Published 18:38 IST, March 3rd 2021
What is murder among the mormons about?
Netflix released its brand new crime thriller series called "Murder Among The Mormons" on March 3, 2021. Find out what is Murder Among the Mormons about.
Murder Among the Mormons is Netflix’s recent crime series. The three-part series is a US crime docuseries that showcases one of the most shocking crimes in the history of the Mormon community. Murder Among the Mormons release date is scheduled for March 3, 2021. Find out what Murder Among the Mormons is all about.
Murder Among The Mormons story
What is Murder Among the Mormons about?
The real incidence upon which Murder Among The Mormons is based, took place more than three decades ago, in October 1985. As a result of the shocking incidence, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints suffered one of the darkest chapters in its history. A Mormon missionary named Mark Hofmann killed two others and injured himself with three bomb blasts in and around Salt Lake City, Utah.
Although the shocking incident made national news at the time, the bombings have faded from the memory of people not only in the USA but also in Utah, where more than half the population identifies as Mormon. In an interview with Salt Lake Tribune, filmmaker Jared Hess said that Murder Among the Mormons is an isolated regional story. But the gruesome crime revealed so much more about human nature than many people knew. Hofmann’s horrific crime has become the subject of Hess’ and Tyler Measom’s new Netflix series. The series will have three episodes that will unravel what truly happened in Utah.
According to a report by Salt Lake Tribune, investigators later found out, Hofmann had been faking documents he claimed to have happened upon. These included a “Salamander Letter” that touted it was a salamander, not an angel, that guided church founder Joseph Smith to the golden plates. These Golden Plates were believed to be the basis of the Book of Mormon.
Who died in the bomblasts in Murder Among The Mormons?
The report further reveals that Hofmann’s first bomb killed businessman Steve Christensen, who had purchased the Salamander Letter for $40,000. The second killed Kathy Sheets, the wife of Christensen’s former boss. A third one detonated in Hofmann’s car, leaving him with extensive injuries. It was because Hofmann was injured himself that he appeared to be among the victims and not a perpetrator of the bombings. He then started weaving a web of lies before the authorities caught up to him in 1987. Hofmann pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and theft by deception. He was sentenced to life in prison, with the Utah Board of Pardons ruling out the possibility of parole.
Source: Still from Murder Among the Mormons (Netflix)
Updated 10:53 IST, March 4th 2021