Heaven's Gate The Back Story (Part 1)

In this episode of Unexplained America, your host Lisa will discuss the group Heaven's Gate, primarily, diving into the groups leaders Bonnie Lou Trousdale Nettles and Marshall "Herff" Applewhite Jr.

Listener Discretion-Mental Illness/Unaliving --more in Part 2.

On Wednesday, March 26, 1997, the San Diego County Sheriff's office received a 911 telling them that there was a mass unaliving at the location of 18241 Colina Norte in Rancho Sante Fe. The deputies really thought that this must be a crank phone call. When the deputies go to the house what they find there is anything but funny. They find 39 bodies at this location--they will received 1500 calls from around the country from concerned family and friends of these individuals. Hearts will be broken and the leader (Herff) will be on the cover of Time Magazine--but not for any good reason.

In this Part 1, I discuss the background and history of Bonnie and Herff. I will outline their beginnings and how they met and how the group began.

The time frame I cover in this episode is 1927-1986; in 1986 Bonnie's family will find out that she passed away on June 19, 1985. During Bonnie's life the group was NEVER called Heaven's Gate but went by H.I.M. Human Individual Metamorphosis or they went by Total Overcomers Anonymous.

Listen to the whole episode for a deep look at the group.

References for this Episode:

"Heaven's Gate America's UFO Religion"- Benjamin E. Zeller--https://www.amazon.com/Heavens-Gate-Americas-UFO-Religion/dp/1479881066

"Marhsall Herff Applewhite Jr."-Times Information Services--Corpus Christi Caller--Sat. Mar. 29, 1997

"Cult Video Discovered"--LA Times--The Cincinatti Enquier--Mon. May 12, 1997

"Harlinger AP"--Austin American-Statesman-Sat. Oct. 18, 1975

"UFO Sect Lures Away Their Son"--The Miami Herald Tues. Mar 23 1976

"UFO pair say 22 followers are safe"-San Antonio Express-News--Sun. Dec. 7, 1975

"Co-founder's children struggle for answers in wake of suicides"-Star-Phoenix- Tues. Apr 1, 1997

"'The Two' still haunt Coast Man"--by Jerry Easterling-Oregon Territory- Sun Aug 17, 1980

"A Second Look-the worried parents of secretive UFO cult members"-by Don Lattin--The San Francisco Examiner- Mon Sept 19, 1983

"Bo, Peep friends toot space horns"-Bryan McNulty-Portland Press Herald--Mon Oct 9, 1978.

"Custody fight waged by 'Two' followers"-Kristine Rosemary-The Capital Journal--Mon June 7, 1976

"Nether World Envoys Anticipate Murder"-Valley Morning Star-Thurs Aug 29, 1974

"What are Bo and Peep Really Up to?"-Lynn Simboss-The Houston Chronicle-Wed Nov 12, 1975

"St Thomas U. Singers Present Colorful Menotti Song-Dance"-DJ Hobdy-The Houston Chronicle- Mon Oct 31, 1966

"Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults"--documentary-https://www.hbomax.com/shows/heavens-gate-the-cult-of-cults/83f1cb47-bce8-4e60-a9d3-9153e5d4c455

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/katy-tx/joseph-nettles-8265180

Episodes DID include other information via:

https://www.newspapers.com/

https://www.ancestry.com/

Big Thanks go out to Gage Fears for his original music made for Unexplained Arkansas the Podcast usage--His contact below--find him on Instagram!!

https://www.facebook.com/gfearsmedia?rdid=2J3DmRrwK1yzecQl&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F16Ws41EzTt%2F#

https://www.instagram.com/i_deliver_pizza/

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Xoxoxoxo, Lisa