COVID-19 conspiracies turned this church into a deadly cult

Kevin Smith seemed like your typical pastor. He was a respected member of his community in Montego Bay, preaching the Bible to hundreds of congregants each week. But he also preached conspiracy theories from his social media account. On October 17, 2021, Smith sent a message on Facebook instructing his followers to get to the church. He told them “the Flood is coming”. Members of his congregation packed their suitcases and rushed over. But when they arrived, that’s when the real danger began. Three people were killed, two of them, witnesses allege, as part of a human sacrifice.

This week on Crime Story, reporter Rachel Browne explains how a pastor’s pandemic conspiracy theories turned a church into a cult and a crime scene.

Fill out our listener survey here. We appreciate your input!