Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult

Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult

By American NIghtmares

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 insidiou

... more
Download on the App Store

Best of Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

  1. Number 1: E2 - To Hell And Back

    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.

    1h 3min
    Listen Later
  2. Number 2: E3 - The Alpha

    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 describing what’s happening behind closed doors: coercion, sexual control, and escalating punishment for resistance. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 8min
    Listen Later
  3. Number 3: E4 - The Buyer

    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 raid the quiet neighborhood at dawn. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    54min
    Listen Later
  4. Number 4: E1 - What Lies Beneath

    A pristine neighborhood in Ogden, Utah hides something rotten. When a couple move 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.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    51min
    Listen Later
  5. Number 5: E7 - Standing Tall

    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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 4min
    Listen Later

Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult episodes:

FAQs about Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult:

How many episodes does Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult have?

The podcast currently has 13 episodes available.