August 15, 2021 • 30 mins
Many Ohio folktales spring forth from darkened woods. The claim is that wild territories harbor menacing creatures lying in wait. Kirtland’s legend of the Melonheads is no exception. Rumors abound of small, childlike humanoids with bulbous heads and jagged teeth. Unsuspecting motorists, left disabled on the side of country roads, are said to fall victim to their predatory attacks.
It seems some cryptids aren’t shy at all.
But that’s not all that’s strange about Kirtland’s reputation. Come hear the true story of a cult, born of religious zealotry. One former group of local residents found themselves ensnared by a very real evil force. The consequences proved deadly. Their impacts are felt yet today.
Come explore these fiendish phenomena, real and imaginary, and what they have to teach us about ourselves.
If you enjoy this episode, please rate, review and subscribe to Ohio Folklore on your chosen podcast platform. You can also find Ohio Folklore at:
Ohiofolklore.com
Facebook.com/ohiofolklore
And as always, keep wondering…
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Unknown (00:03):
Hello and welcome to Ohio folklore. I'm your host
Melissa Davies. Today, we'retaking a slightly different
approach to our episode topic.
Normally Ohio folklore episodescenter on one legendary story,
diving deep into the history,the fantastic claims and decades
of lore which have evolvedaround them. Our topic today,
however, includes two differentcompelling stories that share
(00:28):
one commonality location.
Less than 25 miles east ofCleveland, a community of about
6000 residents calls itself thecity of faith and beauty.
home to one of the nation'slargest Arboretum's locals can
explore wonders of the naturalvariety. This tree sanctuary
(00:52):
sprawls over 3600 acres ofOhio's Allegheny plateau,
sprouting forth wildflowers,which attract rare species of
hummingbirds and butterflies.
Another claim to fame includesthe nation's first Mormon
temple, completed by JosephSmith in 1836. This national
(01:13):
historic landmark stands yettoday and is open for tours.
It serves as a monument to theearly leaders of the Latter Day
Saints movement, and wouldbecome home to the reorganized
Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints. The RLDS the
structure designed with eleganceand simplicity plays a central
(01:36):
role in one of the stories we'llexplore today.
I'm talking about Kirtland,Ohio, and two legendary stories
which took root in thisnortheastern Ohio community.
For many of us, deep and darkand woods cast a foreboding
(02:00):
spell.
untamed forces lurk in theshadows hiding behind dead and
rotting trees. We conjure imagesof wild beasts left untouched by
the reaches of civilization,under a canopy of oaks and
maples, these beings roam, ifnot literally, then at least in
(02:22):
our imaginations, these unhumancreatures eke out an existence
wholly unknown to us. Legend hasit that in the wilds of Lake
County, and in the hillssurrounding Kirtland, in
particular smallish humanoidslie and wait.
fantastic stories abound fromunsuspecting motorists,
(02:44):
especially those driving alongWeisner road, a lonely single
lane that snakes through heavilyforested hills.
We're exploring the legend ofthe melonheadz. There spottings
have been so numerous over theyears that these cryptids have
been given a name. These unusualcreatures childlike with tiny
(03:07):
frames are rumored to havebulbous oversized heads and
sharp pointed teeth.
Many locals swear to have hadencounters so much so that a
local TV station Wk YC carry thestory on the legend and October
2020 Reporter Rachel Polanskiinterviewed Managing Director of
(03:29):
the Lake County HistoricalSociety, Amy capa Stasi.
As the pair walked through athick section of forests off
Weisner Road, Amy regaledviewers with summaries of the
two most common versions of thetale.
Both stories have at theircenter a Dr. Crow. In the first
(03:50):
version, this mad scientistacquired a group of young
orphans through some nefariousmeans, and spirited them away to
his cabin deep in the woods,away from the prying eyes of
residents in nearby villages.
They would be his test subjects,the guinea pigs, on which he
would attempt experimentalprocedures and in one experiment
(04:15):
gone terribly wrong. The lot ofthem developed swelling in the
brain, which led to an abnormalgrowth in their skulls.
They remained isolated in thewoods, Dr. Crow as their captor
and tormentor. Until one day,when the children had grown a
bit older and stronger, theybanded together. After night had
(04:38):
fallen one evening, they waitedto hear his heavy snoring. Then
let the rustic cabin on firebefore slinking away into the
trees.
They've been successful, killingtheir abuser and enjoyed freedom
for the first time in theirlives. However, on taking
(05:00):
Their first timid steps out ofthe forest toward civilization.
They were met with shriekingpetrified locals backing away at
the side of them. Any hopes offinding support from loving
adults was forever lost. In muchgrief and despair, they took the
only option left them and foundrefuge in the woods. Like a pack
(05:24):
of wolves, they bonded togetherhunting deer, Raccoon and other
vermin.
Their wild instincts ignited onreturning to the earth to Mother
Nature. And from that momentforward, whenever a civilized
human was unlucky enough toencounter more than one of them
at a time, they'd be torn limbfrom limb, and devoured as
(05:49):
unsuspecting prey.
In the second very differentversion of this story, a group
of orphaned large headedchildren were victims of a
government experiment gonewrong. Officials needed to find
someone who would care for them,who'd be willing to keep them
(06:10):
isolated their existence asecret from the populace. The
Kindly Dr. Crowe and his wifeseemed the perfect solution. The
doctor had recently retired, oneday blended into the next for
him, as he faced much boredomand lack of purpose, living in a
remote cabin with his wife.
