Mexican Ambush That Killed 9 Left Mormon Communities Shaken

The Mexican ambush that took the lives of nine women and children in Northern Mexico has brought the attention of the scattered Mormon families who settled in the country more than a century ago to escape persecution.

The grisly Mexican ambush happened on Monday while the three women and 14 children drove toward Arizona from the town of Bavispe in Sonora. In a report from Reuters, the family came from a prominent families including the LeBarons and Langfords with both dual U.S. and Mexican citizenship.

According to a report published in Los Angeles Times, the family was mistaken to be a member of the rival drug cartel. The criminal investigators in Northern Mexico released a statement that a suspect has been arrested already and is under investigation for possible connections with the crime.

The grieving families of the victims can still remember their childhood days thriving in the farm. Lafe Langford, aged 33, told the reporters that they are comfortable and contented to live in La Mora because they lived there for more than 70 years with peace and prosperity. He also described the La Mora for its fertile farms, hardworking carpenters, and sawmills and dubbed the place as the "paradise for children." The place has 350 residents together with other 1,000 who are shuttled between United States and Mexico.

Lafe Langford planned to move permanently to La Mora from United States but with what happened to his relatives, he changed his mind due to feelings of shock and sadness. On the other hand, Aurora LeBaron recalled being a young girl and who used to visit the place frequently several years ago in Colonia Lebaron. She added that that she can remember how free she and her family in going down the street with much freedom and peace but with what happened she felt not safe anymore.

A historian of Mormonism from Utah State University Patrick Mason said that the LeBarons are among the handful major groups of fundamentalist. He added that in their era, the family is commonly associated with violence and unfortunately the grisly Mexican ambush only adds to that association. It can be remembered that in the 1970s and 1980s, the families are known for series of killings in both United States and Mexico. They were once led by Ervil LeBaron who is named as the Mormon Manson and his group of followers.

In 1972, Ervil LeBaron together with his two followers were convicted for allegedly killing his brother Joel due the leadership faction in their religion. He was tried and convicted by his rival polygamist leader in 1977 Dr. Rulon Allred. And in 1993, the life of Ervil LeBaron was turned into a TV Drama titled "Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story."

Meanwhile, the LeBaron family said that the Mexican ambush might be linked to the Juarez Drug cartel. The LeBaron family said that their members have to bring guns with them because violence occurred everywhere in Mexico. The place where the shooting and killing of nine women and 14 children is disputed by two families, the Sinaloa cartel and La Linea cartel.

Read more: Faith in Mexico shaken for 'true believer' Mormon communities and Massacre of U.S. citizens puts spotlight on Mormon community with deep roots in Mexico