Murder at Ryans Run: exposing the cult of John Africa

This episode examines the real man behind THE COORDINATOR of MOVE, Vincent Leaphart, the leader and creator of the group who gave himself the name of JOHN AFRICA and the title of THE COORDINATOR.   Vincent Leaphart, like most cult leaders, put his followers on the front line of his "revolution" and they certainly paid the price with their freedom and in some cases their lives.

If you have comments, questions or information related to the podcast or our ongoing research into MOVE please reach out via email:  [email protected] or message us on our social media platforms.  

The producers of this podcast wish to stress that all individuals reference in this series are presumed innocent unless or until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States of America.

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Executive Produced, reported, hosted, and edited by Beth McNamara
Additional research by Robert Helms

Murder At Ryan's Run
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If you have questions, comments, tips, or media inquiries, please reach out on social media or via email: [email protected]

All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed to be innocent unless or until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a United States court of law. 

*CW: discussion of infant deaths, child neglect, child abuse, and police brutality.   

MOVE says their religion is Life.  "JOHN AFRICA taught us that Life is the priority. Nothing is more important or as important as Life, the force that keeps us alive. All life comes from one source, from God, Mom Nature, Mama.  Each individual life is dependent on every other life, and all life has a purpose, so all living beings, things that move, are equally important whether they are human beings, dogs, birds, fish, trees, ants, weeds, rivers, wind or rain." - 25 Year On The Move

This episode examines Life Africa, a baby boy born into the organization in March 1976 that MOVE says was murdered by police.  This tragic event has been shared by MOVE as a justification for taking up arms against the system in 1977.  In examining this infant death the podcast team uncovers other alleged infant deaths.  

If you have any information related to this episode or the podcast series overall please reach out via email: [email protected] or message us on our socials. 

The producers of this podcast wish to stress that all individuals reference in this series are presumed innocent unless or until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States of America.

Support the show

Executive Produced, reported, hosted, and edited by Beth McNamara
Additional research by Robert Helms

Murder At Ryan's Run
Instagram
Facebook Page
Podcast Press

If you have questions, comments, tips, or media inquiries, please reach out on social media or via email: [email protected]

All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed to be innocent unless or until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a United States court of law. 

*CW: child neglect and abuse.
MOVE has always bragged about the health/strength of the children raised in MOVE were even more exceptional because they were raised as the "pure generation" under MOVE Law - the teachings of John Africa but the reality was the children were sick with diseases  like Kwashiorkor which is only seen in developing countries experiencing famine.

What are the signs and symptoms of kwashiorkor?

• Edema (swelling with fluid, especially in the ankles and feet).
• Bloated stomach with ascites (a build-up of fluid in the abdominal cavity).
• Dry, brittle hair, hair loss and loss of pigment in hair.
• Dermatitis — dry, peeling skin, scaly patches or red patches.
• Enlarged liver, a symptom of fatty liver disease.
• Depleted muscle mass but retained subcutaneous fat (under the skin).
• Dehydration.
• Loss of appetite (anorexia).
• Irritability and fatigue.
• Stunted growth in children.

(More information Cleveland Clinic - Kwashiorkor)

The producers of this podcast wish to stress that all individuals reference in this series are presumed innocent unless or until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States of America.

Support the show

Executive Produced, reported, hosted, and edited by Beth McNamara
Additional research by Robert Helms

Murder At Ryan's Run
Instagram
Facebook Page
Podcast Press

If you have questions, comments, tips, or media inquiries, please reach out on social media or via email: [email protected]

All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed to be innocent unless or until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a United States court of law. 

*Sensitive content about police brutality, abuse against children and women. Mention of racial slurs.

MOVE began in the West Philadelphia neighborhood of Powelton Village at a time when counterculture and revolution were the norm and a former Black Panther once crossed paths with a handyman named Vince who then became John Africa. 

The Black Panther Party Ten-Point Program
Timothy Hayes Blog

Big shout out to 50 years of local reporting  on MOVE from The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Daily News  and underground papers like THE DRUMMER.  Support your local newspapers before they are gone.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence or intimate partner violence R.A.I.N.N    1-800-656-HOPE.

The producers of this podcast wish to stress that all individuals reference in this series are presumed innocent unless or until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States of America.

Support the show

Executive Produced, reported, hosted, and edited by Beth McNamara
Additional research by Robert Helms

Murder At Ryan's Run
Instagram
Facebook Page
Podcast Press

If you have questions, comments, tips, or media inquiries, please reach out on social media or via email: [email protected]

All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed to be innocent unless or until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a United States court of law. 