(06:33):
The couple agreed to take thechildren and keep the sacred.
And while the situation suitedall quite well, at first, no
thought had been given to thequestion of what would happen,
should Dr. Crowe and his wifedie at some point, which of
course, they did.
Not long after taking the brood,and it said they died of natural
(06:56):
causes, leaving the haplessorphans to their own devices.
From there, these two versionsof the story merge into one with
strange, childlike, bulbousheaded creatures, roaming the
woods around Kirtland.
There are various claims ofspecific sightings, which
(07:17):
usually involve unsuspectingmotorists driving down lonely
roads. Often Weisner road justeast of town, and they're
through the trees stands one ormore figures, perhaps four feet
tall, with gigantic bald headscovered and thick, pulsing
veins. Some claim that theystare blankly with an eerie,
(07:39):
statuesque stillness about them.
Others claim just the opposite,that on realizing they've been
spotted, they bear their pointedteeth and lunge forward in a
pack formation.
It's a common rite of passagefor young folks often high
schoolers to make a trek outinto this deserted section of
(08:03):
woods, hunting for melon heads.
Many come upon mangled animalcarcasses, torn limb from limb
with bite marks that look almosthuman. The too small and too
pointed to be soothers claimed to come upon
abandoned shacks deep in thewoods, clearly once the site of
Dr. Crows home.
(08:31):
This legend has firmly take rootamong generations of
northeastern Ohioans. It's astory that's told and retold at
dinner tables and Halloweenparties. Even though the tale is
shared with much passion andintrigue, there's no evidence in
the historical record to back upits claims. Of course, the most
(08:52):
ardent believers argue that thewhole operation was secret from
the start, and that all evidenceof the crimes which happened
were covered up. So maybe partof what perpetuates this legend
is an inability to prove anegative.
While no census records can befound which support the
existence of a doctor Croweliving in the remote areas
(09:15):
outside Kirtland. It's also truethat no evidence can disprove
his existence either.
It's a lot to swallow, even forthe most naive among us. And
yet, the story lives on.
My own personal theory as to itsorigins offer a very natural,
(09:36):
albeit sad explanation. Many ofyou may well know of the medical
condition known ashydrocephalus.
It occurs when too much cerebralspinal fluid accumulates within
the brain, leading to anincreased pressure in the skull.
Children born with the conditionare prone to rapidly growing
(09:57):
heads as the plates in theirskull have not yet fused. Some
children develop very largeoversized craniums. As a result,
their appearance can be quitestriking.
They also unfortunately suffer anumber of various neurological
symptoms. About two out of every1000 Children are known to be
(10:19):
born with the condition, whichcan today be treated through the
use of shunting. This processdrains excess fluid from the
brain.
Prior to the 20th century,however, hydrocephalus remained
an intractable condition.
itself certainly possible thatat some point in Kirtland
(10:40):
history, that a child or perhapseven a group of children,
suffering hydrocephalus, livessomewhere in the remote and
densely forested hills, outsideKirtland.
If we could trace the origins ofthis story to the for the 20th
century, that would line up withthe history of the condition and
(11:00):
its lack of effectivetreatments.
such poor children would havehad no chance of receiving an
effective intervention, andtherefore would have lived their
lives with the condition. It'snot hard to imagine how an
uninformed person could havecome upon them, and conjured up
some kind of story to accountfor their striking appearance.
(11:24):
And as most lore evolves, eachteller adds another juicy little
detail. Perhaps some subterfuge,some cruelty, some elements of
wild vengeful impulses, andthus, a folktale is born.
(11:48):
And now we move from a fantastictale of evil humanoid creatures
living in the wilds of LakeCounty, to the very real and
tragic story of one group offanatic followers and a self
proclaimed prophet.
Their leader Jeffrey longeron,led the effort to murder an
entire family who were membersof the cult by January 1990.
(12:14):
Lundgren and his family had beenon the run from federal
authorities who are closing innine months after the brutal
slayings happened inside a barnon a 15 acre farm on the
outskirts of Kirtland. The fedswould finally intercept the
Lundgren family as theyattempted to cross the border
from California into Mexico.
(12:37):
The motel room where they hadbeen staying was stockpiled with
weapons, including an AR 15.
They hadn't planned to go downwithout a fight.
On hearing the news of theirapprehension, Kirtland police
chief Ronald andall, SEC wasrelieved. Officers heavily
(12:58):
patrolled the homes of manyresidents due to threats that
they would be next.
Many residents had been on edgesince the terrible discovery of
the bodies had rocked the smalland usually peaceful community.
How could this have happenedhere? Was the question many
locals ask them. Some are stillasking today.
(13:23):
It's this compelling and vitalquestion I hope to address for
the remainder of today'sepisode.
Jeffrey Lundgren was a formerSunday school teacher and tour
guide for the Kirtland Temple.
This historic church stillstands today and is open to the
public. It was once home to thereorganized Church of Jesus
(13:47):
Christ of Latter Day Saints.
While this religious group, nowcalled the Community of Christ
shares some beliefs with thelarger Mormon church, it is
considered a separate branchaltogether.
