Melonheads & Cult Slayings: Kirtland's Lore

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:

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And as always, keep wondering…

Transcript

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Hello and welcome to Ohio folklore. I'm your host Melissa Davies. Today, we're taking a slightly different approach to our episode topic. Normally Ohio folklore episodes center on one legendary story, diving deep into the history, the fantastic claims and decades of lore which have evolved around them. Our topic today, however, includes two different compelling stories that share one commonality location. Less than 25 miles east of Cleveland, a community of about 6000 residents calls itself the city of faith and beauty. home to one of the nation's largest Arboretum's locals can explore wonders of the natural variety. This tree sanctuary sprawls over 3600 acres of Ohio's Allegheny plateau, sprouting forth wildflowers, which attract rare species of hummingbirds and butterflies. Another claim to fame includes the nation's first Mormon temple, completed by Joseph Smith in 1836. This national historic landmark stands yet today and is open for tours. It serves as a monument to the early leaders of the Latter Day Saints movement, and would become home to the reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The RLDS the structure designed with elegance and simplicity plays a central role in one of the stories we'll explore today. I'm talking about Kirtland, Ohio, and two legendary stories which took root in this northeastern Ohio community. For many of us, deep and dark and woods cast a foreboding spell. untamed forces lurk in the shadows hiding behind dead and rotting trees. We conjure images of wild beasts left untouched by the reaches of civilization, under a canopy of oaks and maples, these beings roam, if not literally, then at least in our imaginations, these unhuman creatures eke out an existence wholly unknown to us. Legend has it that in the wilds of Lake County, and in the hills surrounding Kirtland, in particular smallish humanoids lie and wait. fantastic stories abound from unsuspecting motorists, especially those driving along Weisner road, a lonely single lane that snakes through heavily forested hills. We're exploring the legend of the melonheadz. There spottings have been so numerous over the years that these cryptids have been given a name. These unusual creatures childlike with tiny frames are rumored to have bulbous oversized heads and sharp pointed teeth. Many locals swear to have had encounters so much so that a local TV station Wk YC carry the story on the legend and October 2020 Reporter Rachel Polanski interviewed Managing Director of the Lake County Historical Society, Amy capa Stasi. As the pair walked through a thick section of forests off Weisner Road, Amy regaled viewers with summaries of the two most common versions of the tale. Both stories have at their center a Dr. Crow. In the first version, this mad scientist acquired a group of young orphans through some nefarious means, 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 experimental procedures and in one experiment gone terribly wrong. The lot of them developed swelling in the brain, which led to an abnormal growth in their skulls. They remained isolated in the woods, Dr. Crow as their captor and tormentor. Until one day, when the children had grown a bit older and stronger, they banded together. After night had fallen one evening, they waited to hear his heavy snoring. Then let the rustic cabin on fire before slinking away into the trees. They've been successful, killing their abuser and enjoyed freedom for the first time in their lives. However, on taking Their first timid steps out of the forest toward civilization. They were met with shrieking petrified locals backing away at the side of them. Any hopes of finding support from loving adults was forever lost. In much grief and despair, they took the only option left them and found refuge in the woods. Like a pack of wolves, they bonded together hunting deer, Raccoon and other vermin. Their wild instincts ignited on returning to the earth to Mother Nature. And from that moment forward, whenever a civilized human was unlucky enough to encounter more than one of them at a time, they'd be torn limb from limb, and devoured as unsuspecting prey. In the second very different version of this story, a group of orphaned large headed children were victims of a government experiment gone wrong. Officials needed to find someone who would care for them, who'd be willing to keep them isolated their existence a secret from the populace. The Kindly Dr. Crowe and his wife seemed the perfect solution. The doctor had recently retired, one day blended into the next for him, as he faced much boredom and lack of purpose, living in a remote cabin with his wife. The couple agreed to take the children and keep the sacred. And while the situation suited all quite well, at first, no thought had been given to the question of what would happen, should Dr. Crowe and his wife die at some point, which of course, they did. Not long after taking the brood, and it said they died of natural causes, leaving the hapless orphans to their own devices. From there, these two versions of the story merge into one with strange, childlike, bulbous headed creatures, roaming the woods around Kirtland. There are various claims of specific sightings, which usually involve unsuspecting motorists driving down lonely roads. Often Weisner road just east of town, and they're through the trees stands one or