American Nightmares - Gardens of Evil: Inside The Zion Society Cult

Following the story of Zion, survivors share the moments, memories, and manipulation that couldn’t be fully captured the first time. Jackie and Ron reflect on the turning point that led them to leave, as Arvin Shreve’s behavior grew increasingly disturbing. Through deeply personal accounts, survivors reveal how fear, control, and religious rhetoric were used to strip away identity and maintain power within the group. Andrea and Amber speak to the lasting emotional impact—from the trauma inflicted on children to the psychological scars that linger into adulthood. Centered on survivor voices, A

What happens when you return to the place where it all began? In Episode 2 of Gardens of Evil – A Closer Look Inside The Garden, hosted by Mike King, survivors revisit the neighborhoods where their childhoods were shaped, and where trauma still lingers beneath the surface. As memories resurface, experts help explain why trauma doesn’t follow a linear path. Dr. Judy Ho breaks down how abuse disrupts memory, leaving survivors with fragmented and emotional recall, while Dr. Patrice Berry explores the critical role of validation, empathy, and safe support systems in the healing process. For the fi

After the events of Gardens of Evil, the story doesn’t end for the survivors. In the first episode of our bonus series A Closer Look, we examine the lasting psychological impact of growing up inside the Zion Society cult. Survivors describe a childhood defined by constant monitoring, shame, and control—where even a child’s body weight was tied to spiritual worthiness. Host Mike King speaks with survivors about the lifelong effects of coercive control: broken trust, complicated family relationships, and the challenges of parenting after trauma. Cult expert and sociologist Dr. Janja Lalich also

Introducing Gardens of Evil – A Closer Look Inside The Garden, hosted by Mike King. This new series goes beyond the headlines to explore what happens after survival, diving deeper into the hidden impact of coercive control, child abuse, and life inside the Zion Society cult. Through powerful conversations with survivors and expert insight, these episodes uncover the lasting psychological toll of growing up in a world where control was absolute—and what it takes to rebuild a life after. This series is dedicated to survivors, to those who protect the vulnerable, and to anyone working to break th

Arvin, Carla and others see their day in court, but was justice served? Most of the Zion Society children are either uncooperative or unable to testify. Mike King and Reed Richards do everything they can to avoid re-traumatizing those who do testify. Finally, our story ends 35 years later, as several of the survivors meet at the opening of a new Children’s Justice Center in Ogden. They learn how their experiences have changed laws to better protect child victims and find healing together. Use code NIGHTMARES at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Shimmer Face Oil with your first purchase. #Jo

The media descends on Northwood. The Zion Society children are interviewed, but many refuse to cooperate. Mike King gets a surprise call from Cedar City. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Seventy Ogden police officers gather in the dark and move into Northwood at dawn, hitting multiple Zion Society homes at the exact same moment. The plan is simple on paper and terrifying in practice: secure the children, secure the evidence, and arrest the “head of the snake.” Inside the spotless houses and perfectly manicured yards, investigators find signs of a militant system built on control—hidden portals, stockpiles, meticulously organized drawers of lingerie, and evidence meant to corroborate witness accounts of sexual exploitation. Social workers rush the children into protective cus

Jeff Peterson has spent years trying to pull his kids out of the Zion Society - until the cult’s hunger for money creates an opening. When his ex-wife Carla asks for help selling the group’s lingerie line, “Sweet Things,” Jeff hires a private investigator to pose as a Las Vegas buyer and go undercover inside Northwood. What she captures on camera changes everything. But there’s a catch: Jeff’s custody deal comes with a vow of silence - until Detective Mike King’s investigation collides with Jeff’s case, freeing him to talk. With corroboration in hand and the clock ticking, Mike prepares to rai

