What is Daughters of the Cult about? Hulu documentary explained

❘ Published: 2024-01-05T12:32:28

Photo of Ervil LeBaron in Daughters of the Cult

Hulu

Hulu has just dropped a jaw-dropping documentary series about Ervil LeBaron, the leader of a murderous polygamous fundamentalist sect – here’s what you need to know about Daughters of the Cult, including its plot, who’s in it, and if it’s worth watching.

The tail end of 2023 saw the arrival of numerous documentaries about cults and their nefarious leaders, whether that be Netflix’s Escaping Twin Flames, HBO’s Love Has Won series centering on Amy Carlson, aka “Mother God,” or Paramount Plus’ Born in Synanon and its exploration of Charles E. “Chuck” Dederich.

What’s made the latest batch of cult-based content so impactful is the fact that they feature interviews and insights from those who lived through it. And this is certainly the case with Daughters of the Cult, which is told through the eyes of LeBaron’s offspring.

With all episodes of Daughters of the Cult available on Hulu now, here’s what you need to know about the documentary series.

What is Daughters of the Cult about?

Produced by ABC News Studios, Daughters of the Cult is a five-episode documentary series featuring interviews with surviving ex-members of a Mormon fundamentalist cult led by Ervil LeBaron, who ordered the killing of numerous opponents.

Check out the trailer below:

As per the official synopsis: “Daughters of the Cult is a shocking, five-episode deep-dive into the history of a splinter group of Mormon fundamentalist cult members who perpetrate a deadly wave of violence and abuse for decades in the name of their fanatical prophet, Ervil LeBaron.

“Dubbed the ‘Mormon Manson’, LeBaron and his followers were hidden in plain sight throughout the Southwest and Mexico. Now, past members of the infamous cult tell the true story behind the string of murderous crimes.

“Daughters of the Cult features interviews with surviving ex-members, including multiple children of LeBaron, who speak about their experience being raised under their father’s rule. Fresh insight comes from relatives and law enforcement who worked on the murder cases, painting an emotional and grisly picture of a brutal madman ordering cold-blooded executions.

“Despite running from the FBI for most of their young lives, there is triumph and healing for the brave few men and women who escaped and began anew.”

Who’s in Daughters of the Cult?

Daughters of the Cult features interviews with numerous surviving ex-members, including two of the cult leader’s daughters, Anna and Celia LeBaron. Other interviewees include:

Hyrum LeBaron, Ervil’s son
Faye, Ervil’s stepdaughter
Adine Marc, Ervil’s daughter
Donna Goldberg, Ervil’s niece
Stephany Spencer, Ervil’s niece
Lindsay Hansen Park, Mormon Historian
Scott Anderson, Author of The 4 O’Clock Murders
Terry Clark, Federal Prosecutor

Speaking about the case at hand, Celia says, “It blows my mind. I sit and think, ‘This is impossible.’ If I hadn’t lived through it, I don’t know if I could believe it. Our family was killing people because of our father.”

Anna said that she and her siblings are “afraid” to share their story, adding: “When I think about my siblings, everything they’ve had to overcome, all the sons and daughters of Ervil LeBaron that survived have had to pick up the pieces, the shattered pieces of their life, and put the pieces back together.”

According to Anna and Celia, Ervil had approximately 14 wives, making it hard for the LeBaron kids to estimate how many siblings they have. “I actually don’t know how many brothers and sisters I have,” says Hyrum. “It depends on how you count.”

Adine adds, “It’s impossible. Somebody just needs to count, and I’ve never taken the time to count.” Collectively, they estimate the figure to be between 50 and 55.

Who is Ervil LeBaron and where is he now?

Ervil LeBaron was a notorious American religious leader and criminal associated with the LeBaron group, a fundamentalist sect of Mormonism. Ervil gained infamy for his involvement in a series of violent crimes. He was sentenced to life in prison in 1980 for ordering the killing of opponent Rulon C. Allred, and in 1981, he died from an apparent suicide.

The 4 O’Clock murders refer to a series of killings that took place simultaneously at 4pm on June 27, 1988. Although Ervil had already passed by this point, he is believed to have orchestrated the murders, having left a kill list of “enemies” with his children. Of all the killings he was involved in, Ervil justified the crimes with the Mormon doctrine of blood atonement.

Ervil LeBaron died in prison

The murders started as a result of a feud between Ervil and his brother Joel LeBaron over leadership of the sect. The 4 O’Clock murders involved the killing of four individuals, including rival sect members, with the intention of solidifying Ervil’s control.

While some suggest Ervil’s death was a suicide, other reports speculate whether he was killed by fellow inmates. Though the exact circumstances surrounding his death are not entirely clear, it is believed that other prisoners, possibly acting on behalf of rival sect members seeking revenge, took his life.

Ervil LeBaron’s criminal activities and the violent acts committed by his followers left a dark legacy within the context of religious extremism and internal power struggles. The 4 O’Clock Murders and his life sentence underscore the extreme measures he was willing to take to assert dominance within the LeBaron group, ultimately leading to his demise.

Is Daughters of the Cult worth watching?

Although it’s too early for a Rotten Tomatoes score, Daughters of the Cult has received some positive feedback so far due to how it handles the shocking subject matter.

Laughing Place wrote: “What Daughters of the Cult does well, is in addition to talking heads telling the details of the crimes and situations surrounding it, we also get insight from past members of the cult, who share some of their harrowing tales.”

From the audience’s perspective, one wrote on X/Twitter: “Daughters of the Cult (on @hulu) is bonkers. I don’t know how I knew so little of this before. Also I f*cking love how it’s partly told directly by the cult leader’s adult kids as they reminisce w each other about their childhoods over drinks and poker.”

Daughters of the Cult is available to stream on Hulu now, and you can check out more of our true crime coverage below: