MASARYK UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
Department of English Language and Literature
The Tragedy of Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas
Bachelor Thesis
Brno 2020
Supervisor: Author: Mgr. Zdeněk Janík, M.A., Ph.D. Libor Muselík
Bibliografický záznam
Muselík, Libor. Tragédie sekty Davidánů ve městě Waco v Texasu. Bakalářská práce, Masarykova univerzita, 2020.
Muselík, Libor. The Tragedy of Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas. Bachelor Thesis, Masaryk University, 2020.
Anotace
Bakalářská práce „Tragédie sekty Davidiánů ve městě Waco v Texasu“ se zaměřuje na konkrétní odnož křesťanské sekty Adventistů sedmého dne, která má český překlad Odvětví Davidiánů. Její historie v Texasu začíná na konci 30. let 20. století přestěhováním do menšího města Waco. A právě tato skupina na sebe na jaře roku 1993 na dva měsíce strhla obrovskou mediální pozornost, v USA podobnou přistání člověka na měsíci. To kvůli šílenému vůdci, dvěma neúspěšným útokům agentů amerických služeb, přestřelkám jako z Divokého západu a obléhání jako z časů středověku. Bohužel toto obléhání skončilo tragédií a požárem s desítkami obětí. Cílem této práce je v prvních kapitolách prozkoumat historii této sekty, poté přiblížit její apokalyptické lídry, a poslední kapitoly popíší samotné obléhání a tragické rozuzlení. Výzkum pro tuto bakalářskou práci se uskutečnil během mého studijního pobytu na McLennan Community College a v Texaském archivu Univerzity Baylor. Obě tyto instituce sídlí ve městě Waco, kde se tyto události odehrály. Součástí výzkumu je také rozhovor s profesorem z Univerzity Baylor, Robertem Dardenem který napsal knihu, jež je považována za nejvěrnější popis oněch událostí a byl jejich očitým svědkem.
Annotation
The bachelor thesis “The Tragedy of Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas „will focus on a particular branch of Christian protestant sect called Seventh Day Adventist, called Branch Davidians. Their history in Texas begins in the late 1930s by moving to a smaller town Waco. This group in Spring of 1993 had drawn complete media coverage on itself, in the US comparable to the Moon landing. All this because of a mad cult leader, two unsuccessful attacks
1 of federal agents, shootouts that remind The Wild west and besieging like in the Middle Ages. Unfortunately, this siege ended tragically in flames with tens of victims. The goal of this thesis is to examine the history of this cult, then to illustrate the apocalyptic leaders and the last chapters will describe the siege and its tragic unfolding. The research for this thesis was done while studying abroad at Mclennan Community College and at Baylor University’s Texas Collection Archive. Both institutions are in Waco, Texas where these events took place. Part of the research is an interview with Baylor University Professor Robert Darden who wrote a book, that is taken as the most truthful retelling of the events as they unfolded and is an eyewitness to these events.
Klíčová slova
Náboženská sekta, Davidiáni, Waco, David Koresh, Benjamin Roden, FBI, ATF, Adventisté sedmého dne, odnož Davidiánů, Texas, Victor Heuteff, obléhání, útok, apokalypsa, kult, vůdce, tragédie, sekta
Keywords
Religious sect, Davidians, Waco, David Koresh, Benjamin Roden, FBI, ATF, Seventh Day Adventist, Branch Davidians, Texas, Victor Heuteff, assault, siege, apocalypse, cult, leader, tragedy, sect
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Declaration
I hereby declare that I have worked on this thesis independently, using only the sources listed in the References section. I agree with the placing of this thesis in the library of the Faculty of Education at Masaryk University with acceess for academic purposes.
Brno, 20 April 2020 ………………………… Libor Muselík
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Acknowledgment
First, I would like to thank my supervisor Mgr. Zdeněk Janík, M.A., Ph.D. for his valuable suggestions, help, and scholarly comments. I also want to express my gratitude to John Hillman who helped me greatly at the beginning of my research. Lastly, I would like to thank for all the support from my family and friends.
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Table of contents
1. Introduction ...... 6 2. Brief introductions to Religion in the United States and Texas ...... 7 3. Early History of Adventist of the Seventh Day ...... 8 3.1 Are they a cult or a sect ...... 9 3.2. Victor T. Houteff ...... 9 3.3. Florence Houteff ...... 13 4. Ben Roden ...... 15 4.1. Lois and George Roden rivalry ...... 17 5. The childhood of Vernon Howell ...... 18 5.1 Vernon Howell joins the Branch Davidians ...... 19 5.2. Vernon Howell’s exile to Palestine ...... 21 5.3. Vernon Howell versus George Roden ...... 24 6. David Koresh as seen by Marc Breault ...... 26 6.1. David Koresh turns bitter ...... 28 6.2. The ATF starts to investigate ...... 29 6.3. David Koresh as seen by David Thibodeau ...... 31 6.4. Mistakes of the ATF ...... 33 6.5. The Raid Begins ...... 35 7. Davidians under siege ...... 38 7. 1. Trying to get people out alive ...... 39 7. 2. The last day as seen by David Thibodeau ...... 42 8. Conclusion ...... 45 Appendices ...... 47 References ...... 53
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1. Introduction
I was still undecided about what should the topic of my Bachelor thesis be. But when I was given the opportunity to study at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas. I started doing research to learn more about Texas and Waco in particular. I was expecting my search engine to show me cowboys or scenery. But instead, it showed large compound engulfed in flames. This was a result of a standoff between the FBI and a religious group. Which in April of 1993 ended this tragically. Interested in how such a small group managed to stand against the FBI for 50 days. And why did it end so tragically. After learning this I knew that I want to write thesis on this topic and learn the background to this event.
Studying in the lovely smaller Texan Waco, gave me plenty of opportunities to continue my research. Inhabitants of Waco still had this event in their memory. The Texas archive of local Baylor University offers large collection of artefacts from the events of 1993 and prior. And I had the opportunity to do an interview with an eyewitness and co- author of a book named: Mad Man in Waco: The Complete Story of the Davidan Cult, David Koresh and the Waco Massacre, Bob Darden. I also got to see the property, just outside of Waco where the vents took place.
The paper is divided into 8 main chapters, which chronologically introduce the beginnings of this sect until the deadly confrontation with the FBI agents. Along with this the main leaders and prophets of this group will be introduced. First part is about the early beginnings of this sect and its formation by Victor T Houteff, his theology and the leaders that followed his wife and Benjamin Roden. Middle part is centred about the fateful figure of David Koresh whose illegal actions brought the attention of American federal agents upon his group. Last part is about the Agents of Burau of Alcohol, Tabaco, and Firearms conducting investigation and making an arrest on David Koresh. Thus, setting in motion chain of events that will eventually lead to the fiery tragedy. This thesis hopefully sheds some light on this event, which is not well known in the Czech Republic.
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2. Brief introductions to Religion in the United States and Texas
The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all Americans. For this very reason the United States throughout history became a safe heaven for those who were religiously prosecuted or wanted to practice their faith in their way. This eventually led to many new religious ways branching and finding its way from the mainstream religions compared to Europe.
“Since the Puritans first set foon on this continents, America has been a fertile ground for new religions” (Stark et al. 347). “A substantial number of sects to be found in America were the result of religious schism somehere (usually Europe), and they came to America through emigration of large numbers of sect members- sometimes even the entire body” (Stark and Bainbridge, 132).
Texas is part of the American South, in a religious context called, “Bible Belt”. It is a quite useful expression to describe the importance of Scriptures to The South (Wilson, 172). Protestant Christianity is South’s most dominant religious front. What interests’ observers is how to a remarkable degree for a modern Western culture, the South adheres to traditional Christianity. It believes in a supernaturalism reminiscent of medieval Europe. Traditional faith remains the prevalent form, its hold on the hearts and minds of people quite firm. In certain parts of Texas Roman Catholicism continues to be strong still. (Hill, 1, 18).
“Four comon covictions distinguish serious religion in the eyes of southern religious: 1) the Bible as the sole reference point, 2) direct and intimate acess to the Lord, 3) Christian morality defined in the terms of indivualistic and interpersonal ethics, 4) informal, spontaneous patterns of worship. Baptist- like approach scores high on all four tests and is the most popular form of southern religious life” (ibid., 15). “The once religiously homogenous South is less and less that way, notwisthanding the staying, and adaptive, power of evangelical Protestanstism” (ibid.,19).
Given the above, we can conclude that Texas is a good place for a Bible study group of Davidians to move to. As it is very religious, Christian Protestant and evangelical (meaning conservative).
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3. Early History of Adventist of the Seventh Day
This chapter depicts the early days of what later became Davidan sect under their first leader Victor T. Heuteff. Then it narrates the life experience of Heuteff and events which negatively shaped his religious outlook to the point that he established his own sect, with him as a leader. The second sub-chapter describes the leadership of this sect after Houteff’s death.
The Adventists were a Christian sect, originating from Millerites, whose members strongly believed in Apocalypse. For instance, on 22nd October 1844, The Great Disappointment occurred, when Founder William Miller’s prediction on the Second Coming of Christ failed to materialize. Miller had an unsuccessful record in that area, having missed three earlier dates for the end of the world over the previous year and a half. His followers in white ascension robes, standing by open graves waited expectantly all day and all night for the heavens to open up and the trumpets to sound. When Midnight passed and all were still standing by their graves, the group (at one time his followers numbered 100,000) splintered into smaller sects or drifted away completely (Bailey and Darden, 16).
Despite their prophet’s failures to correctly predict the Apocalypse, one group of discouraged, however still believing Millerites continued to meet in Washington, New Hampshire. Influenced by teachings of the Seventh-day Baptist Church, the Adventists began keeping a Saturday Sabbath. Fundamentally Protestant, the Seventh-day Adventists accept the Holy Bible as their rule of faith, though the teachings of preacher James White and his wife Ellen White still play a central role in determining questions of faith and morality. Their faith is strongly Evangelical. Meaning very conservative, they believe salvation is possible only through grace and belief in Jesus Christ as a personal saviour. From their beginnings they teach of imminent arrival of Christ’s return and establishment of God’s kingdom lasting for 100 years, called Millennialism. Admittedly no one could yet predict when. Because of these teachings of upcoming Apocalypse, promising wonderful afterlife for those who believe, White accumulated a large following from the poor masses. These people found hardships in climbing the social ladder in a tough era of the mid-1800s, but a promise of better prospects probably made them attracted to White’s teachings (Bailey and Darden, 16-17). Newport writes in his book Branch Davidians in Waco:” They are “Seventh-day”, that is they observe the seventh day of the week as a Sabbath, but they are also “Adventists’, that is, they look expectantly for the second advent of the Lord “ (32).
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To clarify, Sabbath is the day reserved for religious worship and abstinence from work. For mainstream Christianity this day falls on Sunday, for Judaism it is Saturday. The other distinction from Christian religious stream is that these followers would usually follow a strong central figure that would set the course. In addition, study the Bible to release new teachings and writings. Seventh-day Adventists, later in short SDAs.
3.1 Are they a cult or a sect
This terminology will help us classify new religious movements as Seventh-Day Adventist and later Davidians. Especially later when being referred to by media, they were usually labeled cult. Mariam-Webster dictionary defines sect as a:” a religious group that is a smaller part of a larger group and whose members all share similar beliefs “. Whereas cult as: “a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious: voodoo cult, a satanic cult”
New religions appear in numerous distinctive ways. The most common way of origin is through division. Groups split from established religions, to found new groups. If they stay religiously closely to their former tradition. They are identified as sects. Completely new groups or deviant from established religions are identified as cults. As well as established religions imported into different society. Christianity would be a cult in India the same as Hinduism is considered a cult in the United States (Stark et al., 347).
