With its depiction of murder, Mormonism and extreme beliefs, “Under the Banner of Heaven” is certainly a wild show.
The FX mini-series, also streaming on Hulu, isbased on Jon Krakauer’s 2003 true crime bestseller “Under the Banner of Heaven,” which details an infamous Utah case. 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.
Actor Andrew Garfield, who plays Pyre, told Newsweek that while the characters aren’t based on any real persons involved in the case, he did speak to a Mormon detective to prepare for the role.
Gil Birmingham, who plays Taba, said that while their characters aren't based on real people, they hope they brought "authenticity" and "honesty" to their roles
"[We wanted a] truthfulness in telling the story to honor the people that were murdered and to maybe bring some humanity to a very dark material and how people can relate to just, this could be any of us," he said.
In the series, the two characters investigate the murders of Brenda Lafferty and her infant daughter Erica. Both were real people who were murdered in their Utah home on July 24, 1984. An investigation into their murders pointed to Lafferty’s brothers-in-laws Ron and Dan Lafferty. In part, the siblings were angry that Brenda had discouraged their brother from joining their polygamous cult, called School of the Prophets.
As the show accurately depicts, Ron’s extreme religious views and paranoid delusions had led to his ex-communication from the LDS Church, the Salt Lake Tribune reported last year. They also led to his divorce in 1984, but Ron put the blame for his divorce on Brenda, as well as two of Brenda’s friends. He believed that God wanted him to “remove” the two friends as well, according to court records.
Ron Lafferty is escorted out of the Utah County Court House by Utah County Sheriff Deputies after the first day of jury selection in his murder trial April 25, 1985 in Provo, Utah. Photo: Getty Images
In order to provide some of the complicated back story, series creator Dustin Lance Blacktold Newsweekhe worked closely with Brenda's family. They also gave insight into the kind of person Brenda was.
Black, who grew up in the LDS church, and was a screenwriter on “Big Love” hasdetailed the extensive researchhe put into the series in regards to how it depicts the church. However, some, like senior columnist for Religion News Service and author of “The Next Mormons: How Millennials are Changing the LDS Church”Jana Riess,feel the show mischaracterizes Mormonism, according to WBUR.
“The most troubling aspect to me is thebasic ideathat if you simply scratch under the surface of a seemingly respectable religion, all sorts of violent acts and thoughts are going to come pouring out,” Riess told the outlet. “I just don't think that that's true of my people.”
FAQs
In the series, the two characters investigate the murders of Brenda Lafferty and her infant daughter Erica. Both were real people who were murdered in their Utah home on July 24, 1984. An investigation into their murders pointed to Lafferty's brothers-in-laws Ron and Dan Lafferty.
What is the disturbing true story behind the banner of heaven? ›
Brenda, 24 years old, and her 15-month-old daughter Erica were brutally murdered in their home in American Fork, Utah, in 1984, in an incident which has since been detailed by Jon Krakauer in his 2003 book Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith.
How accurate is the book Under the Banner of Heaven? ›
Religion Misrepresented: Under the Banner of Heaven
In spite of the miniseries' tagline “Uncover Buried Truths,” this fictitious work is only loosely based on actual events.
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.
Are any of the Laffertys still alive? ›
He chose to be killed by firing squad, but died in prison at the age of 78 from natural causes. Dan Lafferty is still alive today and is serving a life sentence, and he even spoke with Krakauer for his book.
What happened to Jeb Pyre in real life? ›
Pyre is an invented character who does not exist in real life as one of the detectives who investigated the murders.
Who is the real Brenda in Under the Banner of Heaven? ›
Daisy Edgar-Jones stars in the Under the Banner of Heaven cast as Brenda Lafferty (neé Wright), the real-life 24-year-old wife of Allen Lafferty and mother to 15-month-old Erica, who was brutally murdered in her home in 1984.
What happened to Brenda Lafferty's husband? ›
The Aftermath Of Brenda Lafferty's Murder
Dan was sentenced to two life terms in prison; Ron was sentenced to death (but died in 2019 before his execution). Though Ron never spoke to the press, Dan did. He expressed no regrets for killing Brenda and Erica.
How close to the truth is Under the Banner of Heaven? ›
Is Under the Banner of Heaven based on a true story? Yes, the show is based on real-life events involving the Lafferty family. According to Deseret News, Brenda was found dead on July 24, 1984. The 24-year-old was discovered in their Utah home in the small town of American Fork with her throat slashed.
There are actually no Mormon Fundamentalists." The Mormon church decried Under the Banner of Heaven, labelling it “a decidedly one-sided and negative view of Mormon history.”
Did Jeb Pyre stay Mormon? ›
In the end, after listening to Allen's own words, Jeb appears to have decided that he will, in fact, remain a man of faith, just not to the Mormon church depicted in Under the Banner of Heaven.
What happened to the Lafferty father? ›
Unlike with Dan, the jury at Ron's trial were in agreement over the punishment he should receive and he was given the death penalty after being found guilty for the murders of Wright Lafferty and her daughter. Ron chose to be executed by firing squad, but he died in prison of natural causes in 2019 at the age of 78.
What happened to Dan and Ron Lafferty in real life? ›
Nov. 11, 2019: Ron Lafferty dies of natural causes after spending 34 years on death row, one of the longest-serving condemned inmates in the country. 2022: Dan Lafferty remains in the Utah State Prison, serving a life sentence.
What happened to Claudine Lafferty? ›
“How could someone hear what they were planning and not do anything to warn Brenda?” Brenda's sister Betty Wright McEntire asked Krakauer. “I just can't understand it.” As of 2004, Claudine was reportedly working at the Provo LDS Temple. She died in 2016, at the age of 96.
What do Mormons think about Under the Banner of Heaven? ›
There are actually no Mormon Fundamentalists." The Mormon church decried Under the Banner of Heaven, labelling it “a decidedly one-sided and negative view of Mormon history.”
Is detective Jeb Pyre a real person? ›
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.