From inside the Zion Society, Erin (heard in rare archival audio) explains how predators exploit vulnerability - love-bombing, isolation, and religion used as camouflage. In Northwood subdivision recruiter and enforcer Carla tightens her grip, controlling access to Arvin Shreeve and pushing new women through a coded doctrine of “Zion vs. Babylon,” obedience, and fear. Meanwhile, Jeff Peterson’s family is torn apart when his wife disappears into the cult with their children. Jeff’s custody battle becomes a desperate negotiation - money, legal threats, and silence agreements - while Erin begins

Investigator Mike King is officially assigned to investigate Erin’s allegation - quietly, urgently, and under the threat of destroyed evidence and stockpiled weapons. But Erin’s aunt isn’t waiting for law enforcement. She drives into Northwood to reach Erin and her young daughter - and is met with intimidation and violence from Shreeve and his followers. As Erin’s family fights to pull her out, the cult’s control tightens…and the clock starts ticking. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to a new season of American Nightmares! A pristine neighborhood in Ogden, Utah hides something rotten. When a couple moves into Northwood subdivision in 1981, they’re welcomed with free landscaping, shared supplies, and a sense of family - until the community’s leader, Arvin Shreeve, reveals a secret doctrine of polygamy and sexual manipulation. Nearly a decade later, on July 9, 1991, a woman walks into the Weber County Attorney’s Office and confesses to detective Mike King that she was part of the Zion Society, a cult she says was abusing children. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.

NEW True Crime Series from Gamut Podcast Network. Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult begins February 3rd. It was just another quiet neighborhood in small town America. At least, that's how it looked. But the immaculately groomed yards, trimmed hedges, and brightly colored flower gardens hid an insidious secret. More than a hundred residents were members of a cult called The Zion Society. Hiding in plain sight, they hoarded guns and ammunition. They created, sold, and modeled sexy lingerie. They took children away from parents and groomed them for sexual abuse. Their beliefs were

He was known as the Terror of East Baltimore who wrote poetry and went to readings. A convicted criminal at 15 who started a prison riot. That's just a some of what we've learned about Edward Watts/Baari Shabazz — the man police say is responsible for the 1998 murder of Sherry Crandell. A man Sherry's oldest son calls a monster. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How did a 2012 murder in Baltimore, a name from an obituary, and DNA entered into an ancestry database lead to solving the 1998 murder of Sherry Crandell?  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this bonus episode, Mike King (American Nightmares: Garden of Evil, Season 5 - Coming Feb 3) sits down with investigative journalist Paul Wagner (American Nightmares: Murder in a Safe Place, Season 2) to revisit the Sherry Crandell case — and to unpack the long road that led to justice. Together, they break down the original investigation, the controversial hospital-wide DNA dragnet, and the relentless efforts of a retired detective who refused to let Sherry’s case fade into obscurity. The conversation also explores how Wagner’s reporting helped keep pressure on the case when leads ran dry

Welcome back for Day 3 of our special preview of Profiling Evil, hosted by Mike King. In this episode, we dive deep into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of 5-year-old Summer Wells. Was she abducted, did she suffer a tragic accident, or could there be foul play involved? We examine the various theories, possible suspects, and the heartbreaking question: Could Summer still be alive, just waiting to be found like other children who have reappeared decades later? Join us as we look into this unsolved case, and ask the difficult questions surrounding her fate. #SummerWells #TrueCrime

Did you enjoy Megan's conversation with Mike King? Check out a special bonus episode of Mike's show: Profiling Evil. On October 1, 2017, America faced an unfathomable tragedy. Stephen Paddock opened fire from his Mandalay Bay Hotel suite, killing 60 and injuring over 800 during the Route 91 Harvest Festival. Despite extensive investigations, his motives remain unclear, leaving a trail of unanswered questions. In this deep dive, Profiling Evil's Twisted Tales unravels the layers of Stephen Paddock's life—from his troubled childhood under the shadow of a criminal father to his calculated and