Even though these two expressions are often used loosely and interchangeably, it is correct to classify early Davidians as a sect, splitting from an already established sect The Seven Day Adventist. In 1981 in the United States there were 416 religious sects, leading states are Tennesee, Utah, and Indiana with texas at 33rd place. The main bodies from which these sects separated counting down are: Pentecostal, Holiness, Baptist, Adventist, and Methodist. (Stark and Bainbridge,141, 146)
3.2. Victor T. Houteff
The story of Branch Davidians in Waco begins with Bulgarian man Victor T. Houteff (see fig. 1) His name is pronounced HOT-if. He was born in Raikovo, Bulgaria on 2nd March 1885. Not much is known about his early life apart from information given by one of his future 9 followers, George Slater. He was raised in Greek Orthodox Church, but soon became disillusioned when members of his Church destroyed his shop in a riot against him. His business prospered, because he undercut the local market. His angry competitors first threatened, but later took matters to their own hands. With rocks destroyed Houteff’s shop and fired guns into the air to scare off his customers. (Bailey, 15). Newport writes that Houteff was to say, that while he had his shop, he would never want to go anywhere as far as America, and even mocked his cousin who ventured there. However when he was falsely accused of conspiracy leading to an armed mob destroying his livelihood he decided to follow his cousin's footsteps. Later he would turn this all to the work of providence. Claiming that same as Moses was driven out of Egypt he too had to escape at a gunpoint (Newport, 49).
Houteff arrived in New York City in 1907 and eagerly started working. First in a restaurant, but soon he saved enough money to move Milwaukee where he joined his brother. In 1919 he opened his small hotel in Rockford, Illinois. There in the year of 1918 he first heard the teaching of Seventh- Day Adventists, he enjoyed the preacher's sermon and returned several times. He became a member by being baptized on May 10, 1919. As an enthusiastic convert he financed building a new place of worship. Following he made a wrong business decision, selling his hotel to run a grocery business failed, eventually he sold it at a loss. Around 1923 he was in California and was feeling ill. Listening to the advice of SDA minister, he went to Glendale Seventh-day Adventist Sanatorium in Los Angeles (ibid., p. 50-51). It was his experience there, that forever changed his perception of the SDA church consequently motivating him to become a reformer. Visibly ill, he was asked to pay 25 dollars deposit fee, he did with a check, but it took several days before money arrived from the bank. No doctors or other medical staff checked his condition while he waited at the sanatorium grounds, only serving him water. This accident forever changed his outlook on the SDA Church, saying: “they lost their initial purity of vision and purpose” (Bailey and Darden, 17-18).
As a result, once he got released from the hospital he delved into intensive Bible study. Coupling it with teaching at a Sabbath School at Los Angeles in 1928, despite his difficulties with English. Around that time a life-changing event happened. He received a revelation, believed it and began to teach it with eagerness. For this reason, his students kept coming, they became interested and started inviting others. Thus his Sabbath school quickly grew to 60 numbers a substantial portion of the church’s congregation. Frightened, church authorities tried to deny Houteff a place to continue his preaching. So he did find a room somewhere else and people continued attending. Being desperate, the church official expelled Houteff from the
10 building for good. And warned others, anyone who attends his meeting, reads his literature will be met with the same fate, but that did not stop many of them from further following Houteff. (ibid., p. 18).
Heuteff continued studying and writing for 2 years and drafted what he called The Shepherd’s Rod, Volume 1. His major publication, that revealed divine truths that were revealed to him in a prophecy. It is also built on the Bible and teachings of Ellen White, the original Adventist. The name is taken from Moses’s rod. The main goal of the publication is to aim at practicing SDAs, to inform them of a fast aproaching event, the reformation of the church is needed for the end is coming, that would purge the sinners and reward those who are enlightened by his knowledge. He wanted to distance himself from SDA, putting himself on a pedestal by saying:” Branchings were never forks in the road, but a matter of leaving the unenlightened at a lower level” (ibid., p. 19).
In 1932 and 1933 Houteff wrote Sheprheds’s rod 2 and 3, while SDA groups continued to condemn his teachings and print booklets, that called his work a heresy. Despite their best efforts Heuteff’s following continued to grow. Tired by constant harassing by the leadership of Los Angeles SDAs Houteff decided it was time to move his followers to a more rural setting (ibid., p. 21-23). For this reason, Houteff now bared a similar role to Jesus Christ in the history of Christianity: a prophet who found himself without honor in his own country. By 1935 Houteff travel to Texas to look for a property to move in. Texas was chosen for its centrality as Israel was between Egypt and Assyria, so is Texas between North and South America. Correspondingly Texas bears Biblical similarity to Israel in climate and land type. After considering a few options and thoughtful prayer, Waco again in the center of Texas was chosen and 190 acres sized property was bought. (Newport, 56-57).
On 19th May 1935 those ready to move to Waco, met in San Diego. The group consisted of 12 people from 7 families, both being important Biblical numbers, pleased Houteff. On 24th May they arrived in Waco. As the property was on a hill name was decided after Biblical mountain in Israel, Mt Carmel. Thus Mt. Carmel Centre was born. (ibid., p. 57-58). To Houteff the property was perfect, large and cheap on a nice elevated spot above a lake. Far away from the city to be away from the world and its corrupting environment. It was far away to be considered in city zoning, so they had land to freely build a church, a school and living quarters. The constructions began with First Tithe and donation money Houteff gathered in California, followers and supporters of Shephard’s Rod from all over the country were invited. In 1937 the population of Mt. Carmel grew to 75. The plan while building everything was to assure that 11 they would be self-sufficient as possible. The Sabbath was for praying and Bible Study. Houteff was doing his sermons finally in piece. Meals served in the communal cafeteria were all vegetarian. And everybody had to work, even children weren’t left out. Five years old children and up had four hours of studying in school and four hours of physical labour each day. (Bailey and Darden 28-29). This demonstrates that early life and building of Mt. Carmel must have been quite challenging, nonetheless fulfilling as they as a community built their livelihood.
Around the same time on 1st January 1937 Houteff aged 52, married one of his followers, teenager Florence Hermanson (see fig. 2), thirty years younger than him. She was a tall and pretty teenager with very long hair. Together they had no children. Second try on picking the name for their group was successful, the first one was too long and awkward. The new name they settled on was “Davidians”, as their goal was to establish a “Davidic” kingdom in Palestine. The means how to support Mt. Carmel financially was by a new “Second Tithe” for all Davidians. It did not matter whether they lived at Mt. Carmel or elsewhere, they would hand in roughly 9% of their income to Houteff. Further donations were also highly appreciated (Bailey and Darden, 29-30).
In the following years constructions continued. There sometimes was bickering for power when Houteff was gone for personal or missionary travel. Or failed experiment happened when children were separated from their parents to their gender-differentiated dormitories, which lasted for just a year or so. As the United States entered the Second World War in December of 1941, Davidians cut off from the outside world, were one of the last ones in Waco to learn about it. Still their young men had to enlist. Similarly as those professing SDA or faith similar they too wished to work in non-combat, pacifist roles. They often served as medics and wound dressers when they could, and tried to maintain their vegetarian diet, which turned difficult in the Army (Bailey and Darden, 32-33).
Heuteff worked hard on spreading his work and delivering it to all current and possible new believers. He spent a lot of money on printing his work of pamphlets and booklets sending them regularly to a huge mailing list of more than 100,000 SDAs. At its peak, they were printing 48,000 pieces of religious literature every two weeks. Discouraged by the low efficiency of this method, he came with an idea to send between 20 to 30 “field workers” for what he called “the Hunting” they would go into the world to meet SDA families and recruit new members. By this time Houteff also deals with never-ending financial problems by selling unused parts of their property as the city of Waco grows closer to them. (Bailey and Darden 35). This technique of personal recruitment prevailed for many years into the future to the times of David Koresh. 12
After years of his health state getting worse, On 5th February 1955 Houteff dies as a consequence of heart and kidney failure. His followers believing, he worked too hard and overworked himself to the death.” I think he overdid himself, taxed his physical strength,” Seather said. “He wasn’t made out of steel, although you’d think he was He was on the go all the time. Nothing escaped him. He was watching everything. Everything” (Bailey and Darden, 34-35). Many Davidians were dumbfounded by his death, they would believe that he would not die before the Millennium. On his death bed he was to pass the leadership to Mrs. Heouteff, while trying to teach her one of his last prophecies coming from Revelation 11, but ultimately, he was not able to. Thousands of people attended his funeral, some claiming it was the biggest funeral Waco had ever seen (ibid., p. 34-36). This concludes the end of Victor T. Houteff, the man who established Davidians in Waco, admittedly his prophetic apocalyptic visions did not come in his lifetime, but 40 years later.
3.3. Florence Houteff
After Heouteff’s death a big crisis struck the community. Some were unable to understand how somebody who was supposed to rule a literal kingdom in Israel could have died. Some believed and hoped that he would soon be resurrected. Another issue was the fear of the community of Davidians splitting into pieces as four people made claims to usurp the leadership role (Newport, 95-96). Fighting was between Wolfe, Bingham, Roden and Florence Houteff. As she put herself into a leadership role before, as her husband’s health was dwindling and with the claim of succession being approved by Houteff, she was chosen as the next leader. Thus the crisis of separation stopped, Florence started working hard and studied the Bible for hints on predicting the next prophecy. Especially Revelation 11, as her husband advised her so. This gamble to bet on 22nd April 1959, to be the day of the outbreak of war in the Middle East, preceding the establishment of the anticipated divine kingdom, ultimately turned out fateful to the reputation of Florence. Consequently, almost led to the end of the Davidian community. But for now, it gave the Davidians purpose again, a date to look forward to. (Newport, 95-97).
Mrs. Heouteff continued selling the property with profits as the city of Waco kept growing, that Houteff started to fund his “hunting campaign”. As a result, they were left with a small piece of land and commercial houses started to grow around them. To distance themselves from the city again Mrs. Houteff purchased large 941 acres property near Elk, 12 miles from the center of Waco. Around December 1957 the building began again at a “new” Mt. Carmel. 13
Construction started with church, new headquarters, an office building, eighteen homes and a variety of farm buildings were also built. Along this the prophetic date was fast approaching. What exactly is going to happen was depicted as follows. War breaking out in the Middle East will clear out the region, thus making space for God’s Kingdom, which then Davidians inhabit. Purification of their Church and the rest of the population by the coming of Lord. There also was a theory claiming that the world’s religions will unite against Communism. Some claimed that their late leader Houteff would be resurrected as well that year. To all Davidians Mrs. Heouteff sent out a call to come join them at Mt. Carmel for the glory day (Newport, 100-103).
After the announcement more than 500 people started arriving from different states in the US and Canada. People who packed their families, sold their homes, farms and sometimes businesses, and head out to Waco when they got the notice. A plenty of them were interviewed by local reporters, these are their stories: “We were living in Narco, California, when we received the notice to assemble in Waco,” Tommy Thompson, a lean, weather-beaten man in his 60s recalled. “I owned a trenching machine business. “After we received the notice, we sold the business, our home and furniture. We packed the rest of our belongings-our bedding and cooking utensils-in the car and a rented trailer and brought them with us” (Bailey and Darden, 45). It can be concluded that people who came, really believed in Mrs. Heuteff’s prophecy. Same as Tommy Thompson above many others, that agreed to an interview confirmed that they burned bridges behind them, sold their properties and livelihoods took their children with them and together came to Waco.
Finally, 22nd April has arrived, and everyone enthusiastically awaited when it is going to happen. Some thought it will be right after midnight, ad stayed up late to wait for it. Others expected it with dawn. Then noon, they prayed together and waited (Bailed and Darden, 47). As nothing happened, some remained hopeful as the event was supposed to occur somewhere around the date. However, as days moved on, people had lost faith and this event ruined Florence Houteff’s career. A committee was established to figure out where did it go wrong, one of the possible reasons was that this prophecy should have been kept secret just between the members of SDA. Many of the Davidians converted back to SDA. Florence Houteff resigned. (Newport, 104-108). Bailey and Darden’s book have the reasoning for Mrs. Heuteff resignation: “At a meeting held in March 1962, the council members, including Mrs. Houteff, formally presented their fellow Davidians with the resignations, accompanied by a message that, Mrs. Houteff claimed, was the result of careful Bible study. It said that they had discovered that some key teachings based on concepts Heuteff, Mrs. Heuteff, or Ellen White had elaborated
14 were not supported by the Bible, and that they were no longer sure that The Shepherd’s Rod was infallible” In addition, representatives voted for dissolving the General Association of Davidian Seventh-day Adventists, consequently Mount Carmel Center was formally closed. (54). Ultimately, this is the end of Davidians as established and imagined by Victor T. Heuteff.