more figures, perhaps four feet tall, with gigantic bald heads covered and thick, pulsing veins. Some claim that they stare blankly with an eerie, statuesque stillness about them. Others claim just the opposite, that on realizing they've been spotted, they bear their pointed teeth and lunge forward in a pack formation. It's a common rite of passage for young folks often high schoolers to make a trek out into this deserted section of woods, hunting for melon heads. Many come upon mangled animal carcasses, torn limb from limb with bite marks that look almost human. The too small and too pointed to be so others claimed to come upon abandoned shacks deep in the woods, clearly once the site of Dr. Crows home. This legend has firmly take root among generations of northeastern Ohioans. It's a story that's told and retold at dinner tables and Halloween parties. Even though the tale is shared with much passion and intrigue, there's no evidence in the historical record to back up its claims. Of course, the most ardent believers argue that the whole operation was secret from the start, and that all evidence of the crimes which happened were covered up. So maybe part of what perpetuates this legend is an inability to prove a negative. While no census records can be found which support the existence of a doctor Crowe living in the remote areas outside Kirtland. It's also true that no evidence can disprove his existence either. It's a lot to swallow, even for the most naive among us. And yet, the story lives on. My own personal theory as to its origins offer a very natural, albeit sad explanation. Many of you may well know of the medical condition known as hydrocephalus. It occurs when too much cerebral spinal fluid accumulates within the brain, leading to an increased pressure in the skull. Children born with the condition are prone to rapidly growing heads as the plates in their skull have not yet fused. Some children develop very large oversized craniums. As a result, their appearance can be quite striking. They also unfortunately suffer a number of various neurological symptoms. About two out of every 1000 Children are known to be born with the condition, which can today be treated through the use of shunting. This process drains excess fluid from the brain. Prior to the 20th century, however, hydrocephalus remained an intractable condition. itself certainly possible that at some point in Kirtland history, that a child or perhaps even a group of children, suffering hydrocephalus, lives somewhere in the remote and densely forested hills, outside Kirtland. If we could trace the origins of this story to the for the 20th century, that would line up with the history of the condition and its lack of effective treatments. such poor children would have had no chance of receiving an effective intervention, and therefore would have lived their lives with the condition. It's not hard to imagine how an uninformed person could have come upon them, and conjured up some kind of story to account for their striking appearance. And as most lore evolves, each teller adds another juicy little detail. Perhaps some subterfuge, some cruelty, some elements of wild vengeful impulses, and thus, a folktale is born. And now we move from a fantastic tale of evil humanoid creatures living in the wilds of Lake County, to the very real and tragic story of one group of fanatic followers and a self proclaimed prophet. Their leader Jeffrey longeron, led the effort to murder an entire family who were members of the cult by January 1990. Lundgren and his family had been on the run from federal authorities who are closing in nine months after the brutal slayings happened inside a barn on a 15 acre farm on the outskirts of Kirtland. The feds would finally intercept the Lundgren family as they attempted to cross the border from California into Mexico. The motel room where they had been staying was stockpiled with weapons, including an AR 15. They hadn't planned to go down without a fight. On hearing the news of their apprehension, Kirtland police chief Ronald andall, SEC was relieved. Officers heavily patrolled the homes of many residents due to threats that they would be next. Many residents had been on edge since the terrible discovery of the bodies had rocked the small and usually peaceful community. How could this have happened here? Was the question many locals ask them. Some are still asking today. It's this compelling and vital question I hope to address for the remainder of today's episode. Jeffrey Lundgren was a former Sunday school teacher and tour guide for the Kirtland Temple. This historic church still stands today and is open to the public. It was once home to the reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. While this religious group, now called the Community of Christ shares some beliefs with the larger Mormon church, it is considered a separate branch altogether. Through multiple visions and unusual dreams, Lundgren had become convinced that he was chosen by God to establish Zion there within Kirtland. The concept of Zion within the Mormon religion generally reflects the hope that a new Jerusalem will be established in the new world. Many Mormons hold the belief that the city of Independence Missouri is the destined location for this sacred prophesized community. Lundgren, however, believed otherwise. He claimed to have unlocked secret codes within the Bible and the Book of Mormon, which supported the belief that the city of Zion would spring forth from the humble location of Kirtland, Ohio. According to longeron, the historic temple built by Joseph Smith Jr. in 