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You're listening to a morbid network podcast.

The show you're about to listen to may contain themes of violence, occult activities, strong

language, and other sensitive material.

With an emphasis on cults, murder murder and other adult matters,

listener discretion is advised.

On cult leader, I strive for telling stories in a truthful matter,

though press media and other resources cannot always be verified,

sources can be found in the show notes. Oh, Hello. Hello and welcome back to Cold Leader. I'm your Cold Leader Spencer Henry and

this week we are discussing a tragedy that occurred a very long time ago on Christmas day nonetheless.

It is a gruesome tale really of a seemingly average Christmas morning

that turned into a full-fledged family massacre resulting in eight deaths in total, including the perpetrator, the family's patriarch.

Now cases like this always strike accord with people, especially in the communities in which they take place.

No matter the year or where in the world these atrocities happen, it's something people remember and that's why cases like

this are still talked about today.

And it's also perhaps why the motive in this specific case has been so widely scrutinized and theorized throughout

the decades.

There's so many questions that have lingered in the years that followed.

Was it premeditated? Was this a sudden psychotic break? Or would decades

later confessions and rumors prove that this was worse than anybody could have anticipated?

By all accounts, the Lawson's were a very, very normal family.

...