4. Ben Roden
This chapter describes Ben Roden (see fig. 3) and his family. Roden is the one who would attach the name Branch to Davidians, thus giving them the name under which they are known today by almost everybody in the United States. It also depicts how they overtook what was left behind from the former dissolved Davidians.
Ben Roden came to the scene quite early, visiting Davidians for some time at Mt. Carmel. Later in 1955 as a contender for the role of a leader after the death of Victor Heuteff. Unfortunately for him, he was in Israel with his family when the election was in full swing, thus unable to make a serious impression. When he returned with the aspiration to persuade people to vote for him, it was too late and Mrs. Houteff had already won (Newport, 97). Seather recalls: “On October 10, 1955, Benjamin and Lois Roden (see fig. 4) returned from Odessa, Texas with their children and a new convert, a Davidian ministerial student named Perry Jones. Benjamin Roden demanded control of the compound, claiming to have received a message while working under a car in Odessa that he was the anointed “Branch,” the new leader of the Davidians. When the Davidian elders refused the Rodens insisted that everyone stop work and pray with them” (Bailey and Darden, 39). The Rodens were intimidating people with large builds, and frightened the gentle, pacifistic Davidians. Roden calling himself “the Branch” was possibly a reference to Houteff using this expression and Roden trying to establish an association between them (Bailey and Darden, 39).
The Rodens believed they were the only spiritual successors of Houteff’s message. In addition, the owners of Mt. Carmel as well. Their chance to finally usurp the leadership finally came after the dissolving of old Davidians. Only a few were left at Mt. Carmel and they could not oppose when the Rodens with their followers came to take over (Bailey and Darden, 56). Roden had some lengthy legal issues when acquiring the property, between the former Davidians and him. He was determined to own it because, in a message from God, he was instructed to lead God’s people in Waco. He finally did on 27th February 1973 (Newport, 128).
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The description of the Rodens by Dr. Dan McGee, who got invited to visit them for Passover a Jewish holiday, that was for Davidians the most significant.: “George Roden, a scary-looking character, was always moping around in the background. They never allowed me to talk with Ben Roden alone. Lois was always with him. It was very clear that she was the quick-witted one” (Bailey and Darden, 61). Another description is given by a well-known attorney from Waco, at whom ben Roden left a good impression: “Ben Roden’s appearance, mannerisms-he could have been a professional man, president of a corporation. He was a fine- looking man, very impressive, very straight-forward, a nice-looking man. I never did see him when he wasn’t dressed in a business suit, just like he was going to a business function. He was courteous extremely courteous- very intelligent, I thought. Lois Roden was a strong woman, I always sort of visualized her as a pioneer woman. She had strong hands and she had a strong, firm conviction about things. They were a team” (ibid., p. 61-62).
Roden spent the next couple of years at Mt. Carmel by continuing to study theology and produce his works. (Newport, 128). His written pieces are fairly similar to the works of Houteff. Containing the alike use of fractured verses analyzed by unfathomable logic. However he was obsessed by two notions, that separated him from Heuteff. First was the establishment of the Davidic kingdom in Israel, with him as the ruler, he called it “the Temple”. Second was hatred for Catholicism. His dislike for Catholics was quite disturbing, for a leader of a rather peaceful community. He used to write a conspiracy slander pamphlets like” Catholics Crucifing Nixon!” from 1974. Where he claimed Watergate of being Catholic conspiracy for establishing Papal control in the US. Aside from spreading their literature Rodens would often travel to Israel to continue their preparations and encourage their believers that for prophesized moving and Kingdom establishment there is still coming. (Bailey and Darden, 62-63).
An interesting thing happened to Lois Roden in 1977. She explains that as she was studying the Bible at 2 am. She looked out of her bedroom window and a shining, silver anglel flew past. She told reporters: “Nothing was said. But I knew right there the angel represented the Holy Spirit Mother. It was feminine in form,” she explained. “Until that moment, I had always thought the Holy Spirit was masculine” (Bailey and Darden, 65). This message received media coverage and established Mrs. Roden as the next prophet. But was not universally popular by all the residents of Mt. Carmel. Perry Jones, one of the Davidians remembers: “I thought it was blasphemy, I couldn’t sleep at night,” (ibid., p. 65).
Other than that, the state of the compound was not very nice. Junked cars lying around, building that needed new coat of paint and some barracks needed completely new rebuilding. 16
The health of Ben Roden, at that time 76, was also dwindling and he passed a year after his wife received the message of the Holy Spirit. In his last year of life, he was greatly comforted by her vision and worked with his wife on spreading their feminine Holy Spirit message (ibid., p. 65-66). When Ben Roden died, he left behind the community in better shape than when he found it. Property settled, leadership as well, with his wife assuming the role of a new prophet with her latest vision. On the other hand, nothing ever came of his goals and prophecies. Like establishing “the Temple in Israel for his followers (Newport 130).
4.1. Lois and George Roden rivalry
This chapter describes Lois Roden’s leadership of Branch Davidians and the struggle of her son George Roden (see fig. 5) to take the role of the leader from her.
After Ben Roden’s death, Lois Roden assumed the role of leader of the Branch Davidians and immediately declared 40 days of mourning for her late husband. But as she had her agenda of spreading her message she often left for long trips to Israel. She especially did not care for involving herself in daily activities at Mt. Carmel. Nevertheless she did not think that her son George was a good enough representative in her absence. She just did not see him as a “Temple builder” that his father was. This eventually led to another power struggle (Bailey and Darden, 66).
George Roden was not used to being left out. His parents would bring him everywhere with them. George suffered from Tourette’s syndrome, giving him tics and twitches of body. As he grew up he believed that his father groomed him for taking his role after his death. George also told a story of how his father Ben Roden in a moment of weakness when Lois was in Israel for 3 years, unsuccessfully showed interest in his daughter, that resembled Lois. George Roden was to say: “I told all at Mt. Carmel Center that if my wife had been away from me that long, that I would rape every woman in the house.” He also tried to run for an office of the president of the United States, but his rambling, populist ideas and speaking style earned him no supporters (Bailey and Darden, 62-65)
When George called for a vote between the Davidians to decide on a new leader. He again lost to his mother. He then decided to deal with this at court and brought evidence that he was to be the appointed leader, he did not win this case either. As a result Lois was forced to ask for a restraining order to keep George out of Mt. Carmel (Bailey and Darden 68-69). Despite
17 the restraining order George Roden was a regular visitor to Mt. Carmel and still pursued the dream to be the leader of this community (Newport, 156).
5. The childhood of Vernon Howell
This chapter’s focus is Vernon Howell (see fig. 6,7), who later renamed himself to David Koresh. He will later in life becomes favourite leader of Branch Davidians. But his unfortunate upbringing is probably reason if his twisted nature that was later revealed.
Vernon Wayne Howell was out of wedlock born on 17th August 1959. In Houston, Texas to a 14 or 15-year-old Bonnie Clark. His young mother could not keep a stable relationship and Vernon was placed into the care of his maternal grandmother for three years (Newport, 172). As his mother came to claim him after getting into a serious relationship with Roy Haddleman, little Vernon was furious. You are not my mother, he shouted. His family then moved a lot and he had to often change schools. He had trouble keeping up with others in school and the reason for it might have been dyslexia. “Though several years in a Dallas program for the learning disabled later taught him to compensate, the other kids would always make fun of his disability. “Retard” was the word kids called him on the playground. He spoke in later years of an attempted rape by three other boys when he was seven (Bailey and Darden 70). “Howell was later to claim that he had been sexually abused as a child by a group of older boys.” There are also claims that he was beaten and abused by his stepfather. (Newport, 172). Newport also writes, that later when having long chats with FBI negotiators, Howell would talk about how kids shouting “here comes the Retards” deeply hurt him (173).
His mother was raised as an SDA and Vernon would attend church with her as a child. (ibid., p, 173). In junior high school Vernon fell in love with two things: the electric guitar and the Bible. Bonnie Haldeman said that Vernon had “memorized much of the New Testament before his 13th birthday” (Bailey and Darden, 71).
Vernon’s mother Bonnie in her book Memories of the Branch Davidians: The Autobiography of David Koresh’s Mother claims, that Vernon, who repeated first grade, did not have dyslexia but a reading disability. “Kids who have this disability have high IQs, but just can’t get certain things” (Haldeman, 15). One of her memories is of Vernon stopping her drunk, angry husband Roy, Vernon’s step-father, from beating his little step-brother. Vernon stepped
18 in and punched Roy. From this must have come Vernon's later mantra to never punish children when angry, she claims (ibid., p. 16-21).
Bonnie recalls that little Vernon loved going to church and wanted to attend church school and so he did for 2 years. In his teenage years his hobbies were guitars, rock music, fishing and girls. He started listening to radio preachers. As he continued to study the Bible, he grew frustrated, with preachers in church for not sufficing him with answers. He asked questions and they would tell him to shut up. He asked his friend, “We’re reading the Bible about all these prophets. Where are all the prophets today?”. And she told him about Lois Roden Living in Mt.Carmel, Waco. David said that he want to go see and meet those people, so she took him there. He began studying there under Lois Roden, who started to like him, he was astonished by the spiritual information he was getting and was missing for so long Soon his knowledge and prodigy started to be recognized by others (Haldeman, 25-27).
5.1 Vernon Howell joins the Branch Davidians
The following text it about Vernon Howell’s beginnings with the Davidians. It depicts how he won them over and quickly and charmed everyone. He then very quickly assumed the position of prophet and a leader. It also shows the rivalry between him and George Roden.
Vernon dropped out of High School to stay with his friends, while going through a variety of jobs, carpentry was one of them. He returned to live with his mother for a while and attended her SDA church with her. Bailey writes: “He was a cocky, smart-mouthed teenager with an extensive knowledge of the Bible, and quickly became something of a pariah among the church members. At one point, Howell told the pastor of the church that God had told him to marry his underage daughter. The pastor refused to allow this.” After a series of disruptive events when during sermons, Howell was disfellowshipped (Bailey and Darden, 71).
After this, he learned about Branch Davidians in Waco. With dwindling membership, he was taken in with open arms by Mrs. Roden. In addition, his carpenter skills were highly appreciated after he helped repair old buildings that were built in 1959 in quite a rush. Who disliked young Vernon from the beginning was George, who found the presence of another young male threatening. And his suspicion was correct. “At some point in 1983, Lois anointed Vernon as the next prophet, bypassing George completely. She also sent out a call to all Branch Davidians to return to Mt. Carmel to hear Howell’s prophetic message. It seemed as if she was
19 suddenly losing interest in spreading the concept of the feminine Holy Spirit. Lois’ announcement enraged George” (Bailey and Darden, 72). As George was slowly losing his mind over this, his next escapade was holding a Baylor University student, Mrs. Martie at gunpoint as she wanted to leave Mt. Carmel in her car. She visited the compound on a couple of occasions to learn about the theology of Lois Roden and to write a thesis about it. But George was convinced that she is a reporter and was there to hear only their side of the story, and she must also hear his (ibid., p. 72).
All this time Mrs. Martie wanted to interview Lois for her thesis, but was allowed to interview Perry Jones, now already established Davidian, and Vernon Howell as he was being appointed into a role of a new leader. But thanks to her, we get an outlook into how Howell talked to people. She also remembers how Perry was amazed by Howell: “He began to talk more about what Vernon was saying as we went along. I don’t think he understood it, but he was excited about the possibility and the new prophet and that something good was going to happen.” And this about Howell from her experience: “I found him arrogant rather than charismatic. The interviews were frustrating. We didn’t talk, he did. He went on and on about Revelation. I noticed nothing connected in anybody’s mind but his. To him, all Scripture was prophecy for his picking and determining what it meant. He alone knew. There was something horrible wrong if you didn’t agree. There was no following him, he was all over the place, but he clearly had stepped fully into the position of being a prophet.” (Bailey, 73).