MOVE claims that their "organization" was created by one man, a black man named Vincent Leaphart.  Vincent did not create the MOVE cult by himself, he had a lot of help from a white graduate student named Donald Glassey who then escaped and became a government informant in order to stop Vincent's bomb plot.  



 

The producers of this podcast wish to stress that all individuals reference in this series are presumed innocent unless or until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States of America.

Support the show

Executive Produced, reported, hosted, and edited by Beth McNamara
Additional research by Robert Helms

Murder At Ryan's Run
Instagram
Facebook Page
Podcast Press

If you have questions, comments, tips, or media inquiries, please reach out on social media or via email: [email protected]

All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed to be innocent unless or until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a United States court of law. 

Welcome to Season 2 of the podcast.  In this episode you will get some updates and behind-the-scenes information on Season 1 and then you will hear from cult expert and author Rick Alan Ross about MOVE and the overall nature of destructive cults and MOVE. .

Links and Resources mentioned in this episode:

Tony Allen's blog:  AntiMOVE
Kevin Price's blog: Leaving MOVE 2021   

RICK ALAN ROSS
Twitter https://twitter.com/RickAlanRoss

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/culteducation

Cult Education Institute
International Cultic Studies Association
Janja Lalich 

The producers of this podcast wish to stress that all individuals reference in this series are presumed innocent unless or until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States of America.

Support the show

Executive Produced, reported, hosted, and edited by Beth McNamara
Additional research by Robert Helms

Murder At Ryan's Run
Instagram
Facebook Page
Podcast Press

If you have questions, comments, tips, or media inquiries, please reach out on social media or via email: [email protected]

All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed to be innocent unless or until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a United States court of law. 

MOVE likes to say that John Gilbride is still alive and living under an assumed name working for the US Government who is, of course, hell bent on destroying MOVE. John Gilbride is dead and we have obtained the Medical Examiner's Report stating exactly how he died on September 26, 2002.  And we knock on the front door of MOVE leader's house and have a brief and bizarre interaction with her second husband.  

The producers of this podcast wish to stress that all individuals reference in this series are presumed innocent unless or until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States of America.

Support the show

Executive Produced, reported, hosted, and edited by Beth McNamara
Additional research by Robert Helms

Murder At Ryan's Run
Instagram
Facebook Page
Podcast Press

If you have questions, comments, tips, or media inquiries, please reach out on social media or via email: [email protected]

All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed to be innocent unless or until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a United States court of law. 

This whole podcast got started when Bob shared the story of MOVE and May 13th 1985 with Beth and got her hooked on learning as much as she could but then one interview spins her around and sends the whole focus and podcast down an unsolved murder rabbit hole that leads deep into the MOVE organization that even ties back to Hollywood film royalty - Steven Spielberg.  

If you have any information that could help solve the unsolved murder of JOHN GILBRIDE or you have information about the allegations of abuse exposed in this podcast please contact us [email protected] or message us on social media.

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The producers of this podcast wish to stress that all individuals reference in this series are presumed innocent unless or until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States of America.

Support the show

Executive Produced, reported, hosted, and edited by Beth McNamara
Additional research by Robert Helms

Murder At Ryan's Run
Instagram
Facebook Page
Podcast Press

If you have questions, comments, tips, or media inquiries, please reach out on social media or via email: [email protected]

All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed to be innocent unless or until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a United States court of law. 

CONTENT WARNING: child sex abuse and graphic description of child birth.

While MOVE continues to claim their belief is LIFE and protecting all life, they are not in mourning of their former MOVE brother John Gilbride who was murdered in cold blood, but rather they are hanging decorations in preparation for not one wedding, but two and only the most trusted, loyal members and supporters are invited.  

The producers of this podcast wish to stress that all individuals reference in this series are presumed innocent unless or until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States of America.

Support the show

Executive Produced, reported, hosted, and edited by Beth McNamara
Additional research by Robert Helms

Murder At Ryan's Run
Instagram
Facebook Page
Podcast Press

If you have questions, comments, tips, or media inquiries, please reach out on social media or via email: [email protected]

All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed to be innocent unless or until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a United States court of law. 

Every murder investigation looks at motive - why does someone want someone else dead?  Common motives are jealousy and money.  One of the core secrets about MOVE is the source of their money and that would be a something that John Gilbride would have been privy to and so maybe MOVE vs. John Gilbride is about more than child custody.  .  

The producers of this podcast wish to stress that all individuals reference in this series are presumed innocent unless or until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States of America.

Support the show

Executive Produced, reported, hosted, and edited by Beth McNamara
Additional research by Robert Helms

Murder At Ryan's Run
Instagram
Facebook Page
Podcast Press

If you have questions, comments, tips, or media inquiries, please reach out on social media or via email: [email protected]

All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed to be innocent unless or until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a United States court of law.