Lebaron Family: Murders, Polygamy, and Cult Activities


The LeBaron Family

The LeBaron family has come to gain more popularity in the years following their own murders. The founder of the “Church of the Firstborn” was named Joel LeBaron and the brother dubbed the “Mormon Manson” was Ervil LeBaron. These two were a crucial part of the formation of cults involved in this article. This was due to their role in the founding of the self proclaimed “Mormon fundamentalist“ religious backed cults. The story of the LeBaron family is one of murder, mystery, and cult activities. In this article, we will go over the history of the Barion family, as well as the events leading up to their eventual demise. With topics ranging from polygamy to violent crimes, here is the story that will leave you fascinated and horrified.


The Church of the Firstborn of the Fullness of Times

 

This was a Mormon fundamentalist group that practice polygamy. The parent organization started in Chihuahua Mexico during the early 1920s. Alma, Joel’s father, who is the founder and leader of a polygamist sect known as colonial baron was a part of this parent organization from Mexico. Once Alma passed away, he left leadership to his son, Joel. Once Joel was left in charge, he initiated the formation of a new church. He named this church, the church of the firstborn of the fullness of times. This church had roots in and was based out of Utah. Ervil LeBaron was Joel’s little brother and his right hand man within this organization.


Ervil & Joel LeBaron

 

Within the Mormon, fundamentalist society that Joel and Ervil had built the social norm, was that the leaders controlled the money, and were to make it seem as if they did not have an excess of funds. They were meant to make it seem as if they, as well as the others in their community, lived in poverty. Ervil wanted to wear nice clothes and drive nice cars, however. This caused a disagreement and rift to form between the two brothers. Once this rift was firmly formed, Ervil had begun stating that he was spoken to, and deemed to be the true chosen one. These supposed visions had pegged Ervil as the one true prophet, and Joel as a false prophet. This disagreement, and the subsequent actions led to a complete fall out between the two brothers. Ervil gathered his belongings and all of the followers that he could, and left the society that he and Joe had built together.


The Church of the Firstborn of the Lamb of God

 

The LeBaron Family

Ervil moved his self, and anyone that will follow him to San Diego and founded the church of the firstborn of the Lamb of God. The fall out between Ervil and Joel had pushed Ervil to move and create a new sect. At this time, he had a total of 13 wives and 25 children as well as a few of his brother's previous followers. After a bit of time with his new church, Ervil sent messages to Joel’s followers, letting them know that they needed to repent and follow him or be destroyed.


The Violence Starts

 

Ervil sent some of Joel’s previous followers that had switched churches over to meet with Joel. When the group of newly switched followers met with Joel, they attacked and killed him. They beat him brutally, and then shot him to finish the murder. The authorities were able to pinpoint the reason for the murder on Ervil, but he was not convicted of this crime due to a technicality and possible bribe. once Joel had been murdered and passed away, the religious called had been passed to the youngest brother Verlan for leadership. Once leader ship passed to the youngest brother Ervil decided that he should be murdered as well.

 

Ervil organized and ordered a violent rush on the society that Verlan had leadership over. Ervil and his followers drove through the community, shooting into tents, and at people that ran away from the commotion. Once the dust had settled, they killed two people and injured several more, but Verlan escaped with his life. Ervil was truly evil, and had many people murdered. Some of these individuals included wives, other cult leaders, past members of the church, and even his own pregnant daughter.


Cult Activities

 

The LeBaron Family

One of Ervil’s many wives was ordered to kill several people on his behalf. He manipulated individuals within his group into performing violent crimes and actions that he wanted completed. He was the epitome and definition of a cult leader. The control and manipulation that he held over several individuals caused great pain and loss of life for those that did not follow his process of thought. He named himself the one true profit, and anyone that thought otherwise was libel to be murdered by his order.


History of the Family and Hereditary Psychosis

 

Joel and Ervil’s father also had a daughter that was known to have psychotic episodes and outbursts. Instead of being helped mentally and medically, this girl was chained to the ground by her ankle. Not only this but one of Alma‘s other sons, named Ben, frequented mental health hospitals, after claiming to have heard voices inside of his head. Another of Alma’s sons was known to have stated multiple times that Jesus Christ would return to earth in a spaceship. A son of Alma’s named Owen was said to have stated voices in his head told him to commit sexual acts with the family pet. All of these family members and their mental health situation’s being taken into consideration, you can see how Joel and Ervil had such a high propensity for manipulation and violent crimes.


The Death of Ervil and Verlan

 

In 1979 Ervil was caught in Mexico by authorities and extradited to America. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in Utah. After around only one year in prison, Ervil passed away and his cell. Within two days of his death, his brother passed away as well in a supposed car accident.


Ongoing Cult Killings

 

In 2019 three women and six children were shot to death and set ablaze inside of their car by gun men in Mexico. These individuals were members of one of the LeBaron sects. Some people believe that Mexican cartel hitmen were to blame for these murders, but some people think that it is more cult murders similar to the previous ones from the history of the LeBarons.


Recap

 

So now you know, a little bit more about the LeBaron family and the call that they formed. There is a really good reason that Ervil was nicknamed the Mormon Manson. The physical violence between the two brothers, Joel and Ervil led to further violence between the younger brother that took over after Joel. The violent crimes seemed to never have stopped, even possibly resulting in more murders during the year of 2019. Cults can be dangerous and it’s important to know whether you’re being manipulated or not even if the people that are manipulating you may be in your family.

Christopher Knox

Christopher is a Doctorate student for Psychoanalysis and therapy. He runs the website as the webmaster and creates all content for the oddities blog.

Previous
Previous

Mysteries of the Abandoned

Next
Next

Is Annabelle Doll Real? - The Terrifying True Story