Another description of Howell is from Baylor University professor Alan Robb who accompanied her student, who wanted to do a research paper on Branch Davidians and had an interview with 2 women scheduled, into the compound. There he got to meet Howell and they conversed for about 30 minutes. Alan Robb recalls: “He was not the least bit scary in any way. He was a very, very impressive character, very sure of himself, very knowledgeable in a knee- jerk way about the Scriptures. He had the capacity for making you feel like you were the center of the universe, when he talked to you, that you were the only thing that counted, that you were very important to him and to whatever he was pitching… I had no trouble understanding how he was able to control or attract people. It wasn’t so much based on knowledge of the Scriptures as it was on absolute sureness of mission and absolute clarity of being right about it. He was the kind of personality that would indeed attract people. I’ve been around this sort of thing all my life and I understand how it works very well, and he had a great talent for it… He had a real capacity for reading people fairly rapidly.” (Bailey, 75).
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From these two recollections of people that got to meet Howell during his beginnings with the Branch Davidians. We can recognize that he was a captivating speaker. However, it did not work on these two people with academic background, but on his followers that were already interested in religion and theology and were looking for a purpose. On them he had tremendous success with his ability to put together pieces of the Bible. Confirming that he memorized it as a child.
The most possible explanation of how Howell was able to gain his quite large and loyal following, is in his teachings. In the New Testament is a part called the Book of Revelations. Most western scholars find it the most apocalyptical and strange part of the Bible to read. In it Seven Seals are briefly mentioned, but they are nowhere near to being the centerpiece of the Book of Revelations and the Bible. Many scholars throughout history tried to interpret the words, mainstream theology believes it is a prophecy of the End Times. Vernon Howell built his following by interpreting the Seven Seals. He started by explaining that only “the Lamb of God”, God’s son – Jesus Christ can interpret the Seals and open them (Reavis, 102-104).
He came with his true interpretation of the Seals to his believers, he was able to explain the Seals satisfactorily, in his followers’ eyes. Thus, to them, he was who he claimed to be, another reincarnation of Christ. The first 4 Seals were open and the rest will be in upcoming events, he would say. Then he and his followers used this logic look down upon on other Christians: “If it’s a mystery to you, that means you’re an imposter, you’re not a servant of God”, Steve Schneider would say (ibid., p. 106). Thus, making themselves feel superior. Howell would preach:” If the Seals were given to the servants of God, and you didn’t understand them, you weren’t really a servant. One became able, to be a servant of God, by learning the Seals. Learning is the way to redemption.” And “You can’t believe in what you don’t understand” (ibid., p. 106). Of course, one can only learn them under his wings, nowhere else. Howell would criticize other Churches, claiming they teach what they do not understand. If Howell wanted new possible converts, he interpreted the first seal to them, and there was 6 more to go and they would always want to know more and did come for more, the divine knowledge you could not find anywhere else (Bailey and Darden, 104-107).
5.2. Vernon Howell’s exile to Palestine
Perry Jones liked Vernon so much that he wanted to become his father in law. On 18th January 1984, Howell marries Perry Jones’s 14years-old-daughter Rachel (Marriage in Texas 21 is legal at the age of 14 with parental consent). But at the same time Howell established a sexual relationship with Lois Roden. “According to Marc Breault (pronounced “Bro”), a former Branch Davidian who later provided much of the information used in the various federal indictments against Howell, Howell openly bragged of his seduction of the 67-year-old Lois Roden” (ibid., p. 74). People in the compound believed that the relationship was strictly Howell’s way of strengthening his hold over the Branch Davidians, much as he had married Rachel Jones to cement his relationship with Perry Jones” (ibid., p. 73-74).
George Roden found out about this affair, when by calling his mother at the only phone at Mt. Carmel which was by her bed. Howell was the one who would answer the phone. George returned to confront him with a demand for marriage between Howell and his mother. Lois Roden admitted the affair to his sister and claimed she is very happy, but Howell denied this accusation in front of George. Consequently, George started interrupting Howell’s bible studies up to two times a day. Carrying on his belt his .357 Magnum revolver and frightening Howell’s listeners’ (ibid., p. 74-75).
In June 1985 George Roden fulfilled his lifetime dream and seized the control of the Branch. After a year and a half of harassing Howell and people at Mt. Carmel with his small group of followers. With a usage of mailing lists and calling for an election for a new leader, he was elected as the head of Davidians. He immediately changed the name of the compound to “Rodenville” and forbid Howell and all his followers to entry. Howell was forced to relocate and bought a property in the middle of woods near Texan town Palestine, where they set up a camp. It is said that Howell was pleased with both the biblical correlation of the name and unreachability of this location (ibid., p. 78). Given the above, we can see eager was George Roden to overtake Vernon Howell and how much this meant to these people.
Living in the camp in the middle of the woods was rough, “ramshackle plywood boxes, a tar-paper shack, and several rusted buses looked like a 60’s hippie retreat…toilet facilities consisted of individual plastic buckets.” Sandra Gines, from Tribune-Herald newspapers reported (ibid., p. 78). Bonnie Haldeman, Howell’s Mother who would go visit and live with them there for short periods, claims that she enjoyed her times there. Spiritual Bible studies under big pine trees with chairs in a circle. People lived in empty school buses, that were easily heated by stoves in winter. “It was rustic, but it was fun” she says. (Haldeman, 34-35,53).
There and then Marc Breault, one of Howell’s favourites, noticed himself a shadier side in this rising messiah. At that campsite where for the first time Vernon Howell had absolute, unrivalled control over his small group of followers. “Breault told of eight-month-old babies 22 beaten by Howell until their bottoms bled, for crying during Bible studies. He told of Howell openly bragging of sleeping with uncomprehending preteen girls and adding the wives and daughters of his followers to his harem. In fact, Breault independently confirmed many of the claims originally made against Howell by George Roden some years earlier.” With Howell controlling everything, everyone and no one to respond to, he started doing what he wanted. His rule got tougher, his teaching more radical, his tactics more confrontational. And soon after he began lusting for Mt. Carmel to dethrone his rival George Roden. These were made by Breault and one of Howells’s wives that escaped his influence, Robyn Bunds (Bailey and Darden, 78-79).
George’s victory turned bitter-sweet and he couldn’t enjoy the spoils of victory for very long. His mother came front in 1985 and in McLennan County court again demanded her son to be removed from the property, because he again violated eviction notice from the year of 1979. Since George was such annoyance to local lawyers by constant lawsuits against everybody, 43 to be precise, none would work for him and he had to defend himself. George’s testimony was: “Vernon Howell always has a so-called prophecy from the Bible when he wants to seduce a woman and this is the way he defiled my mother and says that scriptures are responsible, that is, God is responsible. His tactics are to keep the people under his control by keeping them up all hours of the night and deprive them of their sleep and then the food to scarceness and drilling them hour upon hour” Without evidence, this all sounded like lies and slander, so there was no continuation. However, witnesses later, like Breault, confirmed these claims (ibid., p. 79-80).
In all this chaos on 10th November 1986 Lois Roden dies, the reason is probably breast cancer, but Spartan life, constant stress and lawsuits and two unsuccessful prophetic messages also must have taken its toll. But another set of unpleasant news is brewing for George. The school district requests their tax money, so another legal suit begins. (ibid., p. 81). In the United States residents and communities pay tax their local school districts and from them the schools are funded. But since Davidians since the start taught their children in the compound, they didn’t feel the need to pay their taxes. Over the years it accumulated into this sum: “since 1968 they owed McLennan County 40,175 dollars and the Axtell Independent School District another 22,484 dollars a total of 62, 660” (Bailey and Darden, 81). If this money would not be paid, the local sheriffs would evict and sell the property.
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5.3. Vernon Howell versus George Roden
Mishandling of buried bodies in makeshift cemetery, and alleged tries of resurrction of Anna Hughes a 20-year-old corpse of a deceased Davidian follower by George Roden, finally gave Howell reason to go confront him. Armed and dressed in camouflage they went to go search up Mt. Carmel for evidence. His followers, fully obedient at this point, did not oppose this dangerous plan. And so, on Tuesday, 3rd November, 1987 George Roden and maintenance worker Donald Williams, the only people in the compound at that time, were ambushed by 8 fully loaded “Palestinians” and a 45-minute-long gunfight ensued. Hundreds of rounds of bullets flew through the air, but miraculously barely anyone was injured. The tree that the large silhouette of Roden was hiding behind was riddled with bullets but held long enough until 11 cars of law enforcers arrived (ibid., p. 83).
Howell’s mother says it went like this: George Roden dig 20 years buried body of Anna Hughes and challenged Howell to a miracle. Whoever of them resurrects her, becomes the next prophet. Howell enraged by this went to Sherrif in Waco but was told that they can not act on this without evidence. They armed themselves for protection, because they knew George always carried a gun with him. Trying to get into the chapel to obtain some photographic evidence for the police, they were spotted by George as they were sneaking around. He opened fire at them. As it turned out George was outgunned so he quickly ran hide behind a skinny tree that he was too big for. Soon after police came and arrested Howell and his group. (Hidleman, 55-58).
Howell and his band of complices waved at the officers and were genuinely surprised when they got, disarmed, handcuffed and promptly sent to McLennan County Jail. All 8 of them were charged with attempted murder and bond was set at 50 000 dollars for each. Roden was quickly treated in hospital for small wounds on his right arm. He enjoyed all the media attention that came with this gunfight and used it to spread his conspiracy theories and anti- Howell message (Bailey and Darden, 85).
In a week “Palestinian” followers raised enough money to bail Howell and one of his henchmen out of the cell. And somehow even gathered enough money to pay for the school tax put upon Mt. Carmel as well. While at court they asked judge Logue to enforce the restraining orders that were issued against Roden over the last decade. But in the end, it was his constant abuse of a juridical system that got Roden into jail. After many unheard warnings to stop the patience was gone, U.S. District Judge Walter S. Smith, Jr. has had enough with Roden
24 behaviour and sentenced him into jail for 6 months. Perry Jones finally led others back to Mt. Carmel (Bailey and Darden, 84, 88).
The following court case was well orchestrated by Howell. He was charming as ever to make the best impressions on the jury during his testimony. Claiming it was all self-defence and that he came just for investigation and painted Roden as power-hungry, demanding brat, who wanted to drive off anyone who could be a rival to him from the community. He also filled the courtroom with lovely modest dressed children and their happy mothers to support the picture of a happy community. The prosecution’s accusation was that Howell and his henchmen were paramilitary group going there for assassination. If it weren’t for the tree that caught 18 bullets that Roden was hiding behind he would be most certainly dead. But when George Roden came to give his testimony, it did more harm than good. He was very rigid looking from his now few months stay in jail. This combined with insufficient treatment for his Tourette syndrome he was twitchy and incomprehensible. He again rambled about him being the Messiah and admitted that he tried to resurrect Anna Hughe’s body three times. After few days to make a decision, on 25th April, the jurors found seven of the eight accused not guilty. They were split on Howell, and judge Fitts declared a mistrial. This meant postponing it to the future (ibid., p, 90-93).
After this George Roden’s life turned into a downward spiral. He again started suing everybody that wronged him for damages in sums of millions of dollars and his stay in prison was prolonged for his multiple violations of restricting orders. After his release he returned to his native Odessa and on October 18, 1989, he murdered a 56-year-old unarmed man, claiming that he was hired assassin sent by Howell. But he was found innocent, the reason being his insanity and rest of his life he lived in the Vernon State Hospital in Vernon, Texas. Conversely for Vernon Howell things could not be better. He organized few parties for his victorious lawyer Coker and few jurors. Opened a vegetarian restaurant near Baylor Campus and on August 28, 1990 legally got his named change to David Koresh (ibid., p. 94-95).
Change of his name was of biblical significance. David is of course important name for Branch Davidians, as they believe in establishment of God’s Davidian kingdom after apocalypse. Howell believed he would be the one reign over it. Koresh is another Biblical name, that is also connected to foretold apocalypse, thus Howell settled on David Koresh (Newport, 216-217).
I had the opportunity to meet with Bob Darden 18th December 2019. He is the co-author of the book: Madman in Waco. I have asked whether he got to meet David Koresh he said he 25 did, on a few occasions: “I did maybe 3-4 times, at the newspaper and then for maybe a couple of years before the assault. I would see him around town at different places, he would always come up and say hi, because he knew I was working for Billboard and he wanted to be Rock and Roll star. The last time I saw him was just a couple of weeks before the siege at the Dairy Queen (a restaurant chain) on Bosky and New Road, he called himself “The Sinful Messiah” so he could do everything, but they couldn’t. So, he is sitting there eating a big hamburger and a milkshake and stuff and he is preaching to them and about 20 of his followers are sitting there, watching him eat hamburger, drinking water and listening to him preach. That was the last time I remember seeing him. But there were people, who saw him the day before (the siege) in town (Darden).
