Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith

Content warning: This book contains multiple accounts of sexual abuse and murder, which are discussed in this section.

Watson Lafferty Sr. was a highly respected Mormon, chiropractor, and patriarch of the Lafferty family, consisting of five sons and two daughters. Lafferty Sr. believed in obedience and discipline and was known to physically punish his wife and children in front of one another. His children were also present when Lafferty Sr. beat the family dog to death with a club.

Dan Lafferty idolized his father. Even after his arrest and conviction, Dan continues to view his father as a holy example. As a child, Dan was a model Latter-Day Saint. On a two-year mission trip in Scotland, Dan met Matilda Loomis. Matilda had two children from a previous marriage; both Matilda and Dan felt that God had told them to marry one another. Following in his father’s footsteps, Dan returned to Utah County to practice chiropractic medicine.

Upon his return, Dan became interested in the history of the LDS, especially in Joseph Smith’s fundamentalist teachings regarding polygamy. He came across a less-circulated manuscript he believed was written by