NCJ Number
151036
Date Published
1989
Length
216 pages
Annotation
Motivated by her son's suicide after his brief experience in the occult world, the author, a private investigator, explains to both the layperson and the professional how the violent cult underworld operates in the United States.
Abstract
The book describes how members of criminal and satanic cults stalk and recruit children, teenagers, and young adults for violent and criminal purposes. She documents incidents of murder, rape, animal mutilations, and graveyard desecrations related to satanic worship. Sections of the book explore the influences of violent entertainment, including heavy metal and black metal music, fantasy role- playing games, and the current rash of horror television programs and "slasher" movies. In addition to discussing her own family tragedy, the author explores in detail the series of killings in Matamoros, Mexico, which many investigators believe were ritualistic sacrifices. Other cases of ritualistic human sacrifice are also discussed. A chapter on the history of the occult is followed by appendixes that discuss crime-scene clues that provide evidence of black occultic rituals having been performed, as well as forensic aspects of ritual crime. The author advises that the key to dealing with the problem of criminal cults is to understand their nature, be aware of indicators of their operation and influence, and know how to distinguish between fact and fiction when confronted with the possibility that a family member or friend has become involved in harmful occult activities. A 48-item bibliography and a glossary of occult terms