6. David Koresh as seen by Marc Breault
This chapter is mainly from the point of Marc Breault, enthusiastic Davidian convert, that soon saw through now Koresh’s façade and decided to do something about it. Koresh and Breault met shortly after Perry Jones recruited Breault in California in 1986. Breault was introduced to Koresh and the two of them bonded over music and theology. After frequently hanging out with Californian Branchers, he decided to follow Koresh to Palestine (Bailey and Darden, 96-97).
After his legal victory Koresh would enjoy traveling and recruiting new members in California, Australia, Hawaii and Israel where he would visit families of Branch Davidians and put them under his spell. Invite them to join him in Waco, tell them about him being the “Lamb of God” and often persuade the parents to let him have their daughter for the night, so he can plant his seed (ibid., p. 100).
But soon enough as Koresh’s power grew, his true colours started to be shown. And so when Koresh started boasting to the whole group that he is having sex with 13 and 14-year-old children, because it is the will of the God and Bible prophecy at once, no one had much issue with it. “Koresh gave a blow-by-blow account during Bible study of his original rape-physical, not just statutory-of Michele.” There were plenty of other cases like this. Breault started to despise this behaviour and wanted to be sure, so he would spy on Koresh and when he saw underage girls enter his bedroom at night and leave at early morning, it was confirmed. He would make some effort to talk Koresh out of this, but there was no result. But ultimately it was a new, upcoming prophecy that leads to Breault finally leaving (ibid., p. 96-102). 26
“The new Light” he called it and brought it up during a 13-hours-long Bible study. This new divine revelation made him the only male in the compound that could procreate, only he is entitled to sexual privileges. All the marriages were annulled all the wives now belonged to him. Of course, this did not sit well with the married couples. But as he explained, sex is a violent sinful act and big burden and he is doing everyone a great favor to take this awful thing upon himself. Men and women were also separated into their gender-separate living quarters, with chosen women would join Koresh in his harem for nightly pleasures. Unbelievably most of the men ate this up and for only a few of the couples was this last straw. One of those couples was Marc and Elizabeth Baranyai, who got married 3 months ago. Together they fled to Elizabeth’s native Australia (Bailey and Darden, 100-104).
This could be a new beginning for Marc, blank slate. But he couldn’t get over his conscience of what he let happen for so long, how many people he recruited himself into Koresh’s arms. So, he decided to act and started to turn around his followers in Australia. Knowing it won’t be an easy task and Koresh had people hooked on his words. He took an idea from his rulebook and used Bible, but this time to prove that David Koresh is no “Lamb of God”, but a liar and child abuser that uses incomprehensible Bible verses to get what he wants. And people listened, turned their backs against Koresh. When he learned about this, he was furious, he went down to Australia to confront Breault. But Breault knew which tricks Koresh uses and was prepared, deflecting his arguments, he left Koresh mad. Koresh called him Judas, spewed threats, but when others saw Koresh defeated like a prey for the first time, his magic fell off. Defeated he returned to lick his wounds to Texas and Australia became off-limits to David Koresh (ibid., p. 104-108).
At almost the same time in California in Branch Davidian house where David Koresh had his harem of women and children and then his “Mighty Men”, as he called them, one of his wives Robyn Bunds announced to him, that she wants to leave with their child. He burst into rage and as a revenge for this treason, Koresh boarded their boy named Wisdom on a plane to Waco. When Robyn came from work and her son was missing, she smartly went to the local police station and told them everything she knew. Leading the police into the house, there they found celibate and emasculated “Mighty Men” meeting and upstairs Koresh and his harem of 20 women. The Police began questioning, demanding answers and if the child is not returned in 48 hours, charges will be pressed. David was no longer at the wheel; his authority was being questioned and everybody saw that. His voice was whimpering, the mighty “Lamb of God”. The man who was dependent on authority the others gave him now confronted by people that
27 knew he should not be entitled to every woman he pointed his finger at. Koresh’s ego took another massive hit, and, in his eyes, he was humiliated beyond the point of return in California, and there was no coming back. He returned his son to his mother. Turned bitter and returned to Waco, to his last bastion where he still was the untouchable prophet (ibid., p. 108-111).
6.1. David Koresh turns bitter
Koresh learned from the mistakes of his predecessors, what to avoid when making prophecies. Without setting a concrete date, you can’t make the mistake as other Branch Davidian prophets before you. Secondly, write thousands of dollars in checks and spend another thousands of dollars on firearms and luxurious cars, motorcycles and music equipment-and then state that “evil men in dark suits will come for us, we must prepare”. Say “there are bad people outside, the “Babylonians”, wishing to take from us what we have” You always need an enemy to dehumanize, of course. And to everyone’s surprise they did eventually come. These self- fulfilling prophecies are what made Koresh actual prophet for the first time in this church’s history. And as you establish yourself as a prophet, which Davidian would go against you, they all know from the Bible what God does to those who don’t obey (Bailey and Darden, 117).
And as Koresh’s turned bitter towards the world, with California and Australia off the limits, he decided to fortify himself in Mt. Carmel turning it into last stand against the “Babylon”. First step, renaming it to “Ranch Apocalypse”. Second on the list, turn the previously pacifist group into warriors by making them watch violent, gruesome movies all day and night long, even the little children. Films like Platoon, Full Metal Jacket and Hamburger Hill. The third step would be Boot camp drills and marching in the Texan summer heat for everyone, even women and girls, while singing marching songs about killing “Babylonians”. The fourth step is to purchase inane amounts of weapons, from shady gun dealers and have it delivered by mail, illegal 50. caliber weapons, conversion kits for assault rifles to convert them into military-grade fully automatic machine guns and have everybody drill with those at a gun range in the compound. The last, fifth step is to convert the compound into a castle. One big building, where you can shut yourself and with 4 stories high watchtower to see incoming threats from miles away on this flat Texan pancake (Bailey and Darden 118-120).
Of course, the compound even with reconstructions to fortify it was built terribly. From cheap materials, quickly and clumsily build. Even after the reconstruction, there was no running water, sewage system and heating. This led to a lice outbreak, cold weather in the winter and 28 people being ill because of it. As a toilet they used buckets leading to diseases spreading by fecal matter and dirty water brought by an old tank on a flatbed truck. All the money that was collected from all the followers was spent not on the compound, but on Koresh’s luxurious lifestyle and hobbies. He was spending incredible amounts of money on muscle cars and top of the line guitars. Visiting Waco music pubs to recruit musicians to play in his band. Drinking in music bars, ending his night preaching with a burger in hand to his Vegetarian followers. That’s how locals remember seeing him in town. To reinforce his role as a head of everyone’s family, everybody lived separately. Men, Women and children would have their dormitories and after 12 years of age they would be separated too. They would be neglected emotionally and educationally. Their education was Koresh’s Bible studies (Bailey and Darden, 119-122).
David Koresh was a narcissist man, who most probably made himself believe that the inner monologue we have in our heads is God instead. And he was very happy with it since God always wanted the same as him, fortunately. And this couldn’t be easily disproven luckily for him. And since he was able to support his lust and desires by well-glued snippets out of the Bible to a devoted believers, and once he established himself as the ‘Lamb” or “God” himself, just being in his presence was the reward itself. And imagine the joy of being chosen to procreate with God and carry his child. Those who were sad were those who weren’t favourite and couldn’t serve their God more (Bailey and Darden 138-141).
6.2. The ATF starts to investigate
At the beginning of 1992 it all started collapsing on David Koresh from many angles. Robert Cervenka, neighbor and Vietnam War veteran, who knew a lot about firearms, informed the local Sherriff about gunshots and explosions being heard from the compound. And he recognized that the sounds weren’t semi-automatic, a type of gun you can buy legally. But these were sounds of fast-firing fully automatic rifles and machineguns, that only the armed forces should have access to, not civilians. Then there was a lawsuit from David Jewell, who’s ex- wife and teenage daughter, both taking part in Koresh’s wives club, were living in the compound. He after being contacted by Marc Breault started a legal battle to get custody of his daughter. Third being, after these accusations a child welfare investigator Joyce Sparks got to see the compound and get a very scripted tour of the compound, but just basing on how people behaved around her, she could tell something wasn’t right. Koresh was preaching to her about upcoming “military-type operation” and that the non-believers will suffer. The fourth piece of
29 the puzzle was UPS delivery driver Larry Gilbreath, who was delivering a lot of packages to Mt. Carmel. But when one of them broke and revealed 50 empty hand grenade cases, he started to be suspicious, especially since he delivered them to a place looking like a fortress and less like a church community. He delivered it and went to report on this to local Sherriff’s deputy Gene Barber (Bailey and Darden, 122, 150-153).
Barber contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and on June 4th, 1992 met with special agent David Aguilera and informed him on everything they had on the Davidians. Waco’s local newspaper Tribune-Herald decided to make an investigative report on Koresh independently, around the same time. Aguilera did his research, first started with weapons investigation. He did plenty of interviews with former Branch Davidians and soon he learned about weapons and the intercourse with underage girls that is happening there. Jeannine Bunds told him about delivering 7 of 15 Koresh’s children with mothers as young as 12. She also gave testimony of often practice and shooting with weapons like AK-47, for which they did not have a license. This affidavit later made public would form the basis for launching the ATF operation (Bailey and Darden 151-154).
In early December 1992, 4 undercover agents moved to a house close to Mt. Carmel and started to collect information on them. One of them Robert Rodrigez under a fake name “Robert Gonzales” pretended for 3 months to take interest in joining the cult. Koresh liked him and often preached to him his truth about the Seven Seals. Rodriguez would join them for many occasions while trying to figure out the might of their arsenal and how trained they with it they are. Others were able to see through his cover, but Koresh decided to show him their good side, turn him in and make him convince his superiors that they are not a threat. (Thibodeau, 138- 145)
Was the ATF justified in believing that the Davidians had bad intentions with their Arsenal? Probably yes. With the evidence they gathered from Joyce Sparks, who when she went to inspect the children was told by Koresh that he is the messenger of God and then says this: “the riots in Los Angeles would pale in in comparison to what was going to happen in Waco, Texas”. “That it would be a military-style operation and “non-believers” would have to suffer”. Combined with ex-members, like Robyn Bunds, talking about drilling with weapons and watching “training movies” which were war films. This explains why the ATF main concern was stockpiling weapons for sinister reasons, while using gun trading operation as cover. (Newport, 241).
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What the ATF did probably unjustifiably as later turned out was using military equipment and personnel in this sort of operation. Using military assets on US citizens is only possible if waging war on drugs. And the ATF deliberately labeled Mt. Carmel as a place where Methamphetamine is being made. While avoiding the fact that this was true at the time of George Roden, who hosted 2 meth dealers/manufacturers. But after overtaking by Koresh, he was the one to report this to authorities, to get rid of them and destroy the lab. The ATF received training at Fort Hood. They also asked for Bradly infantry fighting vehicles, but this request was denied. But from Texas National Guard they did receive the support of 2 Apache Attack Helicopters and one Blackhawk transport helicopter to be used as a distraction on the day of the raid. (Newport 243).
The investigation documents from Texas Archive at Baylor University, proves that the ATF really put a lot of time into the investigation of the Davidians. They mainly investigated the arsenal they might have. But they also put heavy emphasis onto child protective services worker Joyce Sparks’ testimony, who provided them with numerous cases of potentional child abuse and rape as well as potential unsafe gun environment (Robert, Box1, Folder7).
6.3. David Koresh as seen by David Thibodeau
A survivor of the forthcoming events David Thibodeau and author of a book: A Place Called Waco, later republished as Waco: A Survivor’s Story, gives unique insight on how it looked like inside of the sect. He as a young drummer was discovered by Koresh in California, when he was trying to find new bandmembers and have a breakthrough in the music industry. Interested in Koresh and his community Thibodeau visited the compound on a few occasions and moved in in the year of 1990. Most importantly Thibodeau confirms and denies some of the claims made against Koresh and Davidians.
