Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult

Episode 2: "To Hell And Back"

Podcast: American Nightmares – Gardens of Evil
Release Date: February 10, 2026
Host/Narrator: Aaron Mason

Brief Overview

This episode plunges listeners into the personal stories of cult survivors, their families, and law enforcement who battled the Zion Society, a notorious cult hidden behind the facade of suburban normalcy in Ogden, Utah. It traces how vulnerable families—especially women and children—were groomed, indoctrinated, and abused under the leadership of Arvin Shreve, and reveals the difficult, often retraumatizing aftermath for survivors. The episode places special emphasis on the testimonies of Amber and Andrea, survivors who reconnect decades later with detective Mike King in desperate search for answers, closure, and validation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction to Amber: Early Life and Entry into the Cult

• Amber’s traumatic origins:

  • Abandoned by her biological mother at a head shop at three days old so her mother could rob a bank.

    "My real mother, she dropped me off at a head shop when I was three days old so that she could go and rob a bank..." – Amber (E) [01:55]

  • Adopted by the head shop owners, later became mainstream Mormons and moved to Utah.
  • Family’s struggle: Her adopted father was unstable, racist, lost all their money; family became destitute and homeless, scavenging from trash cans.

    "He couldn't keep a job because he would fight with everybody..." – Amber (E) [02:47]

• Vulnerability exploited:

  • At age 12-13, Amber’s family was offered salvation by the Zion Society, who promised housing in exchange for “everything they had” (essentially, their children.)

    "We're homeless, and this group right here said, you know, they'll give our family a house..." – Amber (E) [03:15]

Trauma, Memory, and Seeking Closure

• Long-term psychological impact:

  • By 2018, Amber was breaking down under the weight of memories she couldn’t fully access. She describes dissociative amnesia—common in trauma survivors.

    "It did make me feel suicidal...because it made me feel like I was going crazy at that point." – Amber (E) [04:37]

• Desperate outreach to detective Mike King:

  • Amber reached out by email after nearly three decades, asking for help piecing together her memories.

    "Please help me. I know you were there and you helped everybody. Like, I need to know what happened. Can you fill in the gaps? Can you tell me that I'm okay?" – Amber (E) [06:31]

  • Mike initially declined, citing emotional toll and lack of professional qualifications.

    "I sent Amber a note saying, I'm sorry, it was a long time ago and I pray that you might somehow get the professional help that you need..." – Mike King (F) [07:14]

Andrea’s Story: Another Survivor Seeks Answers

• Andrea’s introduction:

  • Cult victim from the age of 12, abused daily for five years; disconnected from trust and self-love.

    "Before we joined the cult, I didn't even know what sex was. But sexual things started happening to me immediately..." – Andrea (G) [08:20] "That kind of panic, fear of the world, like something bad could happen any moment, has been like my baseline my entire life..." – Andrea (G) [09:29]

  • She, too, independently reached out to Mike King in 2018.

    "Hello, Mr. King. My name is Andrea and I was one of Arvin Shreve's victims..." – Andrea (G) [10:43]

• Mike struggles with reopening trauma:

  • He wrestles with the weight of survivors’ emails and the personal pain of revisiting old horrors.

    "I can't even begin to tell you the memories...those things are poisonous, and they impact investigators that have to listen to them." – Mike King (F) [11:42]

The System Fails Survivors and an Investigator’s Change of Heart

• Realization of systemic failures:

  • Both Amber and Andrea make it clear: after the cult’s police takedown, the victims received almost no continued help or mental health support. Mike is shaken by this.

    "The system failed them. And once he realized that, Mike was determined to do whatever he could..." – Narration (C) [14:40]

• Answering the hard call:

  • Persuaded by his old boss and his own conscience, Mike chooses to open the files and collaborate with survivors and other professionals, intending to offer understanding, closure, and lessons to new investigators.

    "Number one, who was I to try not to answer these questions and help these survivors? Number two...don't we really have an obligation to pass that on in hopes that they don't repeat the same mistakes that we made..." – Mike King (F) [14:16]

The Investigative Breakthrough: Erin Anderson’s Confession

• Erin Anderson’s pivotal role:

  • In 1991, Erin Anderson, at age 23, walked into the county attorney’s office and divulged the first actionable inside information, triggering the investigation.

    "Her confession would be the first step toward bringing down the Zion Society." – Narration (C) [18:08]

  • Attorney Reed Richards and Mike King both hesitate, unsure if Erin’s shocking allegations are real—if so, it’s a massive, dangerous situation.

    "Did I believe her? I didn't not believe her, but I didn't necessarily say, oh gee, this is...everything you say is correct." – Reed Richards (H) [20:33]

• Complicating, dangerous dynamics:

  • Investigators had to remain secretive since they suspected law enforcement leaks and feared the cult’s cache of automatic weapons and doomsday beliefs.

    "We couldn't risk any information about the investigation...making its way back to any of the leadership within the Zion Society." – Mike King (F) [22:03]

Aunt Judy’s Testimony: Grooming, Manipulation, and a Rescue Attempt

• Cult’s infiltration tactics:

  • Erin’s Aunt Judy describes how cult women groomed Erin via “love bombing,” persistent invitations, and material aid—especially targeting women in vulnerable circumstances. [31:26–39:39]

    "They picked the most vulnerable women they can find. And there you go." – Aunt Judy (D) [39:19]

• Attempted intervention:

  • Aunt Judy and her daughter attempt to confront the cult to retrieve Erin and her daughter, but face resistance, chilling control tactics, and physical violence by Arvin Shreve.

