The brand new FX/Hulu restricted sequence “Below the Banner of Heaven” relies on the 2003 true-crime bestselling e-book of the identical title by Jon Krakauer. It follows the investigation into the 1984 murders of Brenda Wright Lafferty and her daughter, Erica Lafferty, and its relation to the historical past of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that shocked the Mormon neighborhood. The e-book, and now the present, dive into how faith performed a job within the murders.

How Was Brenda Lafferty Murdered?

On July 24, 1984, Brenda Lafferty was discovered useless by her husband on the ground of their house, her throat slashed, in keeping with court docket paperwork (through Justia Legislation). Her toddler daughter, Erica, was additionally murdered in her crib. Notably, the homicide befell on Pioneer Day, an official vacation in Utah that commemorates the primary group of Mormon pioneers settling in Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847.

Who Killed Brenda Lafferty?

Brenda Lafferty was killed by Ron and Dan Lafferty, the older brothers of her husband, Allen Lafferty. In keeping with court docket paperwork, the brothers have been a part of the Faculty of the Prophets, which is a small, extremist sect of Mormonism they joined after they have been excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1983 for his or her more and more excessive fundamentalist views — together with polygamy.

Why Did Ron and Dan Lafferty Kill Brenda Lafferty?

Dan and Ron Lafferty claimed they killed Brenda as a result of God instructed them to, in keeping with KSLTV.

Brenda was immune to her husband, Allen, becoming a member of the Faculty of the Prophets, which Ron and Dan noticed as her attempting to separate up the household. Later, Ron’s spouse, Diana, unwilling to follow polygamy, divorced him and moved their six youngsters to Florida. For this, Ron additionally blamed Brenda. In March 1984, Ron wrote down what he claimed was a divine revelation that’s now known as “the removing revelation,” which stated Brenda and her daughter, who he believed would develop as much as be simply as “despicable” as her mom, in keeping with court docket paperwork (through The New York Instances), have been “obstacles in his path” and wanted to be killed. When he shared the be aware with the Faculty of the Prophets, nevertheless, in addition they excommunicated the brothers.

4 months later, on Pioneer Day, Dan and Ron Lafferty carried out the homicide of Brenda and Erica. In keeping with court docket paperwork, Ron and Dan deliberate to homicide two different members of the LDS church Ron blamed for the disillusion of his marriage, however their plans fell by means of as a result of one particular person wasn’t house, they usually bought misplaced whereas looking for the fourth particular person’s home.

The place Are Dan and Ron Lafferty Now?

In keeping with Time, after the homicide of Brenda and Erica, Ron and Dan fled from Utah to Nevada, the place Ron and Dan have been caught in a on line casino buffet line in Reno and arrested.

The brothers have been convicted in 1985 in two completely different trials. In keeping with KSLTV, Dan was given a life sentence, whereas Ron was given a loss of life sentence.

In 1991, Ron’s verdict was overturned and a brand new trial was ordered as a result of america Courtroom of Appeals dominated the authorized customary the court docket used to evaluate his psychological competence was fallacious. Whereas in 1992, he was deemed mentally unfit to face trial, he was later deemed competent to face trial in 1994. By 1996, Ron was tried once more, at which level his authentic conviction of the loss of life penalty was upheld, in keeping with The New York Instances.

Ron Lafferty spent 34 years on loss of life row and died in 2019 on the age of 78 of pure causes. Dan Lafferty is at the moment serving a life sentence at Utah State Jail.