He confirms the statutory rape on many occasions made by David Koresh. That year after marrying 14 old Rachel Perry, which is legal in the state of Texas with parents’ consent, he came with a vision or God’s message to make a child with her younger sister Michelle at that time 12-years-old. David said he struggled with the idea, but eventually was supported by almost everyone at the sermons where he discussed it, even by Michelle’s parents who took it for divine honour to bless a procreation of God’s child. In the following years, Koresh impregnated other young girls: 14 years old Karen, 17 years old Robyn bunds, 13 years old Aisha and many others joined the “House of David” (Thibodeau 103-105). 31
In 1989 under the revelation of “New Light” stated that all the wives belonged to Koresh, many others with joy and pride to serve him joined his “house”. But Koresh was picky and wouldn’t take every woman that wanted him. He would choose only the attractive ones, claiming “shouldn’t God’s children be beautiful”? By the year of 1993 Koresh had sexual relationships with 15 women and fathered 17 children with eleven of them (Thibodeau 106- 107).
Thibodeau denies the claimed child abuse. And says Koresh would treat them well, if they fell asleep during Scripture and that he was touchy-feely with the kids. There was a small room with a wooden paddle called the “Helper” that was used to show to a child how to behave, when simple words and a speech wasn’t enough. He also confirms the statement of Koresh’s mother about disciplining children when angry. Saying that Koresh had a rule to never administer punishment when angry and would persuade other parents to do the same. However, he also remembers Koresh paddling his firstborn son Cyrus quite harshly, because as his successor, he should lead a better example for the other children. (Thibodeau 112-115).
For the gun hoarding accusation. Thibodeau claims that it was as a business to them, not an instrument of harm or defence. As one of their entrepreneurships was car garage, where they fixed cars, so was this. He says that they would buy gun parts cheaply, put them together and sell them at gun shows together with “survival gear”, a vest that women made with dummy grenades attached to it. But Koresh as a gun re-seller had failed to obtain a license and pay fees to trade weapons legally, he used their middleman gun dealer McMahon for that. Thus, giving the ATF reason to get a search warrant permission. The agents were paid a visit to gun dealer McMahon, a business associate of Davidians, and he offered them the opportunity to go visit Koresh’s armoury in the compound, as he was with Koresh on the phone. They refused, showing they were already set in pushing their narrative of gun hoarding, Thibodeau claims. And continues, target shooting was seldom, but even women were taught how to handle a pistol. Koresh also held a strong Texan outlook on protecting your family and property and later said in a video recording: “Nobody’s going to my home, with my babies around without a gun in their face. That’s just the American way” (120-123).
On the other hand, this generous showing of goodwill by Koresh, offering to show the ATF agents their guns, is probably insignificant in the big picture. Koresh knowing that agents would take on this offer, he would have plenty of time to hide the guns or take them away. This is most certainly the reason the agents did not react to this offer (Newport, 257).
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6.4. Mistakes of the ATF
To this day it is very speculative why the agents continued with the operation “Trojan Horse” on Sunday 28th February of 1993, because the odds were stacked heavily against them on that faithful day.
The best way to separate the head from the body, would be to arrest David Koresh when he is out of the compound. Difficult to believe, but Koresh was seen many times in Waco in February, even though he must have felt the ATF’s surveillance, news reporters calling him for interviews about allegations and with secret inside collecting intel on him, despite all this he continued his life like normal. He was spotted 2 times in a Chelsea Street Pub, shopping once a week at Richland Mall. And one shop owner claimed that Koresh stopped by 3-4 times a week. (Bailey and Darden, 161). Thibodeau claims that throughout January and February him, Koresh and others would often go jogging on country roads straight past the houses the undercover agents were living in. On these occasions he could be effortlessly taken into custody. (148).
ATF came with sequential explanations, first that Koresh would not leave the compound, that was quickly debunked by local media. (Bailey 161-162). And then ATF intelligence chief said in 1995 at a congressional hearing that even if the agents saw Koresh in the previous weeks, they could not arrest him for not having the warrant for arrest. That was obtained only 3 days prior to the raid. And later saying that the illegal firearms were not bought under his name thus they would not be able to proceed with arrest and a charge. (Thibodeau 148).
Thibodeau remembers the start of that faithful bloody day by Agent Robert Rodrigez, who was undercover among the Davidians for couple of weeks now, knocking and bringing fresh Waco Tribune-Herald newspaper. Second part of seven, exposing David Koresh and his sins. Today’s was centered about testimony of Marc Breault. Koresh read the newspapers to others and then talked Scripture. An hour later David Jones, son of one of the Davidian veterans Perry Jones, hurried to his father to tell him important news. As he was driving to purchase Sunday Tribune-Herald in a car with U.S. postal service logo on it, he was stopped by a cameraman who wanted to know directions to Mt. Carmel. David shaken by this coincidence stepped on the gas and as he was getting further, he passed by a station wagon full of agents in dark combat gear with yellow ATF and with riot helmets on. The loud noise of helicopters moving towards the compound started to appear in the distance. Koresh then went to visibly
33 shaken Robert and told him: „You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do” and Goodluck while shaking his hand. Agent Robert Rodrigez rushed to call the ATF raid commander, Special Agent Charles Sarabyn that the Davidians know about the imminent attack. (155-158).
The ATF would later claim that it was the media’s fault for leaking the day and time of an attack, especially Tribune-Herald for releasing their investigation just at the time of the planned attack. Tribune-Herald reflects by saying that they were told by the ATF to delay the release by a month and so they did. After a month of waiting they contacted the ATF to tell them, they are going to release the story on Saturday. So, they did, but left out any mention of ATF activity in the newspapers. It is also said that ATF spokesperson Sharon Wheeler contacted two TV station for “contact numbers”, just in case there was some ATF action over the weekend. Thus, reporters from KWTX-TV from Dallas were there from 7 o’clock waiting with cameras in hands – three hours prior to the attack (Bailey and Darden, 162-165).
The most believable theory here is that the ATF was so confident in the success of this operation, that they wanted the media there, to capture their victory. Nevertheless, this did not happen like they imagined and now the press was a fitting scapegoat. The good PR from this successfully handled operation was just what the ATF needed to save itself from upcoming Congress budget hearings, that were coming this March. The amount of resources lost in postponing this operation must have been taken into consideration. Possible headlines calling the ATF “cowards” was something they wanted to avoid as well. Difficult decisions had to be made and they went with continuing the attack (ibid., p. 164-167).
The ATF was in need of good press. Unfortunate Ruby Ridge engagement (hostage situation turned bloody, and the FBI had to take over) made ATF unpopular in the public eye, perceived as incompetent and trigger-happy. Also, female ATF agents spoke about sexual harassment in the agency in CBS’s 60 minutes TV show in January 1993. As a result, talk began inside and outside the government if it were not better for it to be merged with the FBI for example (Thibodeau, 146).
And the last thing that partially must have caused the failure of this operation is the unpreparedness of agents to carry out this raid. Most of them were supposed to be trained in a military complex in 50 miles away town of Fort Hood, on a true to size built for training model of the compound. But few anonymous officers later claimed, that they were brought for the raid the day before and given instructions in the morning. But what hard to understand are the words of Sharon Wheeler, the ATF spokesperson. She told the press later that: „The problem we had was that we were outgunned”. This was quite unfortunate, because their affidavit was to search 34 the compound for a huge list of guns that they were claiming the Davidians had, without preparation for the worst and that is the arsenal being used against them (Bailey and Darden, 162).
In an interview, I have asked him Bob Darden, whether he thinks the ATF did it as a publicity stunt. “Yes, that’s my belief, the ATF was in trouble, as we talked about in the book, there were already talks in the congress about merger with the FBI and this would have been their big show. Big handsome ATF agents with grateful cute little children on their shoulders walking out, while all the monsters are walking out in chains. And my dealings with the FBI and how much the local police, the Texas highway patrol and even the Texas Rangers all hated the FBI guys, they were arrogant, bullies, combat crazy and the local folks knew early this was gonna end bad and kept saying if you do this here is the outcome. And they said, well no, our research shows that if we do this it will... and none of it happened like the FBI said it would. Hopefully there were big changes with that after that and they don’t do this that way anymore. But I don’t think those people had to die, I don’t think the ATF agents had to die, it could have been handled better too.” (Darden)
6.5. The Raid Begins
But now, the die is cast, Operation Trojan Horse is a GO. As with everything in this story so far. The two sides give different depictions of how it all started.
With search warrant by judge Green, a convoy of cars heads out to Waco from Fort Hood. At 9.45 two trucks towing masked cattle trailers, hence the name of the Operation: Trojan Horse, entered the driveway to Mt. Carmel Compound. At the same time the 3 helicopters moved above the compound as the planned diversion. With commanders of the operation sitting in the transport Blackhawk helicopter. (Newport 247).
It was supposed to be a fast, surgically executed plan. So swift that the opposition would not have time to react. Eighty agents separated into three teams were to unload from cattle trucks in 15 seconds. The first team of men ram-opens the front door in seven seconds. Gathered intelligence suggests that only Koresh has access to the armory on the second floor, so the second team was to use ladders to get there faster, before they can redistribute rifles between themselves. The first team going in the front door was to overpower surprised men, expected
35 to be unarmed or with small arms only. The third team of female agents was to locate and rescue women and children on the second floor. Intelligence gathered claimed that at this time of the day, men and women should be separated and be busy with their daily chores. According to plan, the whole deal should be over in a few minutes (Bailey and Darden, 170)
Blake Boteler a former ATF agent in an interview for Dallas Morning News remembers on the day of the attack. He says that after being informed that the Davidians are aware of the attack the mood was grim. Reassured that they were supposed to be “holding their Bibles and shaking” were told to carry on with the plan. Arriving at the compound he was surprised by the size of the compound. As he was moving to the doors they were shut, and bullets started coming through them and the agents immediately started taking cover behind whatever they could. Mostly car engines, because they are dense enough to stop small-caliber bullets. But says 2 agents hiding behind one were wounded by what must have been a .50 caliber Barrett sniper rifle. Immensely outgunned using mostly 9mm weapons, they could not keep up with the opponent’s firepower. Also says that according to Texas Rangers the Davidians fired 10 000 rounds of ammunition while the ATF only 1100 („Larger than anything we'd ever executed “00:00:00-00:08:25).
Thibodeau remembers the event unfolding like this: Panic at the start, women and children were being put aside to safety and the Mighty Men arming themselves with AR-15s. Koresh calmed himself down and were to say to others: “They’re coming, but I want to talk to these people, so don’t do anything stupid. We want to talk to these people; we want to work it out.” And then he walked outside unarmed and said: “What’s going on? There are women and children in here!” while the ATF yelled at the same time: “Police! Search warrant! Get down!” While aiming their weapons at him. As the agents kept coming, David did not lie down, but shut the front door in their faces. Right after that volley of bullets came from the ATF side, missing Koresh, but mortally wounding Perry Jones. Koresh explained to others:” They came all locked-and-cocked. I opened the front door as they were running up, in combat dress, guns aimed and everything, hollering. I don’t know what they were saying, it was too noisy. They just started firing. I fell back in the door and the bullets started coming through. I yelled, go away, there’s women and children in here, let’s talk” (Thibodeau, 158-161).
According to ATF’s agent Balesteros, who was running to the front door it was the Davidians who shot first through them as they shut themselves in. (Newport 247). ATF also claims that there were shot fired at the circling helicopters, one barely missing the head of agent Chojnacki one of the commanders of this mission and agents on the ground. Mark England 36 from Tribune-Herald reported:” Agents wearing blue jumpsuits and flak jackets leaped out of the cattle trucks, throwing concussion grenades and screaming “come out!” But some agents were taking fire even before they could get off the cattle trucks, and confusion reigned” (Bailey and Darden, 169-171).