1836. was the first seed of this much prophesized community. With much zeal, this self proclaimed Prophet and seer would move his family from Independence, Missouri to Kirtland, Ohio, he was bent on fulfilling what he foresaw, written in scriptures, that Kirtland would become the sacred gathering place for Latter Day Saints, and he would lead the movement to make it happen. As longerons teachings became more strident and radical, the larger church sought to contain and limit his influence, he would ultimately be excommunicated. And response, his most loyal supporters offered sympathy, they became more and more assured that he was being persecuted for speaking the truth. Seizing on this, Lundgren encouraged his followers to defect and follow him on the true path, the one supposedly anointed by God himself. In return for giving Lundgren all their financial assets, they would receive salvation, prosperity, and eternal life, they would bear witness to the second coming of Christ. Later investigations would reveal that Lundgren and his followers were prepared to kill anyone who posed an obstacle for their divine mission. The group had made threats to local law enforcement and at least 350 area church members who disapproved of longerons teachings. in isolation on the 15 acre farm, the group trained and military tactics, preparing for the day they would defend themselves from disbelievers. They don fatigues and army boots. They watched violent films in hopes of desensitizing themselves to acts of bloodshed. They engaged and weapon training and target practice. This group, proclaimed followers of Christ were preparing for war. Little did their members know that the real threat was not from without, but from within. On April 28 1988, the Kirtland police department had begun staking out the long run farm. Multiple Kirtland residents had reported receiving death threats from the cultish group. A biggest concern was the rumor that within the week, on May 3, Lundgren would lead an assault on the Kirtland Temple, where he'd recently been fired as a tour guide. The date came and went without issue. Lundgren had learned that his plans had been leaked, and knew that police had been tipped off may 3, London's birthday came and went with no violence. The relief this brought was temporary. Police would maintain surveillance of the property as threats and other complaints about the group's activities continued. Tension ran high as the expectation for some kind of violent confrontation remained. Then the following April, April 19 1989, to be exact, the massive contingent of 20 FBI agents, local police and sheriff's deputies were shocked at what they observed. The group packed up and left without explanation without confrontation. They simply gathered their belongings and headed out past marked and unmarked surveillance vehicles never to return again. How could a group so feared so fanatical in their mission? just up and leave? No doubt many residents were simply happy to be rid of them. No doubt law enforcement officials working on the case were laid at the development. Yet there had to be some explanation, some compelling reason that might justify such a counterintuitive move by this enigmatic cult. The answer lies in lung grins decision to lead the group on a trek into the wilderness claiming to have had yet another vision. He announced to his followers that God was leading them to a remote spot near Davis, West Virginia. There they would isolate themselves for a few months before heading on to another farm and show how we was there yet before the journey would begin, one task had to be completed. Two days before their surprise departure from the farm, the cult would take the lives of some of their own. Lundgren had prophesized that the deed was necessary, a sacrifice of sorts. Through whispers and secret meetings of small numbers of them, the plan was hatched. Authorities were so focused on the threat of the group against the larger community that they were blinded to the risk the group posed toward its own members. The Avery family parents Dennis and Cheryl 15 year old Trina 13 year old Rebecca, and seven year old Karen had followed the lung grins from Independence, Missouri, to Kirtland in hopes of rebuilding Zion in this small unassuming city. A year and a half after they had been murdered by the group they pledged their lives to one fellow cult member offered a detailed view of how the crime happened. They were lazy, wimpy and not socially acceptable. Richard brand testified describing London's view of this family who claimed to be his followers. Brand had witnessed firsthand as one by one, each member of the family was learned to the barn bound, gagged and executed shooting them at close range with the 45 caliber pistol. Their bodies were then buried in a mass grave within the foundations of the barn. The group had scheduled secret meetings, excluding the Avery family to plan how the executions would take place. Multiple members would later be convicted of various felonies and the condition of the crime. The Act had been premeditated, involving considerable deception and subterfuge, all driven by the belief and one man's vision from God that their deaths serve as a sacrifice for their forward journey toward redemption. On the night in question, Lundgren brandish the pistol in front of his co conspirators and asked, Are you with me? Brands interpreted the question as an additional threat, that anyone who declined to participate might find themselves part of the sacrifice. Not wanting to cross him. Brand agreed by participating and luring each member of