A TRUE STORY OF CULT ABUSE AND COURAGE MARY RICH AND CAROL JOSE New Horizon Press Far Hills, New Jersey Copyright © 1996 by Mary Rich and Carol Jose First reprint 2012 All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever, including electronic, mechanical or any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to: New Horizon Press P.O. Box 669 Far Hills, NJ 07931 Rich, Mary and Jose, Carol Evil Web: A True Story of Cult Abuse and Courage Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 95-69346 ISBN-13 (hc): 978-0-88282-441-3 New Horizon Press Manufactured in the U.S.A. 16 15 14 13 12 1 2 3 4 5 To the innocent children . . . everywhere. “Terrors are turned upon me: They pursue my soul as the wind: And my welfare passeth away as a cloud.” Job 30:15 Contents Acknowledgments Author’s Note Prologue 1. The Snake Appears 2. Sting of the Serpent 3. Caught in the Snares 4. Terror in Tartola 5. The Back of Fools 6. Hate Thy Neighbor 7. A Light Dawns 8. The Real and the Unreal 9. Abandonment 10. Chains and Freedom 11. Texas Debacle 12. Further Issues, Lingering Spells 13. The Jury Speaks Epilogue Afterword, by Robert T. Cross, Ph.D., Psychotherapist acknowledgments Books today are rarely the result of an author sitting alone in a garret, yellow pad and number two pencil in hand. Nor was this one. Our gratitude goes to the following: Larry Guarino, whose book A POW’S Story: 2801 Days in Hanoi (Ivy/Random House, 1990) was the catalyst that brought us together to write this story; special friend, guiding light, and literary agent Ray Nugent of Naples, Florida; Dr. Robert Cross, psychotherapist, of Indian Harbour Beach, Florida for professional guidance and the Afterword; critical first reader and faithful assistant, Linda Downie; Randall Larrinaga for his insights and experiences; our computer guru Michael Herman; and Todd Robert Poch, PsyD. MALD, of Denver, Colorado. We’d like to thank Bob McDonald, Theresa DeCapua, Craig Bailey, and Melinda Meers of FLORIDA TODAY. We also thank Joan Dunphy and Dennis McCarthy of New Horizon Press for their encouragement and able assistance. Most of all, we are grateful to Dale Jose, Lou Francavilla, and our families, who were always there with patience and love, and generous with moral, and emotional and Financial support when we needed it during the more than four years spent in seeing this book through from first word to publication. author’s note This book is based on the experiences of Mary Rich and reflects her perceptions of the past, present, and future. The personalities, events, actions, and conversations portrayed within the story have been taken from her memory, extensive interviews, research, court documents, letters, personal papers, press accounts, and the memories of participants. To safeguard the privacy of certain individuals, the authors have changed their names and the names of certain places and, in some cases, altered identifying relations or characteristics. Events involving the characters happened as described; only minor details have been changed.