The two ground teams never made it into the compound and engaged in gunfire in front of the building, while taking cover behind anything they could, mostly behind car engines, that are dense and can withstand bullets. The armory team managed to climb onto the roof, break the entry window with a crowbar and 3 out of six or so managed to enter the room while throwing non-lethal flashbang grenades inside. But because of Davidians armed and waiting, they encounter a barrage of bullets 2 agents were killed, those injured were forced to retreat. During the shootout people at the compound were trying to reach 911 to stop the attack. They got a hold off Sheriff¨s Deputy Larry Lynch. Lynch was unable to persuade the ATF commanders for ultimate cease yet. (Thibodeau, 163-164).
The overwhelming exchange of gunfire lasted for 45 minutes and then for 80 minutes with breaks as Davidians talked to Deputy Lynch. Both sides called foul on each other. Davidians were saying the ATF is shooting from helicopters and ATF was claiming that the Davidians are using machine guns against them, thus they are outgunned. Understandably both sides tried to invalidate these claims later. As ATF agents were lying injured some dead on the now battlefield, law officials started to release their frustration at news reporter teams, that started to arrive en masse. Saying that they have a claim to this tragedy (Bailey, 172-173).
Around noon after 2 and a half shootout a cease-fire was agreed upon so that the ATF agents can fall back and collect their dead and wounded. The ATF agents had to do so unarmed and must have felt every gunner standing aiming at them. The final toll was 4 men fatally shot and 16 wounded and were all hastily transferred to the nearest hospital in a vast arrange of vehicles, like private vehicles, news vans and others. Unprepared for such a large amount of wounded. Unscathed agents were quiet and shocked by how this could happen. (Bailey and Darden, 174-175)
Inside the numbers were 6 dead and 4 injured, David Koresh being one of the injured. Few minutes before the ultimate cease-fire he took a bullet injuring him above his right wrist and left lower torso, around hipbone. His injury looked the worst and he refused painkillers or medical help from the outside. Shaking and moving in and out of pain, his followers thought would die and with him probably their will to resist. Bud Koresh told them he was in God’s hands and unbelievably recovered (Thibodeau 167-172). 37
7. Davidians under siege
Around the time the cease-fire was established the Federal Bureau of Investigation (the FBI) were arriving to the scene, walking into a mess they did not make. But with federal agents dead, this was now in their jurisdiction. What they took over, turned into 51 days long siege. Outlook on the following events is again heavily polarizing. (Newport 253).
Gary Noesner (see fig. 8) an expert FBI negotiator was called upon from Virginia to come lead a group of negotiators with a goal to make the Davidians surrender. Noesner writes about the hardships of this mission in his book: Stalling for Time: My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator, that do not come from dealing with Koresh as one would easily assume. But mostly from dealing with his colleagues from FBI, leaders of operation and much more “gung-ho” and “macho” men Jeff Jamar, and Richard Rogers.
As he arrived in Waco, he was introduced to Jeff Jamar, Special Agent in charge from San Antonio FBI office. He was a big strong man, a “no-nonsense” leader, but with shifting and hot-tempered moods. One of the agents briefed Gary on all that was known about David Koresh and his group, knowing the details is very important in negotiating. The FBI set a perimeter around the compound, one smaller for them, and a larger one controlled by Sheriff, to have the public and press further away. Gary explains that phone lines had to be cut, to block the information from the outside to get a hold of the situation. Meanwhile Koresh kept getting calls from news, to give out interviews. (Noesner, 96-97,104-105).
Shortly before Noesner took over, Koresh released 4 children for having a radio station broadcast his cermon. In a hostage situation, cooperation between negotiators and the rescue team is very important. Thus, when Jamar told Noesner that communication to Rogers, head of Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) and commander of the operation would go through him first. Noesner should anticipated trouble. But, now it was time for Noesner to introduce himself to Koresh. At first, he decided to distance the FBI from ATF, because Koresh and all the people inside saw them as the enemy, “the Babylon”, even though these agencies closely coordinated. Noesner talked to Koresh and tried to establish trust between them and secondly have him release more children. Noesner asked him to explain the attack from their perspective and reassured him that the FBI is here to end this standoff peacefully and investigate the truth. (Noesner, 105-109)
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7. 1. Trying to get people out alive
To assure full negotiation coverage Noesner formed two teams of 5 working in 2 twelve- hour shifts with him as the coordinator. The teams would inform each other and together form a strategy that he made sure was consistent. Another part of his job was to brief the FBI agents of the rescue team Rogers and agent in charge Jamar. Koresh would release more children releasing the count to 12. But at the same time, the Hostage Rescue Team brought armoured vehicles from Fort Hood army base to protect themselves on this plain without cover. Understandable, but it did undermine the work of negotiators, they tried to appear understandable and find common ground. While this showed aggression, superiority and warlike image. Noesner well explains: “An empathetic voice over the phone can do only so much to offset the powerful impression available to the subject’s own eyes.” It was hard to convince Koresh that they are not the “Babylon”, and this is not the showdown between good and evil that he was preaching for some time. (ibid., p. 109-111)
The next step was to use Koresh’s won legal battle against Roden to trick him. And to overestimate his chances now, for this case, to boost his confidence. Hey, you won this once, you will win it again, was the approach. On March 1, Koresh made a sudden offer, if he is allowed to talk about the book of Revelations on nationwide TV, he and his followers will come out peacefully. The team, knowing that this part of the Bible is about Apocalypse, made sure there will not be any mass suicide after that, they were made sure by Koresh, that there will not be any of that. So, Noesner ran this plan with his bosses, there was nothing to lose and much to gain in this plan, so they agreed. Supplemented Koresh with a video tape recorder and he made a 57 minutes long tape, that after inspection by theology experts from Baylor University was sent to be broadcast by nationwide TV network as promised. Koresh saw the broadcast and was satisfied. Now it was on Davidians to keep their part of the deal. The FBI brought school busses to bring them away. It was agreed they would come outside in groups organized by Koresh’s number two, Steve Schneider. (Noesner, 112-115)
Thibodeau remembers that they were celebrating the night before leaving, engaging in “orgy of eating and drinking” very unusual for their group. Koresh did not participate in this, he way lying above still recovering from his injuries. He just ordered Schneider to tell them to shut up. The next day things were packed and ready to go. But then Schneider informed that:” We’re not going. The time’s not right God has told David to Wait.”. They were all surprised and probably disappointed but decided to not go against this announcement. Some were thought the binge eating from the night before might damned them (193-196). 39
But they did not come out. Koresh had a sudden vision from God, to not to come out yet, Schneider claimed over the phone. The negotiating team was disappointed, yet not surprised they are used to deals being broken and setbacks like this. They wanted to stay on track and not overreact. Jamar and Rogers wanted to do the opposite. To punish disobedience by a show of power and they moved the Bradley infantry fighting vehicle closer to the compound. To tighten the noose, apply pressure to get them to capitulate. This sent the negotiating team back on the scale of trust level then so far had with the Davidians. As the FBI and ATF together began to hold daily press conferences, that soon got out of control. The officials of the script would soon start casting shade on Koresh’s believes, sincerity and so on. This often did not help at all and created more setbacks, also illusion of FBI and ATF not being related was gone from the negotiator’s arsenal as well. (Noesner, 112-118)
As Noesner team learned that humanizing themselves by showing members of the team talking about their families and sending it on a tape with a camera to let Koresh record his own family that he cared so much for, brought results. And so often few more people left the compound. Jamar would do the complete opposite and cut the electricity. A useful tool, but the timing was very unfortunate, because the team send them 6 gallons of milk for babies in the compound. The siege started getting too long and expensive for the FBI and Jamar and Rogers felt the hostages are not leaving fast enough, believing that Koresh was manipulating them, and they should get more aggressive (ibid., p. 113-125).
As they pushed for the release of more children, Koresh snapped: “Hey! You don’t understand. The rest of the kids in here are my children-they’re not coming out! Revealing the ones left are his biological ones. On March 11, requisitioned M1 Abrams tanks arrived, the deadliest land vehicle the United States Army has in its arsenal. As negotiators made progress by using one of the boys to lure to rather be with him outside, Rogers installed high-power light aimed at the windows of the compound, preventing Davidians from seeing outside. Agent Schwein also persuaded the command to play unsettling sounds from loudspeakers to sleep deprive the Davidians. Sounds like, dying rabbits, chanting Tibetan monks and “These Boots Are Made for Walking” by Nancy Sinatra. Noesner obliged unsuccessfully that these tactics did not work for U.S. Army in Panama and will not work here either, will make the FBI look silly and right now the Davidians are cooperating again. (Noesner, 125-131)
Steve Schneider contacted the negotiators to tell that he was trying to convince more individuals to come out, but the sound halted it. But still with following their established strategy they persuaded more people weary of the standoff to come out, on March 19th-21st, 9 40 adults left the compound. But soon after nonsensically the HRT authorized for bulldozer-tanks to destroy property and tow Koreshian vehicles, turning them into pancakes in the process, Koresh’s beautiful restored vintage muscle car included. After getting 3 people out, there should be a positive reaction, but Koresh got the opposite. And when almost the same deal repeated when on March 23rd after another man left. Koresh announced that no one else will leave. Schneider lamented on the phone why are things turning so ugly when they were behaving well not long ago. They had no good explanation. The trust needed for meaningful negotiation was destroyed. Jamar explained things need to move faster and he had to punish Koresh for it. The reason probably was that the running of this operation including personnel and combat vehicles was estimated at 120,000 dollars per day. Later that night Noesner received a call from his Boss Rob Grace, thanking him for his hard work, but notifying it was time for him to step down from the position of leader of the negotiating team (ibid., p. 132-135).
It is worth mentioning and looking at what the media did while covering the situation throughout the siege. First, tens of newspapers and TV stations rushed to with their vans and equipment to Mt. Carmel and small Satellite City was built. None of the crews wanted to leave early, because what if, something big happens the next day, or the next day…, some of the reporters dubbed it living in a Groundhog Day. Investigative teams went into the world to investigate anyone willing and rushed quick documentaries about Davidians to ride the wave when people are still interested. And the FBI used media at their conferences to paint Koresh in the worst way possible to get public on their side if anything were to happen to him in upcoming “unpleasant action” let’s say. When Koresh looked out of the window and saw the crowd of cameramen and reporters always looking their way and imagining how many thousands of people glued to their television are now learning about him and listening to his preaching. Man, who loved the attention from his followers and even more loved giving it out. It is probably safe to say that the constate coverage of media did more harm than good in this case. (Bailey and Darden, 208-217).
On March 25th, Van Zandt took over the negotiation. His mistake was talking to Koresh about the Bible, this was something Noesner’s team quickly learned not to do. Koresh would talk for whole nights and sleep during the day, thus not giving people permission to leave. No more people left the compound under his command. Noesner worked 26 wearing, exasperating and emotionally draining days. Koresh made claims to come out after he finishes his truth and magnum opus his truth about the Seven Seals. But the FBI’s patience had run out and they started working on a plan. In Washington Jamar and Rogers presented a plan to use tear gas in
41 an attempt to force them to escape. Their concerns for the urgency of the attack were that sanitary conditions are reaching dangerous levels and that Koresh still sexually abuses underage girls. Attorney General Janet Reno authorized the attack. (Noesner, 131-138).
At 6 a.m. 19th April tanks modified to pump gas started spraying the substance into windows. Schneider received a call that they will be exposed to non-lethal, tear gas. Right after the phone was thrown out of the front door. This announcement also began to be blasted from the speakers. Some Davidian started to shoot at the tank, but of course doing no damage to it. No one was coming out, Rogers thinking the women and children were held inside, without access to doors ordered the tanks to ram the building, thus creating new exit holes. At 12.13 smoke starts to develop in one of the buildings and strong winds soon spread it. Hidden eavesdrop devices, listened to after the fire, revealed the voice of Schneider saying, “to spill fuel” and HRT observer confirms seeing Davidian pour gas on stacks of hay they had inside for isolation and protection. Only 9 nine of the remaining Davidians escaped alive (ibid., p. 133- 139).
Snipers from the FBI watching the scene through their scopes and binoculars, confirm seeing unidentifiable silhouettes inside the compound perform a spraying motion. Then light something a throw it down, with flames coming out of that spot. Heat sensitive cameras also revealed two hotspots at the same time. (Bailey and Darden, 254).