Through multiple visions andunusual dreams, Lundgren had
(14:07):
become convinced that he waschosen by God to establish Zion
there within Kirtland. Theconcept of Zion within the
Mormon religion generallyreflects the hope that a new
Jerusalem will be established inthe new world.
Many Mormons hold the beliefthat the city of Independence
(14:28):
Missouri is the destinedlocation for this sacred
prophesized community. Lundgren,however, believed otherwise.
He claimed to have unlockedsecret codes within the Bible
and the Book of Mormon, whichsupported the belief that the
city of Zion would spring forthfrom the humble location of
(14:50):
Kirtland, Ohio.
According to longeron, thehistoric temple built by Joseph
Smith Jr. in 1836.
was the first seed of this muchprophesized community. With much
zeal, this self proclaimedProphet and seer would move his
family from Independence,Missouri to Kirtland, Ohio, he
(15:14):
was bent on fulfilling what heforesaw, written in scriptures,
that Kirtland would become thesacred gathering place for
Latter Day Saints, and he wouldlead the movement to make it
happen.
As longerons teachings becamemore strident and radical, the
larger church sought to containand limit his influence, he
(15:38):
would ultimately beexcommunicated.
And response, his most loyalsupporters offered sympathy,
they became more and moreassured that he was being
persecuted for speaking thetruth.
Seizing on this, Lundgrenencouraged his followers to
defect and follow him on thetrue path, the one supposedly
(16:03):
anointed by God himself. Inreturn for giving Lundgren all
their financial assets, theywould receive salvation,
prosperity, and eternal life,they would bear witness to the
second coming of Christ.
(16:24):
Later investigations wouldreveal that Lundgren and his
followers were prepared to killanyone who posed an obstacle for
their divine mission. The grouphad made threats to local law
enforcement and at least 350area church members who
disapproved of longeronsteachings.
in isolation on the 15 acrefarm, the group trained and
(16:48):
military tactics, preparing forthe day they would defend
themselves from disbelievers.
They don fatigues and armyboots. They watched violent
films in hopes of desensitizingthemselves to acts of bloodshed.
They engaged and weapon trainingand target practice. This group,
(17:09):
proclaimed followers of Christwere preparing for war.
Little did their members knowthat the real threat was not
from without, but from within.
On April 28 1988, the Kirtlandpolice department had begun
(17:31):
staking out the long run farm.
Multiple Kirtland residents hadreported receiving death threats
from the cultish group. Abiggest concern was the rumor
that within the week, on May 3,Lundgren would lead an assault
on the Kirtland Temple, wherehe'd recently been fired as a
tour guide.
(17:51):
The date came and went withoutissue. Lundgren had learned that
his plans had been leaked, andknew that police had been tipped
off may 3, London's birthdaycame and went with no violence.
The relief this brought wastemporary. Police would maintain
(18:13):
surveillance of the property asthreats and other complaints
about the group's activitiescontinued. Tension ran high as
the expectation for some kind ofviolent confrontation remained.
Then the following April, April19 1989, to be exact, the
massive contingent of 20 FBIagents, local police and
(18:36):
sheriff's deputies were shockedat what they observed. The group
packed up and left withoutexplanation without
confrontation.
They simply gathered theirbelongings and headed out past
marked and unmarked surveillancevehicles never to return again.
(19:04):
How could a group so feared sofanatical in their mission? just
up and leave? No doubt manyresidents were simply happy to
be rid of them. No doubt lawenforcement officials working on
the case were laid at thedevelopment.
Yet there had to be someexplanation, some compelling
(19:25):
reason that might justify such acounterintuitive move by this
enigmatic cult.
The answer lies in lung grinsdecision to lead the group on a
trek into the wildernessclaiming to have had yet another
vision. He announced to hisfollowers that God was leading
(19:47):
them to a remote spot nearDavis, West Virginia.
There they would isolatethemselves for a few months
before heading on to anotherfarm and show how we was there
yet before the journey wouldbegin, one task had to be
completed. Two days before theirsurprise departure from the
(20:10):
farm, the cult would take thelives of some of their own.
Lundgren had prophesized thatthe deed was necessary, a
sacrifice of sorts.
Through whispers and secretmeetings of small numbers of
them, the plan was hatched.
Authorities were so focused onthe threat of the group against
(20:33):
the larger community that theywere blinded to the risk the
group posed toward its ownmembers.
The Avery family parents Dennisand Cheryl 15 year old Trina 13
year old Rebecca, and seven yearold Karen had followed the lung
(20:56):
grins from Independence,Missouri, to Kirtland in hopes
of rebuilding Zion in this smallunassuming city.
A year and a half after they hadbeen murdered by the group they
pledged their lives to onefellow cult member offered a
detailed view of how the crimehappened.
(21:18):
They were lazy, wimpy and notsocially acceptable. Richard
brand testified describingLondon's view of this family who
claimed to be his followers.
Brand had witnessed firsthand asone by one, each member of the
family was learned to the barnbound, gagged and executed
(21:41):
shooting them at close rangewith the 45 caliber pistol.
Their bodies were then buried ina mass grave within the
foundations of the barn.
The group had scheduled secretmeetings, excluding the Avery
family to plan how theexecutions would take place.