    “Arvin stood right in front of the 18 year old, grabbed her by the arms and forcefully pinned her down into the couch… [my daughter] put her foot up on one of his legs and pushed. Arvin fell back, but Aaron’s daughter had been snatched away…Arvin shouted. All the while, Judy’s daughter was struggling to get out the front door...And I caught myself and I turned around and I said, you better not push me again. And how dare you hit my daughter..." – Aunt Judy (D) [46:33-48:18]

• Police complicity or indifference:

  • When police are called, they side with Arvin, warning Judy she could be arrested for trespassing and refusing to take her assault claim seriously.

    "The cop told us that we were the trespassers, we were the guilty party, and they sent us home." – Aunt Judy (D) [51:55]

The Cult’s Psychological Chain: Indoctrination, Isolation, and Abuse

• Normalization of abuse through gradual indoctrination:

  • Erin, having been isolated and emotionally manipulated, eventually complied with and even participated in abuse, conditioned by the cult’s rewards and punishments.

    "And she slowly, like boiling a frog in water, moved through this process...accepting those things and then seeing greater things like inappropriate sexual touching or physical abuse or sexual abuse occurring and then adopting it as part of our daily routine in the group." – Mike King (F) [55:54]

• Separation of children from parents:

  • Children were housed separately in a dormitory, rarely seeing their own parents and subjected to overt sexualization and grooming.

    "Her daughter was moved in with the other Zion Society children…who all lived separated from their parents...She saw inappropriate touching. She was told to teach the children certain kinds of philosophy that would be preemptive to sexual behavior between children and adults." – Mike King (F) [54:25]

Persistence of Family and the Slow Path to Escape

• Aunt Judy’s relentless efforts:

  • Despite police indifference and the cult’s control, Judy remains a visible, daily presence, constantly attempting to keep contact and disrupt the cult’s isolation tactics.

    "I drove through there every day in my little white truck…they would scatter like ants and run in their houses. And Judy’s coming. Oh, that part was funny." – Aunt Judy (D) [49:11]

• Erin’s eventual escape:

  • After 18 months, Erin reconnects with her aunt while working at a restaurant, ultimately leaves the cult, and becomes the first to give law enforcement the evidence needed to open the investigation.

    "She said, hi, Aunt Judy...Oh, God. I just burst out bawling. She said, I'm out." – Aunt Judy (D) [58:32]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I will go to hell for hating that man because I'm supposed to forgive and I can't. I can't forgive that he ruined so many lives." – Aunt Judy (D) [01:06]
• "It's almost as if I needed the validation. Did this really happen?" – Amber (E) [04:37]
• "That kind of panic, fear of the world, like something bad could happen any moment, has been like my baseline my entire life up until a few years ago." – Andrea (G) [09:29]
• "The system failed them. And once he realized that, Mike was determined to do whatever he could to make sure it never happened again..." – Narration (C) [14:40]
• "They picked the most vulnerable women they can find. And there you go." – Aunt Judy (D) [39:19]
• "And she slowly, like boiling a frog in water, moved through this process of seeing little things that initially troubled her and accepting those things and then seeing greater things...and then adopting it as part of our daily routine in the group." – Mike King (F) [55:54]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:06] Aunt Judy’s hate for Arvin and struggle with forgiveness
• [01:55] Amber’s abandonment and childhood trauma
• [03:15] Amber’s family offered housing by the Zion Society
• [04:37] Amber describes her suicidal ideation and quest for validation
• [06:31] Amber’s emotional plea to Detective Mike King
• [08:20] Andrea’s description of immediate sexual abuse upon joining cult
• [09:29] Lifelong trauma and fear described by Andrea
• [14:16] Mike King changes his mind—"Who am I not to help?"
• [18:08] Erin Anderson walks in and initiates the takedown of the cult
• [22:03] Investigation secrecy—“We couldn't risk any information...”
• [31:26] Aunt Judy recounts how the cult approached Erin through salon contacts
• [39:19] Aunt Judy’s insight—"They picked the most vulnerable women..."
• [46:33–48:18] Physical assault by Arvin during family intervention attempt
• [49:11] Judy continues her daily vigil outside the cult neighborhood
• [54:25] Description of children's dormitory and indoctrination
• [55:54] "Boiling a frog in water" metaphor for cult indoctrination
• [58:32] Emotional reunion—Erin escapes the cult

Tone and Language

The episode combines candid, often raw survivor testimonies with investigative commentary and moments of dark humor from figures like Aunt Judy. The host treats stories with empathy and gravity, introducing context and psychological insights, while survivors’ voices reflect both trauma and resilience.

Conclusion

Episode 2 of "Gardens of Evil" offers a gut-wrenching, detailed look at how cults prey on the vulnerable, how conviction and institutional failings shape survivors' lives, and how even decades-later attempts at healing can be transformative. Through testimonies spanning generations, the podcast underscores the persistence of trauma, the failures of the aftermath, and the profound bravery it takes to confront the past—a narrative as horrifying as it is hopeful.

Trigger Warning:
This episode, and this summary, discusses topics including child sexual abuse, manipulation, suicide, and violence.

Support:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE
rainn.org

To purchase Michael R. King’s memoir or find more investigative content, visit profilingevil.com or Amazon.