Andrew Garfield stars in Under the Banner of Heaven’s true crime series as a Mormon detective, but is his character real? Following Spider-Man: No Way Home in December 2021, Garfield’s next project is FX on Hulu’s Under the Banner of Heaven, a series about the true story of Brenda Lafferty’s high-profile murder in 1984. Fresh’s Daisy Edgar-Jones, the MCU’s Wyatt Russell, and Avatar’s Sam Worthington star as members of the real-life devout Mormon Lafferty family, but the truth in Garfield’s role is more ambiguous.
Under the Banner of Heaven’s story is led by Andrew Garfield as Detective Jeb Pyre, a detective in Utah whose Mormon faith is testedas he uncovers the truth of Brenda Lafferty and her daughter’s murders. On Pioneer Day 1984, Brenda and her 15-month-old daughter were found brutally slain in their home, with the true events gradually revealing the role that the Mormon scripture and religious delusions played in the grotesque crimes. Along with recounting the disturbing events, the Garfield-starringUnder the Banner of Heaven (based on the 2003 true crime boom of the same name) draws from the true history of Mormonism, the LDS church, and various real-life accounts of violence connected to the religious sect.
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While the majority of Under the Banner of Heaven’s characters are based on real people, it doesn’t appear that Andrew Garfield’s Jeb Pyre is one of them. The case of the Lafferty murders doesn’t have any Jeb Pyre connected to it, not to mention as the lead detective on the investigation. As such, Andrew Garfield’s Under the Banner of Heavencharacteris entirely fictional. However, while Pyre may not be based on one real-life individual in particular, the detective’s fictitious natureallows Under the Banner of Heaven more creative freedom in exploring the show’s themes through the eyes of Andrew Garfield’s role.
In the true story of Under the Banner of Heaven’s Lafferty murders, the lead detective on the case was Terry Fox, who laterbecame the American Fork Police Department Chief. Following the death of one of Brenda Lafferty’s murderers, Fox spoke out about how horrifying the case was at the time due to its religious motivations and gruesome nature (via KSL TV). He recalled that part of why the true crime that Under the Banner of Heaven’s series explores took such a toll on him was because Erica Lafferty, Brenda’s murdered daughter, was only 15 months old, and the detective had young daughters of his own around the same age. It doesn’t appear that Fox was also a devout Mormon like Garfield’s Detective Jeb Pyre in the 2022 TV show, but it’s clear that the first-hand experiences of the officer tackling such a horrifying and twisted case will inspireUnder the Banner of Heaven’s police work.
While the real detective on the Lafferty murders may help lay the groundwork for the specifics of the investigation, Andrew Garfield’s character is a fictional invention utilized as the on-screen figure who must question his faith for the first time due to the case’s religious nature. Just as audiences at home will be horrified by the religious motivations of the case and how the scripture influenced such brutal events, Under the Banner of Heaven’s detective will be grappling with the dangers associated with his long-held beliefs. Andrew Garfield’s Jeb Pyre allows the series to explore how dangerous misinterpretations, religious delusions, and certain violent passages in the Mormon scriptures he also follows led to such crimes and what this means for his own faith in the case’s aftermath.
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Under the Banner of Heaven releases new episodes Thursdays on Hulu.
FAQs
Andrew Garfield's Detective Pyre Is Fictional But Based On A Real Detective. Andrew Garfield's character in Under the Banner of Heaven, Jeb Pyre, isn't a real person, but the performance is very much rooted in authenticity.
Was the detective real in Under the Banner of Heaven? ›
Under the Banner of Heaven follows the investigation by detectives Jeb Pyre (Garfield) and Bill Taba (Gil Birmingham) to find out who killed Brenda Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her 15-month-old daughter Erica, and arrest them. Though the detectives are fictional, the case is very real.
Who is the real cop from Under the Banner of Heaven? ›
Pyre is an invented character who does not exist in real life as one of the detectives who investigated the murders. The detective who investigated the double homicide was primarily Terry Fox, who was the American Fork police chief.
Who is the detective Pirrie in Under the Banner of Heaven? ›
Who is Detective Jeb Pyre? Detective Jeb Pyre is an elder in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who heads up the investigation into the murder of Brenda and her daughter Erica. His faith is rocked following the harrowing ordeal.
How historically accurate is Under the Banner of Heaven? ›
In fact, the case is still considered one of the most notorious and gruesome in the state's history. And while the case is it's based on is real, the show does have some fictionalized elements. Detectives Jeb Pyre and Bill Taba are characters that were created purely for the show, Newsweek reports.
Is detective Pyre still Mormon? ›
Though he never decisively breaks with the church, by the end of the series it is clear he has grown disillusioned with the beliefs that once anchored his life.
Is Under the Banner of Heaven like True Detective? ›
One of the most recent shows that has drawn comparisons to True Detective season one, Under the Banner of Heaven is a must-watch for fans of the genre.
Is Bill Taba a real person? ›
"Jebediah Pyre and Bill Taba are a fictionalisation," Black explained. "That started as a notion when I was having conversations with an actual investigator who worked on the case, who was very helpful but asked to not be depicted as himself, he didn't want to have to live through that again, and I understood that.
What happened to Diana Lafferty? ›
Around Thanksgiving in 1983, Dianna took her and Ron's kids and moved back to Florida, and the pair did not see each other again. Though, she did testify to a Utah County prosecutor for his trial following his and Dan's arrest for Brenda's murder.
What happened to the other Lafferty brothers? ›
Both brothers were tried and convicted of the double murders in separate trials in 1985. Dan was spared the death sentence. Ron's conviction was overturned on appeal, but after his 1996 retrial, he was re-convicted and sentenced to death.
Yes, Under the Banner of Heaven is based on a true story that is documented in the 2003 book of the same name. Under The Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith written by author Jon Krakuaer, documents the real-life murder of Brenda Lafferty in the 1980s.
Where is Dan Lafferty now? ›
Dan is currently serving his life sentence in prison at the Utah State Prison in Point of the Mountain.
How do Mormons feel about Under the Banner of Heaven? ›
"It is an insult to those 'unreasonable' beings out there who rely upon the 'murky sectors of the heart and head that prompt most of us to believe in God—and compel an impassioned few, predictably, to carry that irrational belief to its logical end'.
Who was the detective in the Lafferty case? ›
Under the Banner of Heaven's story is led by Andrew Garfield as Detective Jeb Pyre, a detective in Utah whose Mormon faith is tested as he uncovers the truth of Brenda Lafferty and her daughter's murders.
Did Dan Lafferty marry his daughter? ›
In the end, Dan changed his mind about taking Matilda's daughter as his wife and instead married a woman named Ann Randak who he'd met when borrowing a horse from the ranch she worked at.
What happened to Ron Lafferty's wife Diana? ›
Brenda, who didn't agree with Ron and Dan's fundamentalist views, strongly advised Dianna to seek divorce from Ron. Unable to find any other way out, Dianna officially filed for divorce, which was finalized in 1983. Following their split, Dianna moved back to Florida, taking their six kids with her.