(22:01):
Multiple members would later beconvicted of various felonies
and the condition of the crime.
The Act had been premeditated,involving considerable deception
and subterfuge, all driven bythe belief and one man's vision
from God that their deaths serveas a sacrifice for their forward
journey toward redemption.
(22:28):
On the night in question,Lundgren brandish the pistol in
front of his co conspirators andasked, Are you with me?
Brands interpreted the questionas an additional threat, that
anyone who declined toparticipate might find
themselves part of thesacrifice.
(22:49):
Not wanting to cross him. Brandagreed by participating and
luring each member of the Averyfamily to the barn, one by one
on the pretense of helping packfor the group's departure.
Dennis the father was the firstLundgren demanded that his eyes
remain on blindfolded. Heclaimed that he wanted Dennis to
(23:12):
see His coming death. The man'spleas for mercy went unanswered,
and he was quickly shot todeath.
When Lungren his own son, 19year old Damon Lohengrin began
sobbing at the trauma of thescene. Lundgren scolded him for
his weakness and forced him outof the barn.
(23:37):
Cheryl Avery, the mother of thefamily was long grins next
victim.
Her fellow cult members advisedher to stop struggling against
the restraints to make it quotequick and easy.
The accounts of the finalmoments of the Avery children
were graciously not publicizedin newspaper reports. The bodies
(24:00):
were quickly covered with limeand buried there. Under the
Barnes foundations.
Richard brand for his testimony,attained a plea bargain.
five counts of kidnapping weredropped. For his role in
lowering the family members oneby one to their deaths. He would
(24:20):
plead guilty to five counts ofmurder, as would other members
of the cult during the course ofcourt proceedings.
13 members in total wouldeventually plead to crimes of
various sorts, before the wholecase against the cult would be
wrapped up.
(24:41):
And so as done law enforcementofficials watch longerons cult
pack up and move that day inApril 1989. None had known of a
cowardly act which precededtheir departure.
Not until January 1990. Wouldpolice receive a report from an
ISP deranged husband of a cultmember that the remains of the
(25:03):
Avery family lie in a shallowgrave, hidden inside the barn
where they were killed.
After a search warrant wasobtained, crime scene
investigators discovered a layerof trash which was chest high on
opening the barn doors.
Removing it revealed the tragicclaim was true. Each victims
(25:27):
corpse was yet bound and gagged.
Just as the informant hadforetold.
The Lake County prosecutorexpressed outrage reflecting how
many of Kirklands 6000 residentsfelt at learning the news.
From then, the hunt was on forJeffrey Lundgren and his
(25:49):
followers, many of whom hadscattered across the country in
hopes of alluding justice forthe crime. All would eventually
be located and apprehended.
Lundgren himself was chief amongthem, he was convicted.
During the sentencing phase ofhis trial, he preached that he
was indeed a prophet of God, whocould Divine Messages from
(26:13):
scriptures. Others couldn'tdiscern.
God had told him to kill theAvery family. He declared that
his victims were unrepentantsinners. He claimed that they
deserve death and express noremorse for his actions.
After many years of appeals,being held in Ohio's prison and
(26:36):
lucasville Lundgren was finallyexecuted by lethal injection on
October 24 2006.
And the decades that have passedsince this needless tragedy,
many Kirtland area, residentshave grown weary of this
history, which isunderstandable.
(26:57):
But in a final chapter on thesaga, the farmhouse and the
barn, where the slayingshappened, were finally
demolished in 2007. To make wayfor a new congregation,
a church called new promisepurchase the property with the
intention of redefining what thelocation might mean for local
(27:17):
residents. This vibrant worshipcommunity remains yet today.
Their mission is to seek, saveand disciple the lost by
offering hope to everyone andmaking disciples of Jesus
Christ.
(27:39):
Today's combination of twocompelling stories offer a
unique look on one common themeoften found in folklore, the
presence of evil and how wecontend with it.
Many folktales portray evil asan insidious force that they
supernatural bent. Tales ofdemons, witches, vampires, and
(28:02):
the like, are pervasive when itcomes to local folklore.
The melonheadz fit nicely intothis theme.
They represent something thatexists between what it means to
be human, and what it means tobe wild. They portray the
untamed forest as dark andmenacing. And as with all good
(28:24):
folktales they exude a bit ofour own wicked impulses,
reflecting back in the tailsportrayal of them, as victims of
abuse, neglect, anddiscrimination by the wider
community.
It's a classic lesson containedin so many stories of lore, that
we inadvertently create the evilwhich haunts us
(28:48):
that we fear what oncerepresented ourselves, that a
lack of love and compassionleads to malevolent forces.
Despite our anxieties overuntamed creatures, born of the
stuff of nightmares, true evilcan exist in the least obvious
of places. Time and again,history has shown that we are
(29:12):
vulnerable to a belief incertainty, the kind of which
only a religious zealot canprovide, in hopes of attaining a
guarantee of salvation. Some arewilling to invite evil in their
own midst.
It's the ardent belief that onespecial group and it's
predestined leader can riseabove the law and above the
(29:36):
rights of ordinary citizens. Ithappened in Jonestown and in
Waco, and it happened inKirtland, Ohio.
The effects remain of a cowardlyacts of that day in April 1989.