Welcome to Profiling Evil! In this episode, Chad Daybell drops Letter #9 about his “third near-death experience” from 2017, complete with a Spirit Woman in Black, a minute-long blackout where family says he turned purple, and a “fiery dart” that he and Tammy interpreted as a spiritual weapon. Let’s unpack how this letter fits Chad Daybell’s Death Row Marketing Plan. It’s a rebranding campaign that uses religious imagery, paranormal claims, and nostalgia to push the public away from the facts that Chad Daybell was convicted of murdering his wife, Tammy Daybell, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan. Short

This is part 2 of the special crossover episode with Mike King, criminal profiler - host of Profiling Evil and who's story is the subject of our next season of American Nightmares: Gardens of Evil.. Megan and Mike sit down for an in-depth conversation about her time reporting on the Savopoulos family murders and the case against Daron Wint. Then the roles reverse. Megan turns the mic on Mike to talk about the upcoming Season 5 of American Nightmares: Gardens of Evil, premiering February 3rd. Mike offers a first look at the investigation, the survivors who came forward, and the disturbing truth

This is a special crossover episode with Mike King, criminal profiler - host of Profiling Evil and who's story is the subject of our next season of American Nightmares: Gardens of Evil.. Megan and Mike sit down for an in-depth conversation about her time reporting on the Savopoulos family murders and the case against Daron Wint. Then the roles reverse. Megan turns the mic on Mike to talk about the upcoming Season 5 of American Nightmares: Gardens of Evil, premiering February 3rd. Mike offers a first look at the investigation, the survivors who came forward, and the disturbing truths behind a h

This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season alongside host Megan Cloherty. In this final episode, Megan continues her conversation with Abigail. She opens up about her feelings on the prosecution of Daron Wint, whether forgiveness is possible, and the questions she’d ask the man who killed her parents and brother. Original Episode - The D.C. Court of Appeals has denied Daron Wint a retrial in his quadruple murder conviction. Hosts Megan Cloherty and Jack Moore sit down to talk about the three-judge panel's decision. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and

This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, you’ll hear the final portion of Megan’s conversation with the prosecutors on the case. This segment dives into the investigation itself — how they coordinated with police, their thinking around Daron’s alibi, and the photos that never made it into evidence. Original Episode - An update in the case after nearly two years: Daron Wint’s lawyers have filed an appeal seeking to throw out his conviction and asking for a new trial. Hosts Megan Cloherty and Jack Moore head back into the

NEW True Crime Series from Gamut Podcast Network. Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult begins February 3rd. It was just another quiet neighborhood in small town America. At least, that's how it looked. But the immaculately groomed yards, trimmed hedges, and brightly colored flower gardens hid an insidious secret. More than a hundred residents were members of a cult called The Zion Society. Hiding in plain sight, they hoarded guns and ammunition. They created, sold, and modeled sexy lingerie. They took children away from parents and groomed them for sexual abuse. Their beliefs were

Megan Cloherty joins Paul Wagner, the host of American Nightmares: Murder in a Safe Place to discuss a major breakthrough in the Sherry Crandell case. On Monday investigators confirmed that the case has been solved. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, Megan is joined by Jack Moore and Julia Ziegler to answer listener questions. This was the last episode before our two updates after the trial, including Daron's choice to appeal and then the outcome of the court's ruling on that matter. Original Episode - In our final episode, we again return to the studio and dig through our notes, files and transcripts of the case to answer listener questions. What happened to the $40,000 ransom and was it fully accounted for? What is the timel

This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, you'll hear what happened when Megan reached out to Daron Wint in prison. You'll learn just how many prisons he's been transferred to in the last 10 years, why he filed suit while he was inside, and what it takes to communicate with a prisoner in a federal penitentiary. New episodes drop every Tuesday. Original Episode - After Daron Wint’s conviction, federal prosecutors press the judge for the harshest possible sentence and, for the first time reveal his history of explosive rage

This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, Megan is joined once again by Abigail Savopoulos. Abigal shares stories about her brother Philip, like how he got into racing and anecdotes about her little brother's BIG personality. She also speaks candidly about losing him, and how she managed to get through the trial while in college. New episodes drop every Tuesday. Original Episode - After six weeks, dozens of witnesses and hours of testimony, emotions were running high when attorneys delivered their closing arguments. Then

