Brenda Lafferty: The tragic story of Under the Banner of Heaven

The Utah-based young lady Brenda Lafferty’s painful life story can hardly be forgotten after her life and her 15-month-old baby girl, Erica was cut short by the two inhumane brothers of her husband Allen claiming it was a revelation from God.  

Who is Brenda Lafferty?

Brenda Wright Lafferty, one of the daughters of LaRae Hatch Wright and Dr. James Lewis Wright aged 24 at the time was murdered on July 24, 1984, by Ron and Dan her brothers-in-law together with her 15-month-old daughter. They had several reasons for executing that inhumane act on their fellow human. 

Born and bred from a staunch Christian home as members of the Church of Latter Day Saints, Ron and Dan, took a different turn to become fundamentalist joining the group called the School of Prophet, going by their own created doctrines. They quit paying taxes, refused to accept modern medicines, and decided to be polygamous, with Ron going to the extent of deciding to take another person as a woman apart from her already known better half as his wife being no other person but his own daughter, which was against the Christian doctrine and an abomination as well. 

For them, women were nothing and should be treated without respect, they hated that a woman should be College educated, progressive and assertive just as the case of Brenda, who had achieved all these. Ron accused Brenda of being the brain behind his wife quitting the marriage and leaving to Florida with his kids. 

Being members of the School of Prophets, they claimed their decision to kill Brenda and her daughter was a revelation from God to take away any obstacle. She and her daughter were considered to be one since she encouraged Diana the wife of Ron to quit her marriage because of ill-treatment. 

What happened to Brenda Lafferty and her daughter

On July 24, 1984, Brenda Lafferty aged 24 alongside her daughter Erica were found dead in their home by Allen her husband with their throats slashed, Brenda’s neck wrapped with a vacuum cord lying in the kitchen, and her toodles lying in a blood-soaked crib. Ron and Dan, Allen’s older brothers had murdered them and fled the state to  Reno, Nevada but were still apprehended. The gruesome incident though it happened for decades, is still an unforgettable story in Utah State.

What caused Brenda Lafferty’s death?

Brenda was murdered through throat-slashing by her husband’s fundamentalist brothers Ron and Dan who believed women shouldn’t be regarded in society but always be allowed to live a low life and be submissive contrary to the 24-year-old American being a College educated, progressive and assertive. Being open-minded, she encouraged Diana Ron’s wife to flee from her marriage after Ron decided to take his own daughter as a second wife, which didn’t make sense and was an abomination but was persistent to practice his new beliefs. Brenda’s influence on Diana was seen as an obstacle. Cowardly claiming it was a revelation from God to cut short the lives of Brenda and her daughter, they killed them. 

What happened to Ron and Dan?

Ron and Don after their evil act flew to Reno, Nevada but were still arrested weeks later. They were tried separately in 1985, with Dan being spared a death sentence. Ron, whose conviction was first overturned on appeal, was put on trial again in 1996, convicted, and sentenced to death.