Knights of the Crystal Blade
Mormon fundamentalists who married their own preschool-aged daughters
2010s
"My marriage was the right thing to do. If I'm a sex offender for what I've done. If I go to the other side, I'll be in good company with all those other sex offenders I've read about in the scriptures." - John Alvin Coltharp (image via KUTV)
In the small town of Lund, Utah, a shocking case unfolded involving John Alvin Coltharp and Samuel Warren Shaffer, leaders of a doomsday cult known as the "Knights of the Crystal Blade." This fundamentalist group, which met on Facebook and believed in apocalyptic prophecies, would come under intense scrutiny for heinous crimes against children, leading to a dramatic police raid and subsequent legal battles that gripped the nation.
The Knights of the Crystal Blade, a tiny apocalyptic group, was formed by John Coltharp and Samuel Shaffer. These self-proclaimed prophets, both in their mid-thirties, believed in the imminent end of the world and a forthcoming "Muslim invasion" of the United States. The group, characterized as a "fundamentalist group for Millennials," had a handful of members and an online presence through social media and a website where they propagated their extremist beliefs.
Coltharp, a former member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, had been expelled from the church due to his radical views. He believed in preparing for the apocalypse and advocated for child marriage, stating that girls were ready for marriage by age 12. His extremist beliefs led to a rift in his family, ultimately resulting in his divorce.
In September 2017, the situation escalated when Coltharp kidnapped his four children from their mother, Micha Soble, who had legal custody. He took them nearly 200 miles to a remote compound near Lund, Utah, intending to indoctrinate them into the cult. This action prompted an Amber Alert in December after authorities learned of the children's whereabouts and the men's intentions.
In a dramatic rescue, authorities raided the compound near Lund. They found Coltharp's sons with their grandparents in a makeshift residence, while his daughters, aged 8 and 4, were discovered in dire conditions. The girls were hidden in 50-gallon water barrels in freezing temperatures, a situation that could have been fatal.
Simultaneously, Shaffer’s daughters were found in a decrepit mobile home, showing signs of severe neglect. All children were rescued and received necessary medical attention.
Investigations revealed that both men had "married" each other's daughters. Coltharp was betrothed to Shaffer's 7-year-old daughter, while Shaffer had "married" Coltharp's 8-year-old daughter. They had even gone to the extent of physically inspecting the girls to validate their virginity. This revelation, along with the discovery of child pornography and a sinister plan to murder one of Coltharp's sons, whom they believed to be a demon, painted a harrowing picture of the cult's activities.
Coltharp and Shaffer faced numerous charges, including kidnapping, bigamy, child abuse, and child sexual abuse. Coltharp pleaded guilty to sodomy and child bigamy, and Shaffer to child rape and child abuse. Both received sentences of 26 years to life in prison.
During the trials, their delusions became evident. Coltharp, unapologetic, claimed he was the reincarnation of biblical prophets and spoke of impending world changes. Shaffer, expressing some regret, still held on to his belief that his actions were divinely sanctioned.
Religion: Mormon
Denomination: Fundamentalism
Founders: Samuel Shaffer and John Alvin Coltharp
Founded: 2010s
Location: Lund, Utah, USA
Size: under 10
Offshoot of: The Church of the Living Messiah
Websites: TheKingdomofGodorNothing.com (archive); CounciloftheSeers.webs.com (archive)
Coltharp claimed that his role as a "servant of Christ" makes him an "enemy of the state" (source)
According to Coltharp's ex-wife, he didn't trust modern medicine and wouldn't even allow her painkillers during child birth (source)
in 2016, both founders agreed to marry each other's (child) daughters (see the "Unique Sexual Practices" section below)
In 2017, Coltharp was arrested for refusing to give his children to his ex-wife, who had full custody. Two of the girls were later found in 50-gallon water barrels, where they were exposed to freezing temperatures (source)
Even after he was imprisoned, Shaffer continued to insist that he and his child victim were in love (source)
When police found the girls that were missing, two were hidden in 50-gallon water barrels, where they were hungry, exposed to freezing temperatures, and likely would not have survived the night if they had not been found. Two other children were found in "deplorable conditions," hadn't had food or water for an "extended period of time," and had to be rushed to the hospital (source, source, source, source)
Shaffer pleaded guilty to marrying and sexually assaulting Coltharp's 8-year-old daughter and was sentenced to 26 years to life in prison (source, source)
Shaffer had physically inspected his daughter's genitals to determine if she was a virgin (source)
Coltharp pleaded guilty to child bigamy and sodomy and sentenced to serve 26-to-life in prison (source)
Member Robert Roe also allegedly had a 5-year-old child bride and was charged with first-degree felony sodomy on a child (source)
According to the search warrant, police had expected to find a notebook detailing their plans to kidnap even more children as they prepared for the impending end of the world (source)
Shaffer claims to have used magical artifacts to destroy a cell tower that was spreading a mist over the neighborhood, which caused people to come under zombie-like states of dullness (source)
Shaffer claims that goat-headed hermaphrodite that told him he needed to make a “blood sacrifice” spell, and that he was later kidnapped by men who tried to force him to say the spell (source)
Shaffer told the child brides stories about underground civilizations (source)
The founders believed in the flat-earth and hollow-earth theories (source)
Shaffer believed that mountains were actually enormous petrified trees (source)
Shaffer believed that gods lived in the sun and navigated the fiery surface in ships made of crystal (source)
The founders claim to have received prophetic visions (source)
The founders insist that their illegal activities were divinely sanctioned (source)
Shaffer claims to have been involved in a group that had special powers, such as predicting the rolls of a dice and teleportation (source)
Shaffer reportedly had "seeing stones" that could translate secret texts (source)
Coltharp declared himself the reincarnation of the Biblical characters Jacob, Elijah, and John (source)
The founders reportedly told one man that he was an exalted god and that a curse would befall him and his family if he didn't join the cult (source)
Child Brides: The two founders agreed to marry each other's (child) daughters (source)
Shaffer testified that "the time is at hand, even now, when the hearts of the fathers shall begin turning unto the children, and the hearts of the children shall begin turning unto the fathers" (source)
Shaffer claimed that priests and patriarchs could not marry women who had been "defiled" (source)
Polygamy (source)
Shaffer was reportedly married to Coltharp’s 8-year-old daughter as well as his own 4-year-old daughter. Coltharp reportedly married Shaffer’s 7-year-old daughter, as well as his own 4-year-old daughter (source)
Pedophilia: Coltharp claimed he had a revelation that he could have sex with his 4-year-old daughter if she initiated it (source)
The leaders had repeated sexual contact with children under the age of 14 (source)
Other info:
While he is vague about the details, Shaffer wrote in his autobiography that, after police began searching for their men, Shaffer felt it was necessary to take a gun with him to complete a "mission" as he went into hiding with the children (source)
An anonymous user on Reddit, who claimed to know Coltharp, said the cult "seemed like they were planning to commit terrorism" (source)
Coltharp was reportedly planning to kill his son, who he believed was an "evil spirit" (source)