The Colony: Faith and Blood in a Promised Land

In 2019, an ambush by masked gunmen on a caravan of women and children in northern Mexico controlled by the Sinaloa drug cartel resulted in the deaths of nine people and the injury of five more. The victims were members of the LeBaron and La Mora communities, fundamentalist Mormons who had broken from the LDS Church and settled in Mexico when their religion outlawed polygamy in the late nineteenth century. In her book "The Colony," bestselling investigative journalist Sally Denton delves into the complex story of the LeBaron clan, exploring their history from the first polygamist emigrations to Mexico through the internal blood feud in the 1970s and their recent alliance with the NXIVM sex cult. The book offers a glimpse of life within a polygamous community on an arid and dangerous frontier in the mid-1800s and explores what drove so many women over generations to join or remain in a community based on male supremacy and female servitude.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 07 November 2023
Publisher: WW Norton & Co

On the morning of November 4, 2019, an unsuspecting caravan of women and children encountered a tragic ambush by masked gunmen on a remote stretch of road in northern Mexico, under the control of the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel. The assailants unleashed a barrage of semi-automatic weapons, resulting in the tragic loss of nine lives and severe injuries to five others. The victims belonged to the LeBaron and La Mora communities, fundamentalist Mormons who had severed ties with the LDS Church due to its prohibition of polygamy in the late 19th century. This horrific massacre garnered international attention, leading President Donald Trump to threaten the deployment of the US Army.

In her groundbreaking investigative work, The Colony, bestselling journalist Sally Denton continues the incomplete reporting on the attacks, delving into the intricate and compelling story of the LeBaron clan. Colonia LeBaron, their homestead, serves as a time capsule, offering a glimpse into the lives of a polygamous community on the rugged and perilous frontier of Mexico during the mid-1800s. Despite the modern conveniences of smartphones and machine guns, Denton's narrative is rooted in historical documents and anonymous interviews with women from within the LeBaron community. Through her meticulous research, Denton unfolds an epic tale that spans the early emigrations of polygamists to Mexico, the internal blood feud initiated by Ervil LeBaron, known as the "Mormon Manson," and the recent alliance between the LeBaron family and the NXIVM sex cult, led by the now-imprisoned Keith Raniere.

The relationship between the LeBarons and the Sinaloa drug cartel had been deteriorating in the years preceding the ambush. LeBaron patriarchs believed they were deliberately targeted by the cartel, while others suspected that local farmers were responsible for the attacks. The tensions between the two groups escalated, leading to a climate of fear and uncertainty within the community.

The Colony is a powerful and eye-opening exploration of the LeBaron clan, their history, and their complex relationships with the surrounding world. Denton's meticulous research and compelling storytelling shed light on the challenges and complexities of living in a polygamous community, as well as the broader societal implications of such practices. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history, culture, and politics of Mexico, as well as the ongoing struggle against organized crime and violence.

Weight: 240g
Dimension: 139 x 209 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781324094081