Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult

Deep Cover is a true crime show about double lives, from our friends at Pushkin Industries.

Their new season, The Family Man, is a story about how families can deceive each other and the lengths we’ll go to to protect our loved ones. Elise and Marissa grew up in a seemingly normal house in the suburbs of St. Louis, but it was a house built on secrets. There were things their father never told them—like how he really made his money. One night, the police showed up, raided their house, and seized boxes of evidence. Hours later, the sisters turned on the TV and saw something surreal: their father in the middle of a police chase. The local news identified him as “The Boonie Hat Bandit”. The girls were stunned. They struggled to accept the truth: Dad had been living a double life. How long had he been lying to them? What had he done? And who, exactly, was their father?

Find Deep Cover: The Family Man wherever you get podcasts. If you want to know how the story ends right now, binge the full season by signing up for a Pushkin+ subscriptions on the Deep Cover show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus.
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Following the story of Zion, survivors share the moments, memories, and manipulation that couldn’t be fully captured the first time. Jackie and Ron reflect on the turning point that led them to leave, as Arvin Shreve’s behavior grew increasingly disturbing.
Through deeply personal accounts, survivors reveal how fear, control, and religious rhetoric were used to strip away identity and maintain power within the group. Andrea and Amber speak to the lasting emotional impact—from the trauma inflicted on children to the psychological scars that linger into adulthood.
Centered on survivor voices, A Closer Look continues to add depth and perspective to the story of Zion—offering validation, understanding, and resources for those navigating similar experiences.
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What happens when you return to the place where it all began?
In Episode 2 of Gardens of Evil – A Closer Look Inside The Garden, hosted by Mike King, survivors revisit the neighborhoods where their childhoods were shaped, and where trauma still lingers beneath the surface.
As memories resurface, experts help explain why trauma doesn’t follow a linear path. Dr. Judy Ho breaks down how abuse disrupts memory, leaving survivors with fragmented and emotional recall, while Dr. Patrice Berry explores the critical role of validation, empathy, and safe support systems in the healing process.
For the first time, we also hear from the partners of survivors... those who stand beside them in the aftermath. Rocky and David share what it means to support someone you love through trauma, without judgment, and without trying to “fix” what can’t be undone.
This episode is about memory, resilience, and the quiet power of being believed—and what it takes to begin healing when the past is still present.
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After the events of Gardens of Evil, the story doesn’t end for the survivors.
In the first episode of our series A Closer Look, we examine the lasting psychological impact of growing up inside the Zion Society cult. Survivors describe a childhood defined by constant monitoring, shame, and control—where even a child’s body weight was tied to spiritual worthiness.
Host Mike King speaks with survivors about the lifelong effects of coercive control: broken trust, complicated family relationships, and the challenges of parenting after trauma. Cult expert and sociologist Dr. Janja Lalich also joins the conversation to explain how cult recruitment works, why people stay, and why it can take decades for survivors to rebuild their lives.
This episode is dedicated to victims of child abuse, to those who escaped destructive mind control, and to the advocates who fight every day to protect children.
If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual abuse, help is available. Support your local Children’s Advocacy Center and organizations that serve survivors.
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Starting March 31st, Gardens of Evil – A Closer Look Inside The Garden, hosted by Mike King. will go beyond the headlines to explore what happens after survival, diving deeper into the hidden impact of coercive control, child abuse, and life inside the Zion Society cult. Hear never before released footage and powerful conversations with survivors, experts and people who lived the investigation and take take down of the Zion Society. These episodes will uncover the lasting psychological toll of growing up in a world where control was absolute—and what it takes to rebuild a life after
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.