the Avery family to the barn, one by one on the pretense of helping pack for the group's departure. Dennis the father was the first Lundgren demanded that his eyes remain on blindfolded. He claimed that he wanted Dennis to see His coming death. The man's pleas for mercy went unanswered, and he was quickly shot to death. When Lungren his own son, 19 year old Damon Lohengrin began sobbing at the trauma of the scene. Lundgren scolded him for his weakness and forced him out of the barn. Cheryl Avery, the mother of the family was long grins next victim. Her fellow cult members advised her to stop struggling against the restraints to make it quote quick and easy. The accounts of the final moments of the Avery children were graciously not publicized in newspaper reports. The bodies were quickly covered with lime and buried there. Under the Barnes foundations. Richard brand for his testimony, attained a plea bargain. five counts of kidnapping were dropped. For his role in lowering the family members one by one to their deaths. He would plead guilty to five counts of murder, as would other members of the cult during the course of court proceedings. 13 members in total would eventually plead to crimes of various sorts, before the whole case against the cult would be wrapped up. And so as done law enforcement officials watch longerons cult pack up and move that day in April 1989. None had known of a cowardly act which preceded their departure. Not until January 1990. Would police receive a report from an ISP deranged husband of a cult member that the remains of the Avery family lie in a shallow grave, hidden inside the barn where they were killed. After a search warrant was obtained, crime scene investigators discovered a layer of trash which was chest high on opening the barn doors. Removing it revealed the tragic claim was true. Each victims corpse was yet bound and gagged. Just as the informant had foretold. The Lake County prosecutor expressed outrage reflecting how many of Kirklands 6000 residents felt at learning the news. From then, the hunt was on for Jeffrey Lundgren and his followers, many of whom had scattered across the country in hopes of alluding justice for the crime. All would eventually be located and apprehended. Lundgren himself was chief among them, he was convicted. During the sentencing phase of his trial, he preached that he was indeed a prophet of God, who could Divine Messages from scriptures. Others couldn't discern. God had told him to kill the Avery family. He declared that his victims were unrepentant sinners. He claimed that they deserve death and express no remorse for his actions. After many years of appeals, being held in Ohio's prison and lucasville Lundgren was finally executed by lethal injection on October 24 2006. And the decades that have passed since this needless tragedy, many Kirtland area, residents have grown weary of this history, which is understandable. But in a final chapter on the saga, the farmhouse and the barn, where the slayings happened, were finally demolished in 2007. To make way for a new congregation, a church called new promise purchase the property with the intention of redefining what the location might mean for local residents. This vibrant worship community remains yet today. Their mission is to seek, save and disciple the lost by offering hope to everyone and making disciples of Jesus Christ. Today's combination of two compelling stories offer a unique look on one common theme often found in folklore, the presence of evil and how we contend with it. Many folktales portray evil as an insidious force that they supernatural bent. Tales of demons, witches, vampires, and the like, are pervasive when it comes to local folklore. The melonheadz fit nicely into this theme. They represent something that exists between what it means to be human, and what it means to be wild. They portray the untamed forest as dark and menacing. And as with all good folktales they exude a bit of our own wicked impulses, reflecting back in the tails portrayal of them, as victims of abuse, neglect, and discrimination by the wider community. It's a classic lesson contained in so many stories of lore, that we inadvertently create the evil which haunts us that we fear what once represented ourselves, that a lack of love and compassion leads to malevolent forces. Despite our anxieties over untamed creatures, born of the stuff of nightmares, true evil can exist in the least obvious of places. Time and again, history has shown that we are vulnerable to a belief in certainty, the kind of which only a religious zealot can provide, in hopes of attaining a guarantee of salvation. Some are willing to invite evil in their own midst. It's the ardent belief that one special group and it's predestined leader can rise above the law and above the rights of ordinary citizens. It happened in Jonestown and in Waco, and it happened in Kirtland, Ohio. The effects remain of a cowardly acts of that day in April 1989. While some residents have grown weary of this sickening history, the lesson it can contains is undeniable. Evil comes from some of the least expected sources, mostly forces within ourselves. Yet with vigilance and humility, we can grow from this past and maybe even overcome it. That's a new promise we can all take forward as we take on whatever challenges these times bring. This concludes today's episode on Kirtland, Ohio. I hope you've enjoyed it. If so, please rate review and subscribe to Ohio folklore on your chosen podcast platform. You can find Ohio folklore at Ohio folklore.com And on Facebook. And as always, keep wandering