Sect", Washington Post
- ^ a b Sager, Jessica (January 9, 2024). "'Daughters of the Cult': Who Was Polygamous Cult Leader Ervil Morrell LeBaron?". People. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ "Former cultists face trial on charges linked to four slayings". UPI. January 9, 1993. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ Pereira, Ivan (January 10, 2024). "Daughters of the LeBaron cult detail the violence and fear that was a way of life". ABC News. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ Katzenbach, John (February 17, 1993). "Book World: The 4 O'Clock Murders". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 10, 2024.