Vernon Howell, later known as David Koresh, was born to Bonnie Holdman, who was only 14 years old at the time of his illegitimate birth in west Texas. Growing up, Koresh experienced a tumultuous childhood, struggling with dyslexia and dropping out of school in the 9th grade. He was kicked out of his Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church for his erratic behavior and later moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in rock music.
However, his aspirations were unsuccessful, and he eventually found himself at the Mt. Carmel religious commune outside Waco, Texas, in 1983. The commune was run by a splinter faction of the SDA church, known as the Branch Davidians, which was founded by Bulgarian Victor Houteff in the 1930s. Koresh began to preach at the commune, claiming to be an angel sent by God and blending rock music with his religious beliefs.
After being expelled from the commune, Koresh and his 25 followers embarked on a journey, eventually stopping in Palestine, Texas. On November 3, 1987, Koresh and his followers attempted to take over the Mt. Carmel commune by force, leading to a violent confrontation that resulted in the arrest of members from both sides. Koresh was eventually released on bail and took control of the commune.
Koresh's rival, deemed mentally unsound, had charges dropped in the 1988 trial, solidifying Koresh's position as the leader of the Branch Davidians. He began to attract vulnerable and insecure individuals to his "flock" and established a harem, which he called the "House of David," featuring a 14-year-old bride and multiple concubines, including some as young as 10 years old.
Koresh created a group of loyal followers, known as the "Mighty Men," and claimed the right to have multiple wives, citing his supposed divine authority. He eventually married 19 female cult members and fathered at least 12 of their children. In 1990, Koresh legally changed his name to David Koresh, a combination of "King David" and the Hebrew name for Cyrus the Great.
As his power grew, Koresh became increasingly isolated and dictatorial, enjoying air-conditioned comfort while his followers toiled in the sweltering heat. He renamed the commune Ranch Apocalypse and began building an arsenal, including a.50 caliber machine gun and over 300 firearms, equivalent to 11 tons of firepower. A bus was even buried as a bunker.
The FBI grew concerned about the developments at Ranch Apocalypse and launched a command raid on the ranch on February 28, 1993. The 51-day siege ended with the FBI firing tear gas canisters into the building and sending in tanks. A fire broke out, and when the authorities entered the building, they found the bodies of David Koresh and 75 of his followers, including 25 children, 12 of whom were his own.
