The Strack family found in their Utah house is one of the most terrifying incidences of murder-suicide caused by the influence of apocalyptic delusions. Arriving at the master bedroom, the authorities discovered a scene which could not be explained by logic: five people snugly lying in bed, were victims of some deadly cocktail, and a fear about the end of the world by a parent.
The saddest fact about the tragedy, however, was revealed in the form of a goodbye letter by Benson Strack, one of the young soldiers, a 14-year-old boy who appeared to understand that his end was near.
The Dead Discovery: A Scene of “Impending Doom” .
The peace of the quiet Utah neighborhood was interrupted when the single survivor the 18-year-old son of the Stracks came home to no response of his family. The police affidavit indicated that Benjamin and Kristi Strack were sleeping in the master bed when they are surrounded with their three children: 14-year-old Benson, 12-year-old Emery, and 11-year-old Zion. The setting was frighteningly well arranged.
The victims were all dotted with bedding as far as their necks allowed. Beside every individual was a cup that held some red liquid. This was eventually found to be a fatal combination of methadone and over-the-counter drugs, namely, flu and cold medicine.
Autopsy Findings and Court decisions.
The findings of the autopsy carried out by the medical examiner gave a horrible account of how the family spent its last life moments:
• Benjamin and Kristi Strack: Story Ruled as suicide.
Emery and Zion Strack: Homicide ruled.
• Benson Strack: Undetermined.
Investigators had a hard time to decide whether Benson consumed the liquid willingly or was forced. There is evidence discovered in his room, though, which indicated that he knew about the plan.
His note by Benson: The Last Request of a 14-Year-Old.
Benson Strack left a handwritten note to his best friend unlike his younger siblings. In the letter, he left the personal possessions as a reminder that he was aware that he would not be present to use the possessions. This note has been a topic of concentration to individuals who study religious/doomsday cultism as well as psychological effects of parental influence. It implies that even as his parents were gearing to an impending doom, Benson was gearing down to his departure.
The Reason: Running away the imminent Apocalypse.
What is all the reason why a family which seem normal would go this extreme? The exploration of the digital and social life of the parents showed that they became too obsessed with the impending doomsday. Family members and friends, such as the sister, brother Isaac Strack of Benjamin had observed that the couple had been growing more concerned with evil in the world.
• Isolation: The family had started to isolate itself.
• The “Off the grid” fallacy:
The loved ones thought that when the parents said that they were going to leave or run away, then they were going to go to some far-off place where they would go off the grid. Nobody had imagined a suicide pact.
Their deaths came before some of the reformed behaviors appeared to be out of place, as Isaac Strack said. In retrospect, they have made sense. We would like to raise our voice so that other people do not have to suffer the same.
FAQs
What was the red fluid in the scene?
It was a mixture of liquid methadone and non-prescription cold and flu medicine.
Who found the Strack family?
They were found in the master bedroom by the 18-year-old son who was the only family member who was not a part of the pact.
Was it something to do with a cult?
Although the parents had radical views on the apocalypse, the officials did not associate them with a particular banned cult, but with a self-developed doomsday cult.
Disclaimer:
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