Devastated by this terrible sight (see fig. 9,10,11), one they wanted to avoid at all costs. He called every single member of his former team and reassured them, that none of this is their fault and they did the best they could and that he is proud of them. Mad at the FBI for letting this happen he went on to make sure there is not another Waco. Later Congressional hearings of 1995 decided made a verdict that his team was on the right track and Rogers and Jamar were in the wrong. This was the end of the career advancement of these two men (Noesner 133-136).
7. 2. The last day as seen by David Thibodeau
This is how David Thibodeau remembers his last few hours of siege inside Mt. Carmel. He also confirms the frustration that Noesner had with the FBI for how contradictory the HRT was behaving compared to what the hostage rescue team was trying to achieve, is the same they had in the compound.
Last days and nights are like hell, sounds of police sirens, shrieking seagulls, howling coyotes, crying babies, dental drills and strangled rabbits. Accompanied by Christmas carols,
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Islamic prayer, and Nancy Sinatra on repeat. Together with blinding lights, living on military Meals Ready to Eat and a small ration of water for 7 weeks. Without heating and electricity. The ones that are still inside are the core group that decided to stick with David Koresh till the end. (Thibodeau, Prologue VI-VII)
Before 6 a.m. on 19th April metallic voice in speakers announces: „This is not an assault, the tear gas is harmless. But it will make your environment uninhabitable. Eventually, it will soak into your food and clothing”. Followed by: “You are under arrest. Come out with your hands up! The siege is over, we will be entering the building. Come with your hands up. Carry nothing. There will be no shooting.” And this phrase repeats many times:” This is not an assault; this is not an assault”. But the frightened residents put on their gas masks instead and look for shelter. As the Combat Engineering Vehicle, previously pumping gas, starts ramming the building, people panic even more. The gas being used is CS gas, or tear gas. “We are trapped here, debris blocks the exits”, Thibodeau claims. (Prologue XIV-XVIII)
By noon the building is a tinderbox, the CS gas mixed with kerosene and propane vapors we used for lanterns and later supported by strong Texan wind that comes through the holes the tanks made. Somebody yells, “fire!” Thibodeau looks for an escape route. He sees that as the tank rams the building it mortally wounds two Davidians. Thinking the agents will shoot him anyway but preferring swift death by bullets rather than one by fire follows two Davidians who escape by a hole in the wall. He sees that few others, with burns but made it out of the fire, they are forced to lie down and cuffed by the FBI. Soon after the building explodes. The majority who probably took shelter in the bus buried underground, previously used as a tornado shelter, never make it out. (ibid., p. Prologue XVIII-XX)
“Once the Seals were opened, Koresh taught, he and his followers would be martyred. But they would someday return and slay all Babylonians – Koresh’s term for nonbelievers.” (Bailey, Postscript) This could explain the willingness of the most loyal to not escape and stay inside with Koresh until the end.
Despite the obvious fire hazard, firemen were too far away, called too late, held off for too long for safety reasons to make any attempt in fighting the fire. (Thibodeau, 259).
The total toll on life is: 6 Davidians died on February 28th and 76 died on April, 25 of them were children. (Thibodeau 357-361)
On February 28th 4 ATF agents were killed and 16 were injured. (Bailey, 174-175)
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David Koresh’s body was found unrecognizably burnt with few others. But like the bodies nearby, the cause of death was a bullet wound. Most probably shot between the eyes by his 2nd in command Steve Schneider who then turned the gun against himself. (Bailey, 255-256)
In an interview with Bob Darnen, I have asked him what his opinion is about why only, so few people survived the last day. He said:” I have talked to them afterward. I have talked to three or four and what they said it happened so fast. And what had happened was they, used bales of hay to block the cracks in the walls and the doors and for warmth and then, when the propane, is what everybody expects to have knocked over and set the bales of hay on fire. And it filled the place with smoke immediately, just real thick billowing, choking smoke, not the flames, but the smoke and when I had been up there years earlier it was a huge building, like two dormitories one for the men, one for the women and at the top of the U shape was the administrative office. And Koresh’s house and the printing office and Koresh’s music room- recording studio. That was a two-story building. But often there were long narrow corridors where they had the men and the women separated and then at the end of that which is still there was the swimming pool. They couldn’t find Koresh who told them what to do and without Koresh there” (Darden, interview).
“Apparently, some gunfire, some of the Davidians were shooting at the tank and the other people inside didn’t know if that was the FBI shooting at them, they didn’t know it they went outside they would be gunned down. And so, the two Fatta and Riddle, I think, I talked to and somebody else maybe one of her kids, they were lost and confused and hungry and tired and thirsty, they haven’t slept, because they have been playing that loud music. So, they are very usually confused and none of them said there was any kind of suicide pact, they just couldn’t get out. And then finally few of them broke out windows, which saved them, but it let more air in which fed the flames, one of the people I talked to crawled out the back door and actually wasn’t captured for hours, because the FBI didn’t go in, and all of them had some kinds of burns, trying, touching the walls, trying to feel their way and touching hot walls. They said it was because they were confused and hungry and scared, not because they were trying to commit suicide, they weren’t” (Darden, interview).
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8. Conclusion
The goal of this Bachelor thesis was to investigate the tragedy of Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas. This could not be done properly, without learning the history of this Religious movement from its beginnings as well as learning its theology. From the beginning they believed in the End of the World by approaching apocalypse. Their vision of the event was the second coming of Christ and the establishment of God’s land for his loyal followers. Their biggest wish throughout history was to know when. For this reason, they went through numerous self-proclaimed prophets.
To be left alone to study the Bible in piece, they moved to Waco, Texas. Land resembling Israel. This place was to be where the new kingdom will be established. Here they’ve built a self-sustained community of believers. The Davidians were peaceful people that cut themselves out from the rest of the world. The only time they would make headlines was, when hundreds of people, who sold their livelihoods, came to their compound to expect the Apocalypse.
This all changed with the arrival of David Koresh, the self-proclaimed “Sinful Messiah”. He would use his charisma and knowledge of the Bible, to get whatever he wanted. The sexual abuse of underage girls in his following was one of them. When he started to radicalize his followers, amassing large amounts of weapons he would be put under investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
Agents of the ATF with the intention, to arrest Koresh performed no-knock warrant on his compound. However, a deadly gunfight broke out. Claiming lives on both sides. What followed was 51 days long siege. In which the FBI agents weren’t able to get the hostages out. In a failed attempt to force them out a devastating fire broke out, claiming the lives of almost 60 men, women, and children. David Koresh was indisputably guilty of many crimes and sins, although most of his men, women, and children inside with him, were not.
Given the above I believe, that this thesis, illustrates successfully what prelude to these fateful and tragic events. As well as shows points of view from different people, inside and outside of the sect. Ultimately, the unsuccessful raid by the ATF and later the FBI negotiation’s being the most crucial parts of this story and thesis. The evidence also shows interesting, even
45 returning themes: struggles for power, ignorance, and mistakes from law enforcement, and showing the ultimate power ultimately corrupts.
Thankfully, the FBI and ATF learned from their mistakes, and there never was another Waco.
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Appendices
Fig. 1. Victor T. Heuteff, circa 1950s, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Houteff#/media/File:VIctor_T._Houteff.jpg
Fig. 2. Florence Heuteff, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherd%27s_Rod#/media/File:Florence_Houteff.png
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Fig. 3. Benjamin Roden, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57607028/benjamin-lloyd-roden#view- photo=64452580
Fig. 4. Lois Roden, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lois_Roden#/media/File:LoisIRoden.jpg
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Fig. 5. George Roden, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Roden#/media/File:GeorgeB_Roden.jpg
Fig.6. David Koresh on a mugshot from 1987, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waco_siege#/media/File:David_koresh.jpg
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Fig. 7. David Koresh, https://www.sbs.com.au/guide/sites/sbs.com.au.guide/files/styles/full/public/p06w27n2.jpg?it ok=wUQGQbfI&mtime=1556171263
Fig. 8. Gary Noesned and David Thibodeau today, https://dailybusinessherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/1587644235_115_David- Thibodeau-Wiki-Waco-Age-Wife-Biography-Family.jpg
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Fig. 9. FBI tank as it rams into a part of the building that starts collapsing, 20th April, 1993, https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oble%C5%BEen%C3%AD_Waco#/media/Soubor:Mountcarme lfire04-19-93-d.jpg
Fig. 10. Mt. Carmel as the fire starts to grow, 20th April. 1993, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waco_siege#/media/File:Mountcarmelfire04-19-93-n.jpg
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Fig. 11. Mt. Carmel engulfed in flames, 20th April, 1993., https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/waco-fire.jpg?w=800&quality=85
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References
LITERARY SOURCES:
Bailey, Brad and Bob Darden. Mad Man in Waco, The Complete Story of the Davidian Cult, David Koresh, and the Waco Massacre. WRS Publishing, 1993.
Thibodeau, David. Waco: A Survivor’s Story. Hachette Books, 2018.
Newport, Kenneth G.C. The Branch Davidians of Waco: The History and Beliefs of an Apocalyptic Sect. Oxford, 2006.
Noesner, Gary. Stalling for Time: My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator, Random House, 2010.
Reavis, Dick J. The Ashes of Waco: An investigation. Syracuse University Press. 1998.
Haldeman, Bonnie. Memories of the Branch Davidians: The Autobiography of David Koresh’s Mother. Baylor University Press. 2007.
Wright, Stuart A. Armageddon in Waco: Critical Perspectives on the Branch Davidian Conflict. The university of Chicago Press. 1995.
Doyle, Clive. A Journey to Waco: Autoboigraphy of a Branch Davidian. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. 2012.
Rosewood, Jack. The Waco Siege: An American Tragedy. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. 2015.
ELECTRONIC SOURCES:
„Larger than anything we'd ever executed“: ATF officer recalls raid on Branch Davidians, Youtube, uploaded by The Dallas Morning News, 23.02.2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBfkLirzSk8&ab_channel=TheDallasMorningNews Wilson, Charles R. The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture: Volume 1: Religion. Edited by SAMUEL S. HILL, University of North Carolina Press, 2006. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.5149/9780807877166_hill. Accessed 17 March. 2020. Wessinger, Catherine. “Deaths in the Fire at the Branch Davidians' Mount Carmel: Who Bears Responsibility?” Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions, vol. 13, no.
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2, 2009, pp. 25–60. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/nr.2009.13.2.25. Accessed 20 March. 2020. Gallagher, Eugene V. “‘Cults’ and ‘New Religious Movements.’” History of Religions, vol. 47, no. 2/3, 2007, pp. 205–220. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/524210. Accessed 20 March. 2020. Wright, Stuart A. Anatomy of a government massacre: Abuses of hostage-barricade protocols during the Waco standoff, Terrorism and Political Violence. 1999. Leppard, David. Fire and Blood: the True Story of David Koresh and the Waco Siege. Fourth Estate, 1993 Wood, James E. JR. The Branch Davidian Standoff: An American Tragedy. Journal of Church and State, vol.35, No.2, 1993, pp.233-240. JSTOR. Harrison, Jackie. “Ending of the Waco Siege: A ‘Ghoulish Compact’ between Television and the Police?” Modern Believing, vol. 42, no. 1, 2001, pp. 14–25. „Waco siege haunts negotiator 25 years later“, Youtube, uploaded by The Austin American- Statesman, 17.08.2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSWjseBsmmM&ab_channel=AustinAmerican- Statesman Rosenfeld, Jean E. Understanding Waco. Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Vol. 62, No.3, 1994, pp. 919-946. JSTOR. Stark, Rodney and William Sims Bainbridge. American-Born Sects: Initial Findings. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, vol. 20, no. 2, June 1981, pp. 130-149. JSTOR. Stark, Rodney et al. Cults of America: A Reconnaissance in Space and Time. Sociological Analysis, vol.40, no. 4, Sects, Cults and Religious Movements, Winter 1979, pp. 347-359. JSTOR.
OTHER SOURCES: Robert, Joe. Waco. Branch Davidians. Series II Legal document. Collection #3205. Legal documents David Koresh 1993, The Texas Collection, Baylor University Archive, Box 1, Folder 7. Darden, Bob. Interview. Conducted by Libor Muselík, 18 December 2019. “Sect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/sect. Accessed 17 Apr. 2020. “Cult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/cult. Accessed 17 Apr. 2020.
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