Jeffrey Lundgren

Jeffrey Don Lundgren (May 3, 1950 – October 24, 2006) was an American self-proclaimed prophet, cult leader, and mass murderer who, on April 17, 1989, killed a family of five in Kirtland, Ohio.

Lundgren led a Latter Day Saint movement-based cult and interpreted scripture using an unconventional method that he described as "chiastic", which involved searching text for recurring patterns.

He and several of his followers murdered the Avery family, fellow members of his cult, for which he was convicted and sentenced to death.

Jeffrey Lundgren was born on May 3, 1950, in Independence, Missouri, and grew up as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church).

According to Lundgren, as well as some of his former neighbors, he was severely abused as a child, particularly by his father.

Lundgren was, by most accounts, a loner when he was in middle and high school.

He became an expert hunter when he began to spend time with his father as a teenager, becoming knowledgeable in the use and maintenance of firearms.

Lundgren enrolled at Central Missouri State University and spent time at a house that was specially built for RLDS youth.

While at the house, he became friends with Alice Keeler and Keith Johnson.

Keeler, who had also been abused by her father, quickly bonded with Lundgren, and the couple married in 1970.

On December 2, 1970, the couple's first child, a boy, was born.

By 1974, Keeler was pregnant for the second time.

Lundgren enlisted in the United States Navy the same year as his marriage.

Prior to receiving an honorable discharge at the end of his first term of duty, he sought an early release arguing that his presence was necessary for the sustenance of his family.

He was denied an early release for reasons that were non-necessary according to military recommendations.

Lundgren received an honorable discharge days before his four-year enlistment was completed.

His second son was born soon afterward.

Lundgren and his new family settled in San Diego, California, after his discharge, but economic problems forced the Lundgrens to move back to Missouri.

In 1979, Keeler gave birth to a third child, a daughter.

People close to the couple claim that Lundgren seemed frustrated by the family's money problems and generally tired of his wife; he allegedly became abusive after the birth of his daughter.

According to hospital records, Keeler was hospitalized for a ruptured spleen, which may have been caused by Lundgren pushing her into a closet door handle.

In 1980, the couple had their fourth child, another boy.

In 1987, Lundgren was dismissed as a lay minister by the RLDS Church.

While Lundgren was living in a church-owned home in Kirtland, Ohio, he volunteered as a tour guide at the RLDS Church's historic Kirtland Temple next door.

In this capacity, he began to teach the concept of "dividing the word", known as "chiastic interpretation" or "chiasmus", to interpret scriptures.

Lundgren falsely claimed to have created this interpretative method.

The foundation was that in everything created by God, the right side is a mirror image and, therefore, scripture had to be interpreted using that same method.

Lundgren cited the Kirtland Temple as an example because the right side was a mirror image of the left side.

To apply this concept to scripture, one takes a sentence from scripture; if the sentences before and after are consistent, the center sentence is the "truth"; when the sentences before and after conflict, the center sentence is a lie.

These teachings of scriptural interpretations by Lundgren attracted followers.

He claimed that he moved to Ohio because the word, "OHIO" is "chiastic".

Lundgren was asked to leave the Kirtland house around 1987, and his job as tour guide was terminated due to suspicions of theft.

Lundgren and his family moved to a rented farmhouse located at 8671 Chardon Road on U.S. Route 6, east of Ohio State Route 306.

At that time, some followers started to move into his new home.

Among these followers were Kevin Currie, Richard Brand, Greg Winship, Sharon Bluntschly, Daniel Kraft, and Debbie Olivarez.

Ronald and Susan Luff; Dennis and Tonya Patrick; and Dennis and Cheryl Avery maintained their own residences.

Some of his followers had known Lundgren in Missouri, while others were drawn to Lundgren at the Kirtland Temple.

While Lundgren was living at the farmhouse, he began to practice methods which were consistent with Robert Lifton's criteria for mind control.

For example, cult members were forbidden to talk amongst themselves; doing so was a sin, called "murmuring".

Lundgren was executed in 2006.