ROCH THERIAULT: Sadist, Murderer, and Cult Leader Of The Ant Hill Kids – Canada’s Deadliest Cult

What began as a backwoods commune in Canada turned into one of the most horrific cults in history — led by self-proclaimed prophet Roch Thériault, whose reign of terror is almost too disturbing to believe. Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy. DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised. IN THIS EPISODE: Deep in Quebec's wilderness, Roch Thériault assembled believers to await the apocalypse he claimed would arrive February 1979. His spiritual settlement transformed into history's most disturbing cult experiment, where unauthorized surgeries, calculated torture, and mind control tactics replaced daily prayers. For twelve years, the "Ant Hill Kids" remained secluded from authorities, their isolation enabling atrocities as their self-proclaimed Moses pursued increasingly dangerous delusions. CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Lead-In 00:02:25.607 = Show Open 00:04:41.589 =PART 1: THE FOUNDATION OF MADNESS 00:07:14.970 = The Making of Moses 00:18:02.162 = The Prophet Emerges 00:28:36.412 = Eternal Mountain 00:41:05.850 = PART 2: DESCENT INTO DARKNESS 00:41:32.068 = The First Death 00:49:21.345 = The Second Settlement 01:00:34.694 = The Final Atrocities 01:12:52.195 = PART 3: AFTERMATH AND LEGACY 01:13:17.481 = The Prison years 01:20:54.620 = The Survivors’ Stories 01:31:42.097 = Cultural Impact and Collective Memory 01:42:25.997 = PART 4: UNDERSTANDING THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE 01:42:59.741 = The Psychology of Cult Control 01:54:39.106 = The Psychology of Roch Thériault 02:05:54.259 = The Question of Evil 02:21:58.286 = PART 5: LESSONS FROM DARKNESS 02:32:40.752 = Show Close SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE… BOOK: “Alliance of the Sheep” (“L'alliance de la brebis)” by Gabrielle Lavallée: https://amzn.to/4dDwv1u (Only available in the original French. An English translation has apparently not been authorized or published.) BOOK: “Savage Messiah" by Paul Kaihla and Ross Laver: https://amzn.to/3FzXxKn FILM: “Savage Messiah”: https://amzn.to/43O6yJ8 https://theprofilehhs.com/4728/editorials/the-ant-hill-kids-theriaults-early-beginnings-stage-1/ https://theprofilehhs.com/4751/editorials/ant-hill-kids-theriault-and-february-of-1979-stage-2/ https://theprofilehhs.com/4746/editorials/ant-hill-kids-theriaults-surgeries-and-samuel-stage-3/ https://theprofilehhs.com/4802/editorials/ant-hill-kids-theriault-and-the-end-of-his-world-stage-4/ https://allthatsinteresting.com/ant-hill-kids https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/chilling-insight-doomsday-cult-members-13995059 https://murderpedia.org/male.T/t/theriault-roch.htm https://www.dannydutch.com/post/the-ant-hill-kids-inside-the-twisted-world-of-roch-thériault-and-his-apocalyptic-canadian-cult https://medium.com/obscure-horror/roch-thériault-and-the-ant-hill-kids-c0fb66a6b14c https://www.paradigmshift.com.pk/ant-hill-kids/ https://maryboro.ca/story/cult-leader-roch-theriault-on-trial/ https://cvltnation.com/ant-hill-kids-break-legs-sledgehammer-go-hell/ https://www.propensitypod.com/episodes/ant-hill-kids https://www.toronto.com/news/crime/behind-the-crimes-murder-mutilation-abuse-part-of-life-at-ant-hill-kids-commune/article_70440d6e-a838-5b34-856d-b696402a10c9.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LesjWnLH_I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wBXOkcvhDg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krM7UUjzykI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wo1T9hsKzo ===== ( Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases. ) = = = = = "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me