This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, Megan is joined once again by co-creators Jack Moore and Julia Ziegler to discuss how the music for this podcast came together - and how it surprised listeners. They'll talk about how they wrote the podcast, how they got some of the audio clips, and Megan brings in a surprise guest to add a perspective that even Jack and Julia didn't know about. New episodes drop every Tuesday. Original Episode - Daron Wint’s bizarre arrest one week after the murders on Woodland Drive only added

This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with host Megan Cloherty. This is the episode where we invite listeners questions about the case. Megan explains why this episode was so necessary to the process and why, she feels, it's one of our best. New episodes drop every Tuesday. Original Episode - Did any of the victims eat the pizza? Why the $40,000 ransom? Did security cameras in the neighborhood capture footage? We hit pause on the case and go into the studio to answer your questions, so far, about the crime, the case and the podcast. A regular episode returns n

This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, Megan is joined again by co-creators Jack Moore and Julia Ziegler to pull back the curtain on the making of the podcast. They talk about the challenge of getting the transcripts from DC Superior Court and the editorial decisions that went into the decision to cast their colleagues to read them aloud. New episodes drop every Tuesday. Original Episode - After hours on the witness stand, Daron Wint’s story begins to falter. Then, one of the lawyers in the case drops a big hint about

This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, Megan is joined by the prosecutors in this case, Laura Bach and Chris Bruckmann. This is the first they have officially talked to us about the case. They couldn't talk when we were putting the original podcast together as Daron chose to appeal. But now that that process has exhausted they can share their thoughts on the trial. Megan asks how they prepared for the case, their reaction when Daron accused his brothers, what it was like to cross examine him - and many other topics. New

This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, Megan is joined by Jack Moore and Julia Ziegler to pull back the curtain on the creation of the original season. They talk about how the show came about, how they turned their daily coverage of the Daron Wint trial into a podcast and discuss the behind the scenes decisions that formed the final product. New episodes drop every Tuesday. Original Episode - Over the 22 hours the victims were taken captive and then killed, the prime suspect goes missing and his normally active Faceboo

This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, we share more of Megan's interview with Abbigail Savopoulos, including memories of her mom and dad, and whose decision it was to send her to boarding school—a decision that may have saved her life. She also talks about the moments after learning her childhood home was on fire, and why she says her life became a whirlwind. New episodes drop every Tuesday. Original Episode - The Savopoulos house was held in evidence for weeks as crime scene investigators looked for clues. In the end

This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with original host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, Megan talks with Jordan Wallace, the man who initially fell under suspicion and was later cleared of the crime. Jordan was Savvas Savopoulos' assistant. Jordan shares his thoughts and memories of the crime and give an update to where he is now. New episodes will drop every Tuesday. Original Episode - Hours after the victims are taken hostage, a ransom is delivered to the mansion on Woodland Drive. But it doesn’t save the victims -- the calls, text messages and voicemails

This is 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with original host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, Megan explores what happened to the Savopoulos' mansion. She talks to the private buyer that bought the land and steps foot in the new multi-million dollar home that sits where the Savopoulos home once stood. New episodes will drop every Tuesday. Original Episode - For the Savopoulos family and Vera Figueroa, May 13, 2015, began like any other Wednesday. Then things went terribly wrong. Through phone records, text messages and eyewitnesses, we recreate the timeline of the

Welcome to 22 Hours: A Second Look, where we revisit our original season with original host Megan Cloherty. In this episode, Megan shares why we're revisiting the case of the Savopoulos family and their housekeeper and she shares part 1 of her conversation with one of the Savopoulos' surviving daughters. New episodes will drop every Tuesday. Original Episode - It began with a fire. A man driving through an upscale neighborhood in Washington, D.C., in 2015 spotted smoke pouring from one of the homes. It was the first sign something terrible had happened on Woodland Drive. Later, firefighters

