35th Anniversary of the Kirtland Cult Killings

35th Anniversary of the Kirtland Cult Killings

From Who Killed...? by Evergreen Podcasts | Killer Podcasts

November 7, 2025 · 1h 20m

About this episode

This episode explores the Kirtland Cult Killings that occurred in Kirtland, Ohio, in 1989, detailing the events leading to the tragic murders of the Dennis Avery family.

On today’s episode, we will dive into the Kirtland Cult Killings that took place in Kirtland, Ohio. This small town, situated in Lake County and only a 25-minute drive east of Cleveland, became a national headline in January 1990. After moving to Kirtland, Lundgren established himself as a lay minister for the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dale Luffman, the president of the northeast Ohio chapter of the Reorganized Church, confirmed that Lundgren served at the church temple in Kirtland from 1985 to 1987. During this period, he took charge of guiding tours of the church's 153-year-old temple for the public after relocating from Kansas City, Missouri. The victims were the Dennis Avery family: Dennis, Cheryl, and their three daughters—Trina (15), Rebecca (13), and Karen (7). They had moved from Missouri to join Lundgren’s group around 1987. On April 17, 1989, Lundgren invited the Averys to his farm in Kirtland for a “last supper”-type gathering. One by one, they were taken to a barn behind the house, where they were bound, gagged with duct tape, and shot to death. Reports indicate that a chainsaw was used to muffle the sound of the gunshots. SOURCES…

Topics covered

  • Kirtland Cult Killings
  • true crime
  • murder
  • Ohio

Keywords

  • cult
  • Lundgren
  • Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  • mass murder

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Kirtland, Ohio, Lake County, Cleveland, Kansas City, Missouri

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