While some residents have grownweary of this sickening history,
(29:59):
the lesson it cancontains is undeniable.
Evil comes from some of theleast expected sources, mostly
forces within ourselves.
Yet with vigilance and humility,we can grow from this past and
(30:19):
maybe even overcome it.
That's a new promise we can alltake forward as we take on
whatever challenges these timesbring.
This concludes today's episodeon Kirtland, Ohio. I hope you've
enjoyed it. If so, please ratereview and subscribe to Ohio
(30:41):
folklore on your chosen podcastplatform. You can find Ohio
folklore at Ohio folklore.comAnd on Facebook.
And as always, keep wandering
Hello and welcome to Ohio folklore. I'm your host
Melissa Davies. Today, we'retaking a slightly different
approach to our episode topic.
Normally Ohio folklore episodescenter on one legendary story,
diving deep into the history,the fantastic claims and decades
of lore which have evolvedaround them. Our topic today,
however, includes two differentcompelling stories that share
(00:28):
one commonality location.
Less than 25 miles east ofCleveland, a community of about
6000 residents calls itself thecity of faith and beauty.
home to one of the nation'slargest Arboretum's locals can
explore wonders of the naturalvariety. This tree sanctuary
(00:52):
sprawls over 3600 acres ofOhio's Allegheny plateau,
sprouting forth wildflowers,which attract rare species of
hummingbirds and butterflies.
Another claim to fame includesthe nation's first Mormon
temple, completed by JosephSmith in 1836. This national
(01:13):
historic landmark stands yettoday and is open for tours.
It serves as a monument to theearly leaders of the Latter Day
Saints movement, and wouldbecome home to the reorganized
Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints. The RLDS the
structure designed with eleganceand simplicity plays a central
(01:36):
role in one of the stories we'llexplore today.
I'm talking about Kirtland,Ohio, and two legendary stories
which took root in thisnortheastern Ohio community.
For many of us, deep and darkand woods cast a foreboding
(02:00):
spell.
untamed forces lurk in theshadows hiding behind dead and
rotting trees. We conjure imagesof wild beasts left untouched by
the reaches of civilization,under a canopy of oaks and
maples, these beings roam, ifnot literally, then at least in
(02:22):
our imaginations, these unhumancreatures eke out an existence
wholly unknown to us. Legend hasit that in the wilds of Lake
County, and in the hillssurrounding Kirtland, in
particular smallish humanoidslie and wait.
fantastic stories abound fromunsuspecting motorists,
(02:44):
especially those driving alongWeisner road, a lonely single
lane that snakes through heavilyforested hills.
We're exploring the legend ofthe melonheadz. There spottings
have been so numerous over theyears that these cryptids have
been given a name. These unusualcreatures childlike with tiny
(03:07):
frames are rumored to havebulbous oversized heads and
sharp pointed teeth.
Many locals swear to have hadencounters so much so that a
local TV station Wk YC carry thestory on the legend and October
2020 Reporter Rachel Polanskiinterviewed Managing Director of
(03:29):
the Lake County HistoricalSociety, Amy capa Stasi.
As the pair walked through athick section of forests off
Weisner Road, Amy regaledviewers with summaries of the
two most common versions of thetale.
Both stories have at theircenter a Dr. Crow. In the first
(03:50):
version, this mad scientistacquired a group of young
orphans through some nefariousmeans, and spirited them away to
his cabin deep in the woods,away from the prying eyes of
residents in nearby villages.
They would be his test subjects,the guinea pigs, on which he
would attempt experimentalprocedures and in one experiment
(04:15):
gone terribly wrong. The lot ofthem developed swelling in the
brain, which led to an abnormalgrowth in their skulls.
They remained isolated in thewoods, Dr. Crow as their captor
and tormentor. Until one day,when the children had grown a
bit older and stronger, theybanded together. After night had
(04:38):
fallen one evening, they waitedto hear his heavy snoring. Then
let the rustic cabin on firebefore slinking away into the
trees.
They've been successful, killingtheir abuser and enjoyed freedom
for the first time in theirlives. However, on taking
(05:00):
Their first timid steps out ofthe forest toward civilization.
They were met with shriekingpetrified locals backing away at
the side of them. Any hopes offinding support from loving
adults was forever lost. In muchgrief and despair, they took the
only option left them and foundrefuge in the woods. Like a pack
(05:24):
of wolves, they bonded togetherhunting deer, Raccoon and other
vermin.
Their wild instincts ignited onreturning to the earth to Mother
Nature. And from that momentforward, whenever a civilized
human was unlucky enough toencounter more than one of them
at a time, they'd be torn limbfrom limb, and devoured as
(05:49):
unsuspecting prey.
In the second very differentversion of this story, a group
of orphaned large headedchildren were victims of a
government experiment gonewrong. Officials needed to find
someone who would care for them,who'd be willing to keep them
(06:10):
isolated their existence asecret from the populace. The
Kindly Dr. Crowe and his wifeseemed the perfect solution. The
doctor had recently retired, oneday blended into the next for
him, as he faced much boredomand lack of purpose, living in a
remote cabin with his wife.
(06:33):
The couple agreed to take thechildren and keep the sacred.
And while the situation suitedall quite well, at first, no
thought had been given to thequestion of what would happen,
should Dr. Crowe and his wifedie at some point, which of
course, they did.