Host Megan Cloherty returns for a new season of American Nightmares. In the upcoming season, we revisit the story that launched the series: a D.C. power couple, their 10-year-old son, and their housekeeper—held hostage for nearly 24 hours before being murdered inside their own home. Now, 10 years after the crime and 6 years since we first told the story, Season 1 returns with all-new content, fresh interviews, and exclusive updates that shed new light on a case that still resonates today. New episodes drop September 2nd See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Not

The D.C. Court of Appeals has denied Daron Wint a retrial in his quadruple murder conviction. Hosts Megan Cloherty and Jack Moore sit down to talk about the three-judge panel's decision. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

31 years after the Potomac River Rapist attacked his first victim, the detectives who solved the case are telling their story exclusively to WTOP American Nightmare Series Host Paul Wagner. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Host Paul Wagner brings listeners a huge update about Giles Warrick that changes the course of...everything. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Giles Warrick is questioned by police in the hours after his arrest, the 60-year-old tells them he doesn't know how his DNA turned up at 10 different crime scenes in DC and Maryland. But, what will police find when they search his South Carolina home? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In November 2019, detectives from Montgomery County, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., make their way to Conway, South Carolina, where investigators are certain they will find their "unknown subject." They head to a ranch house on a rural country road where a 60-year-old man is living with his girlfriend. But, what will they find when they knock on the door? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

By 2018, investigators had tired of waiting for another DNA cold hit and decided to hand the case to a cop named 'Smugs.' A young Montgomery County police officer who had already used genealogy to solve several high profile rape and murder cases. Crimes that had stumped detectives for years. Could 'Smugs' be the one to finally give a name to the Unknown Subject? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the nineties turned into Y2K Detectives Dean Combee and Joe Mudano were still trying to solve their cases. Years of investigating had gotten them nowhere until the FBI called with stunning news. DNA from all of the attacks had been linked to one man. A fact that floored the veteran investigators who never saw it coming. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the early to mid nineties, Montgomery County Police Detective Joe Mudano knew he had a ruthless rapist preying on women but he had no idea who he was. DNA linked a number of cases, but a clear description remained elusive. More maddening for Mudano was the fact the Unknown Subject seemed to have inside information. But how? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Seven years before Christine Mirzayan was murdered in Georgetown, a man cut the phone lines to a house miles outside the city and raped a teenage baby sitter. The first in a string of similar attacks spread out over several years. Kelly survived that awful night and in this episode tells her harrowing story. A crime that was nothing like the murder in Georgetown. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the summer of 1998, a brilliant scientist walking home from a party is grabbed off the street and killed. Her body is found the next day in a wooded area just steps from the Georgetown University campus. It was a gruesome scene. DC Police had no witnesses and no suspects, but they did have a valuable clue: a key piece of evidence the killer left behind. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For 9 years, he terrorized women across the DC region. Breaking into homes and raping his victims before killing a brilliant scientist near the gates of Georgetown University in 1998. And then, it all stopped. Was he dead? Locked up? Before the FBI would name him the infamous Potomac River Rapist, detectives simply called him their “unknown subject” for years. A man whose DNA linked him to multiple crime scenes, but whose name and face remained a mystery to police. For decades, detectives had no idea who he was until a bike cop named Smugs began connecting the dots. See Privacy Policy at htt

Part two of host Paul Wagner’s discussion with Tiffany, Darren and Luke Crandell, and Detective Bernie Nelson. In this episode, we go behind the scenes with the team on what it’s like creating a podcast. And Detective Nelson takes us deeper into the world of using genealogy to solve cold cases.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tiffany, Darren and Luke Crandell join podcast host Paul Wagner and Detective Bernie Nelson to discuss their mother’s case. The conversation was the first time in 23 years all three Crandell siblings were together with the man who has never stopped looking for their mother’s killer. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.