Jeffrey Don Lundgren, Prophet of Death

The farm house becomes a crime
scene
(Taro Yamasaki/TIMEPIX)

Diagrams of the floor plan of the
barn and the location of the
bodies.
(Officer Ron Andolsek)

The Kirtland Fire Department arrived on the scene at seven o'clock. Following a quick briefing of the situation, the men began to work in the suspected area. After digging just inches into the plot, the men were over-come with a foul pungent odor. Some gagged while others had to quickly make there way outside to be sick. The smell became stronger the deeper they dug and the hole they were creating was filling up with blood-red water. What appeared to be pieces of flesh floated to the top.

Shortly after 9:00 p.m., thirty inches below the surface, they discovered the first body. It was lying on its side and appeared to be of a male. Lake County Coroner William Downing and officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation were immediately notified of the discovery. From this point on, police conducted a meticulous excavation.

The pit where the bodies were discovered
(David Lohr/Don Pender)

As news of the discovery hit the airways, members of Lundgren's cult started to come forward one by one and tell their version of events in hopes of receiving leniency from the courts. When Ron Luff came forward, investigators were utterly shocked at how cold and remote he was while describing his involvement in the murders.

Deborah Olivarez and Richard
Brand
(Duncan Scott, The News Herald)

The Avery murders landed in the lap of Lake County Prosecutor Steven La Tourette. A northern Ohio native, Steve had attended law school at Cleveland Marshall College. After serving in the public defenders office, La Tourette ran for the office of prosecutor in 1988 and won. From the start of the Avery investigation, La Tourette was enraged at the callous execution of an entire family.

Prosecutor La Tourette wasted little time in obtaining arrest warrants for Jeff Lundgren, Alice Lundgren, Damon Lundgren, Ron Luff, Susan Luff, Richard Brand, Greg Winship, Danny Kraft, Deborah Olivarez, Sharon Bluntschly, Dennis Patrick, Tonya Patrick, and Kathryn Johnson.

Prosecutor Steven La
Tourette
(John Kuntz)

The warrants were faxed to Kansas City and by mid afternoon, Ron Luff, Susan Luff, Dennis Patrick, Tonya Patrick and Deborah Olivarez had been placed under arrest and taken to the Jackson County Jail to await arraignment. The following day Sharon Bluntschly, Richard Brand and Greg Winship turned themselves over to authorities.