Not long after taking the brood,and it said they died of natural
(06:56):
causes, leaving the haplessorphans to their own devices.
From there, these two versionsof the story merge into one with
strange, childlike, bulbousheaded creatures, roaming the
woods around Kirtland.
There are various claims ofspecific sightings, which
(07:17):
usually involve unsuspectingmotorists driving down lonely
roads. Often Weisner road justeast of town, and they're
through the trees stands one ormore figures, perhaps four feet
tall, with gigantic bald headscovered and thick, pulsing
veins. Some claim that theystare blankly with an eerie,
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statuesque stillness about them.
Others claim just the opposite,that on realizing they've been
spotted, they bear their pointedteeth and lunge forward in a
pack formation.
It's a common rite of passagefor young folks often high
schoolers to make a trek outinto this deserted section of
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woods, hunting for melon heads.
Many come upon mangled animalcarcasses, torn limb from limb
with bite marks that look almosthuman. The too small and too
pointed to be soothers claimed to come upon
abandoned shacks deep in thewoods, clearly once the site of
Dr. Crows home.
(08:31):
This legend has firmly take rootamong generations of
northeastern Ohioans. It's astory that's told and retold at
dinner tables and Halloweenparties. Even though the tale is
shared with much passion andintrigue, there's no evidence in
the historical record to back upits claims. Of course, the most
(08:52):
ardent believers argue that thewhole operation was secret from
the start, and that all evidenceof the crimes which happened
were covered up. So maybe partof what perpetuates this legend
is an inability to prove anegative.
While no census records can befound which support the
existence of a doctor Croweliving in the remote areas
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outside Kirtland. It's also truethat no evidence can disprove
his existence either.
It's a lot to swallow, even forthe most naive among us. And
yet, the story lives on.
My own personal theory as to itsorigins offer a very natural,
(09:36):
albeit sad explanation. Many ofyou may well know of the medical
condition known ashydrocephalus.
It occurs when too much cerebralspinal fluid accumulates within
the brain, leading to anincreased pressure in the skull.
Children born with the conditionare prone to rapidly growing
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heads as the plates in theirskull have not yet fused. Some
children develop very largeoversized craniums. As a result,
their appearance can be quitestriking.
They also unfortunately suffer anumber of various neurological
symptoms. About two out of every1000 Children are known to be
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born with the condition, whichcan today be treated through the
use of shunting. This processdrains excess fluid from the
brain.
Prior to the 20th century,however, hydrocephalus remained
an intractable condition.
itself certainly possible thatat some point in Kirtland
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history, that a child or perhapseven a group of children,
suffering hydrocephalus, livessomewhere in the remote and
densely forested hills, outsideKirtland.
If we could trace the origins ofthis story to the for the 20th
century, that would line up withthe history of the condition and
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its lack of effectivetreatments.
such poor children would havehad no chance of receiving an
effective intervention, andtherefore would have lived their
lives with the condition. It'snot hard to imagine how an
uninformed person could havecome upon them, and conjured up
some kind of story to accountfor their striking appearance.
(11:24):
And as most lore evolves, eachteller adds another juicy little
detail. Perhaps some subterfuge,some cruelty, some elements of
wild vengeful impulses, andthus, a folktale is born.
(11:48):
And now we move from a fantastictale of evil humanoid creatures
living in the wilds of LakeCounty, to the very real and
tragic story of one group offanatic followers and a self
proclaimed prophet.
Their leader Jeffrey longeron,led the effort to murder an
entire family who were membersof the cult by January 1990.
(12:14):
Lundgren and his family had beenon the run from federal
authorities who are closing innine months after the brutal
slayings happened inside a barnon a 15 acre farm on the
outskirts of Kirtland. The fedswould finally intercept the
Lundgren family as theyattempted to cross the border
from California into Mexico.
(12:37):
The motel room where they hadbeen staying was stockpiled with
weapons, including an AR 15.
They hadn't planned to go downwithout a fight.
On hearing the news of theirapprehension, Kirtland police
chief Ronald andall, SEC wasrelieved. Officers heavily
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patrolled the homes of manyresidents due to threats that
they would be next.
Many residents had been on edgesince the terrible discovery of
the bodies had rocked the smalland usually peaceful community.
How could this have happenedhere? Was the question many
locals ask them. Some are stillasking today.
(13:23):
It's this compelling and vitalquestion I hope to address for
the remainder of today'sepisode.
Jeffrey Lundgren was a formerSunday school teacher and tour
guide for the Kirtland Temple.
This historic church stillstands today and is open to the
public. It was once home to thereorganized Church of Jesus
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Christ of Latter Day Saints.
While this religious group, nowcalled the Community of Christ
shares some beliefs with thelarger Mormon church, it is
considered a separate branchaltogether.
Through multiple visions andunusual dreams, Lundgren had
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become convinced that he waschosen by God to establish Zion
there within Kirtland. Theconcept of Zion within the
Mormon religion generallyreflects the hope that a new
Jerusalem will be established inthe new world.
Many Mormons hold the beliefthat the city of Independence
(14:28):
Missouri is the destinedlocation for this sacred
prophesized community. Lundgren,however, believed otherwise.
