Advertise on podcast: Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult

Following the story of Zion, survivors share the moments, memories, and manipulation that couldn’t be fully captured the first time. Jackie and Ron reflect on the turning point that led them to leave, as Arvin Shreve’s behavior grew increasingly disturbing. Through deeply personal accounts, survivors reveal how fear, control, and religious rhetoric were used to strip away identity and maintain power within the group. Andrea and Amber speak to the lasting emotional impact—from the trauma inflicted on children to the psychological scars that linger into adulthood. Centered on survivor voices, A Closer Look continues to add depth and perspective to the story of Zion—offering validation, understanding, and resources for those navigating similar experiences. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when you return to the place where it all began? In Episode 2 of Gardens of Evil – A Closer Look Inside The Garden, hosted by Mike King, survivors revisit the neighborhoods where their childhoods were shaped, and where trauma still lingers beneath the surface. As memories resurface, experts help explain why trauma doesn’t follow a linear path. Dr. Judy Ho breaks down how abuse disrupts memory, leaving survivors with fragmented and emotional recall, while Dr. Patrice Berry explores the critical role of validation, empathy, and safe support systems in the healing process. For the first time, we also hear from the partners of survivors... those who stand beside them in the aftermath. Rocky and David share what it means to support someone you love through trauma, without judgment, and without trying to “fix” what can’t be undone. This episode is about memory, resilience, and the quiet power of being believed—and what it takes to begin healing when the past is still present. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After the events of Gardens of Evil, the story doesn’t end for the survivors. In the first episode of our series A Closer Look, we examine the lasting psychological impact of growing up inside the Zion Society cult. Survivors describe a childhood defined by constant monitoring, shame, and control—where even a child’s body weight was tied to spiritual worthiness. Host Mike King speaks with survivors about the lifelong effects of coercive control: broken trust, complicated family relationships, and the challenges of parenting after trauma. Cult expert and sociologist Dr. Janja Lalich also joins the conversation to explain how cult recruitment works, why people stay, and why it can take decades for survivors to rebuild their lives. This episode is dedicated to victims of child abuse, to those who escaped destructive mind control, and to the advocates who fight every day to protect children. If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual abuse, help is available. Support your local Children’s Advocacy Center and organizations that serve survivors. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.

The media descends on Northwood. The Zion Society children are interviewed, but many refuse to cooperate. Mike King gets a surprise call from Cedar City. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Seventy Ogden police officers gather in the dark and move into Northwood at dawn, hitting multiple Zion Society homes at the exact same moment. The plan is simple on paper and terrifying in practice: secure the children, secure the evidence, and arrest the “head of the snake.” Inside the spotless houses and perfectly manicured yards, investigators find signs of a militant system built on control—hidden portals, stockpiles, meticulously organized drawers of lingerie, and evidence meant to corroborate witness accounts of sexual exploitation. Social workers rush the children into protective custody, but the emotional reality is more complicated than the outside world expects: some of the kids don’t experience the raid as a rescue at all. And just as the case seems to crack open, one urgent question threatens everything that comes next—where is Arvin Shreeve? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult begins February 3rd. 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 insidious secret. More than a hundred residents were members of a cult called The Zion Society. Hiding in plain sight, they hoarded guns and ammunition. They created, sold, and modeled sexy lingerie. They took children away from parents and groomed them for sexual abuse. Their beliefs were centered around satisfying the perverted desires of one man - their leader: an unassuming, soft-spoken landscaper. Neighbors knew something was amiss, but it wasn't until a brave young woman broke away from the secretive group and confessed to authorities that everything began to unravel for this dangerous cult. This is the story of that unraveling told by the people who lived it. Click below to subscribe to Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardens-of-evil-inside-the-zion-society-cult/id1748894795 https://open.spotify.com/show/5w7xyH8ttWZKc64D9q08H4 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 insidious secret. More than a hundred residents were members of a cult called The Zion Society. Hiding in plain sight, they hoarded guns and ammunition. They created, sold, and modeled sexy lingerie. They took children away from parents and groomed them for sexual abuse. Their beliefs were centered around satisfying the perverted desires of one man - their leader: an unassuming, soft-spoken retiree. Neighbors knew something was amiss, but it wasn't until a brave young woman broke away from the secretive group and confessed to authorities that everything began to unravel for this dangerous cult. This is the story of that unraveling told by the people who lived it. Series release begins February 3rd. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.