He claimed to have unlockedsecret codes within the Bible
and the Book of Mormon, whichsupported the belief that the
city of Zion would spring forthfrom the humble location of
(14:50):
Kirtland, Ohio.
According to longeron, thehistoric temple built by Joseph
Smith Jr. in 1836.
was the first seed of this muchprophesized community. With much
zeal, this self proclaimedProphet and seer would move his
family from Independence,Missouri to Kirtland, Ohio, he
(15:14):
was bent on fulfilling what heforesaw, written in scriptures,
that Kirtland would become thesacred gathering place for
Latter Day Saints, and he wouldlead the movement to make it
happen.
As longerons teachings becamemore strident and radical, the
larger church sought to containand limit his influence, he
(15:38):
would ultimately beexcommunicated.
And response, his most loyalsupporters offered sympathy,
they became more and moreassured that he was being
persecuted for speaking thetruth.
Seizing on this, Lundgrenencouraged his followers to
defect and follow him on thetrue path, the one supposedly
(16:03):
anointed by God himself. Inreturn for giving Lundgren all
their financial assets, theywould receive salvation,
prosperity, and eternal life,they would bear witness to the
second coming of Christ.
(16:24):
Later investigations wouldreveal that Lundgren and his
followers were prepared to killanyone who posed an obstacle for
their divine mission. The grouphad made threats to local law
enforcement and at least 350area church members who
disapproved of longeronsteachings.
in isolation on the 15 acrefarm, the group trained and
(16:48):
military tactics, preparing forthe day they would defend
themselves from disbelievers.
They don fatigues and armyboots. They watched violent
films in hopes of desensitizingthemselves to acts of bloodshed.
They engaged and weapon trainingand target practice. This group,
(17:09):
proclaimed followers of Christwere preparing for war.
Little did their members knowthat the real threat was not
from without, but from within.
On April 28 1988, the Kirtlandpolice department had begun
(17:31):
staking out the long run farm.
Multiple Kirtland residents hadreported receiving death threats
from the cultish group. Abiggest concern was the rumor
that within the week, on May 3,Lundgren would lead an assault
on the Kirtland Temple, wherehe'd recently been fired as a
tour guide.
(17:51):
The date came and went withoutissue. Lundgren had learned that
his plans had been leaked, andknew that police had been tipped
off may 3, London's birthdaycame and went with no violence.
The relief this brought wastemporary. Police would maintain
(18:13):
surveillance of the property asthreats and other complaints
about the group's activitiescontinued. Tension ran high as
the expectation for some kind ofviolent confrontation remained.
Then the following April, April19 1989, to be exact, the
massive contingent of 20 FBIagents, local police and
(18:36):
sheriff's deputies were shockedat what they observed. The group
packed up and left withoutexplanation without
confrontation.
They simply gathered theirbelongings and headed out past
marked and unmarked surveillancevehicles never to return again.
(19:04):
How could a group so feared sofanatical in their mission? just
up and leave? No doubt manyresidents were simply happy to
be rid of them. No doubt lawenforcement officials working on
the case were laid at thedevelopment.
Yet there had to be someexplanation, some compelling
(19:25):
reason that might justify such acounterintuitive move by this
enigmatic cult.
The answer lies in lung grinsdecision to lead the group on a
trek into the wildernessclaiming to have had yet another
vision. He announced to hisfollowers that God was leading
(19:47):
them to a remote spot nearDavis, West Virginia.
There they would isolatethemselves for a few months
before heading on to anotherfarm and show how we was there
yet before the journey wouldbegin, one task had to be
completed. Two days before theirsurprise departure from the
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farm, the cult would take thelives of some of their own.
Lundgren had prophesized thatthe deed was necessary, a
sacrifice of sorts.
Through whispers and secretmeetings of small numbers of
them, the plan was hatched.
Authorities were so focused onthe threat of the group against
(20:33):
the larger community that theywere blinded to the risk the
group posed toward its ownmembers.
The Avery family parents Dennisand Cheryl 15 year old Trina 13
year old Rebecca, and seven yearold Karen had followed the lung
(20:56):
grins from Independence,Missouri, to Kirtland in hopes
of rebuilding Zion in this smallunassuming city.
A year and a half after they hadbeen murdered by the group they
pledged their lives to onefellow cult member offered a
detailed view of how the crimehappened.
(21:18):
They were lazy, wimpy and notsocially acceptable. Richard
brand testified describingLondon's view of this family who
claimed to be his followers.
Brand had witnessed firsthand asone by one, each member of the
family was learned to the barnbound, gagged and executed
(21:41):
shooting them at close rangewith the 45 caliber pistol.
Their bodies were then buried ina mass grave within the
foundations of the barn.
The group had scheduled secretmeetings, excluding the Avery
family to plan how theexecutions would take place.
(22:01):
Multiple members would later beconvicted of various felonies
and the condition of the crime.
The Act had been premeditated,involving considerable deception
and subterfuge, all driven bythe belief and one man's vision
from God that their deaths serveas a sacrifice for their forward
journey toward redemption.
(22:28):
On the night in question,Lundgren brandish the pistol in
front of his co conspirators andasked, Are you with me?
Brands interpreted the questionas an additional threat, that
anyone who declined toparticipate might find
themselves part of thesacrifice.
(22:49):
Not wanting to cross him. Brandagreed by participating and
luring each member of the Averyfamily to the barn, one by one
on the pretense of helping packfor the group's departure.
Dennis the father was the firstLundgren demanded that his eyes
remain on blindfolded. Heclaimed that he wanted Dennis to
(23:12):
see His coming death. The man'spleas for mercy went unanswered,
and he was quickly shot todeath.
When Lungren his own son, 19year old Damon Lohengrin began
sobbing at the trauma of thescene. Lundgren scolded him for
his weakness and forced him outof the barn.
(23:37):
Cheryl Avery, the mother of thefamily was long grins next
victim.
Her fellow cult members advisedher to stop struggling against
the restraints to make it quotequick and easy.
The accounts of the finalmoments of the Avery children
were graciously not publicizedin newspaper reports. The bodies
(24:00):
were quickly covered with limeand buried there. Under the
Barnes foundations.
Richard brand for his testimony,attained a plea bargain.
five counts of kidnapping weredropped. For his role in
lowering the family members oneby one to their deaths. He would
(24:20):
plead guilty to five counts ofmurder, as would other members
of the cult during the course ofcourt proceedings.
13 members in total wouldeventually plead to crimes of
various sorts, before the wholecase against the cult would be
wrapped up.
(24:41):
And so as done law enforcementofficials watch longerons cult
pack up and move that day inApril 1989. None had known of a
cowardly act which precededtheir departure.
Not until January 1990. Wouldpolice receive a report from an
ISP deranged husband of a cultmember that the remains of the
(25:03):
Avery family lie in a shallowgrave, hidden inside the barn
where they were killed.
After a search warrant wasobtained, crime scene
investigators discovered a layerof trash which was chest high on
opening the barn doors.
Removing it revealed the tragicclaim was true. Each victims
(25:27):
corpse was yet bound and gagged.
Just as the informant hadforetold.
The Lake County prosecutorexpressed outrage reflecting how
many of Kirklands 6000 residentsfelt at learning the news.
From then, the hunt was on forJeffrey Lundgren and his
(25:49):
followers, many of whom hadscattered across the country in
hopes of alluding justice forthe crime. All would eventually
be located and apprehended.
Lundgren himself was chief amongthem, he was convicted.
During the sentencing phase ofhis trial, he preached that he
was indeed a prophet of God, whocould Divine Messages from
(26:13):
scriptures. Others couldn'tdiscern.
God had told him to kill theAvery family. He declared that
his victims were unrepentantsinners. He claimed that they
deserve death and express noremorse for his actions.
After many years of appeals,being held in Ohio's prison and
(26:36):
lucasville Lundgren was finallyexecuted by lethal injection on
October 24 2006.
And the decades that have passedsince this needless tragedy,
many Kirtland area, residentshave grown weary of this
history, which isunderstandable.
(26:57):
But in a final chapter on thesaga, the farmhouse and the
barn, where the slayingshappened, were finally
demolished in 2007. To make wayfor a new congregation,
a church called new promisepurchase the property with the
intention of redefining what thelocation might mean for local
(27:17):
residents. This vibrant worshipcommunity remains yet today.
Their mission is to seek, saveand disciple the lost by
offering hope to everyone andmaking disciples of Jesus
Christ.
(27:39):
Today's combination of twocompelling stories offer a
unique look on one common themeoften found in folklore, the
presence of evil and how wecontend with it.
Many folktales portray evil asan insidious force that they
supernatural bent. Tales ofdemons, witches, vampires, and
(28:02):
the like, are pervasive when itcomes to local folklore.
The melonheadz fit nicely intothis theme.
They represent something thatexists between what it means to
be human, and what it means tobe wild. They portray the
untamed forest as dark andmenacing. And as with all good
(28:24):
folktales they exude a bit ofour own wicked impulses,
reflecting back in the tailsportrayal of them, as victims of
abuse, neglect, anddiscrimination by the wider
community.
It's a classic lesson containedin so many stories of lore, that
we inadvertently create the evilwhich haunts us
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that we fear what oncerepresented ourselves, that a
lack of love and compassionleads to malevolent forces.
Despite our anxieties overuntamed creatures, born of the
stuff of nightmares, true evilcan exist in the least obvious
of places. Time and again,history has shown that we are
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vulnerable to a belief incertainty, the kind of which
only a religious zealot canprovide, in hopes of attaining a
guarantee of salvation. Some arewilling to invite evil in their
own midst.
It's the ardent belief that onespecial group and it's
predestined leader can riseabove the law and above the
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rights of ordinary citizens. Ithappened in Jonestown and in
Waco, and it happened inKirtland, Ohio.
The effects remain of a cowardlyacts of that day in April 1989.
While some residents have grownweary of this sickening history,
(29:59):
the lesson it cancontains is undeniable.
Evil comes from some of theleast expected sources, mostly
forces within ourselves.
Yet with vigilance and humility,we can grow from this past and
(30:19):
maybe even overcome it.
That's a new promise we can alltake forward as we take on
whatever challenges these timesbring.
This concludes today's episodeon Kirtland, Ohio. I hope you've
enjoyed it. If so, please ratereview and subscribe to Ohio
(30:41):
folklore on your chosen podcastplatform. You can find Ohio
folklore at Ohio folklore.comAnd on Facebook.
And as always, keep wandering
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