It was just another quiet neighborhood in small town America. At least, that's how it looked. But the immaculately groomed yards, trimmed hedges, and brightly colored flower gardens hid an insidious secret.
More than a hundred residents were members of a cult called The Zion Society. Hiding in plain sight, they hoarded guns and ammunition. They created, sold, and modeled sexy lingerie. They took children away from parents and groomed them for sexual abuse.
Their beliefs were centered around satisfying the perverted desires of one man - their leader: an unassuming, soft-spoken landscaper. Neighbors knew something was amiss, but it wasn't until a brave young woman broke away from the secretive group and confessed to authorities that everything began to unravel for this dangerous cult. This is the story of that unraveling told by the people who lived it.
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14 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT
CLOSER LOOK, E3 - Understanding The Why and How
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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7 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT
CLOSER LOOK, E2: When Memories Return and Puzzles Are Solved
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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31 Mar 2026TRANSCRIPT
CLOSER LOOK, E1: Get Over It, Kids are Resilient
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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17 Mar 2026TRANSCRIPT
E7 - Standing Tall
Mike King and Reed Richards guide survivors through a court case and legal reform, revealing how their trauma reshaped child protection laws.
10 Mar 2026TRANSCRIPT
E6 - Tell Me Everything
Investigative journalist Mike King interviews Zion Society children as media descends on Northwood, revealing their experiences within the cult.
3 Mar 2026TRANSCRIPT
E5 - Deliver Us From Evil
Host Kellee Rich interviews investigators about the complex raid on the Zion Society cult, revealing the challenges of rescuing children and the search for leader Arvin Shreeve.
24 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
E4 - The Buyer
Jeff Peterson has spent years trying to pull his kids out of the Zion Society - until the cult’s hunger for money creates an opening. When his ex-wife Carla asks for help selling the group’s lingerie line, “Sweet Things,” Jeff hires a private investigator to pose as a Las Vegas buyer and go undercover inside Northwood.
What she captures on camera changes everything. But there’s a catch: Jeff’s custody deal comes with a vow of silence - until Detective Mike King’s investigation collides with Jeff’s case, freeing him to talk. With corroboration in hand and the clock ticking, Mike prepares to raid the quiet neighborhood at dawn.
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17 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
E3 - The Alpha
From inside the Zion Society, Erin (heard in rare archival audio) explains how predators exploit vulnerability - love-bombing, isolation, and religion used as camouflage. In Northwood subdivision recruiter and enforcer Carla tightens her grip, controlling access to Arvin Shreeve and pushing new women through a coded doctrine of “Zion vs. Babylon,” obedience, and fear.
Meanwhile, Jeff Peterson’s family is torn apart when his wife disappears into the cult with their children. Jeff’s custody battle becomes a desperate negotiation - money, legal threats, and silence agreements - while Erin begins describing what’s happening behind closed doors: coercion, sexual control, and escalating punishment for resistance.
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10 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
E2 - To Hell And Back
Investigator Mike King is officially assigned to investigate Erin’s allegation - quietly, urgently, and under the threat of destroyed evidence and stockpiled weapons. But Erin’s aunt isn’t waiting for law enforcement. She drives into Northwood to reach Erin and her young daughter - and is met with intimidation and violence from Shreeve and his followers. As Erin’s family fights to pull her out, the cult’s control tightens…and the clock starts ticking.
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3 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
E1 - What Lies Beneath
A pristine neighborhood in Ogden, Utah hides something rotten. When a couple move into Northwood subdivision in 1981, they’re welcomed with free landscaping, shared supplies, and a sense of family - until the community’s leader, Arvin Shreeve, reveals a secret doctrine of polygamy and sexual manipulation.
Nearly a decade later, on July 9, 1991, a woman walks into the Weber County Attorney’s Office and confesses to detective Mike King that she was part of the Zion Society, a cult she says was abusing children.
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13 Nov 2025
Prelude: Gardens of Evil
Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult begins February 3rd.
It was just another quiet neighborhood in small town America. At least, that's how it looked. But the immaculately groomed yards, trimmed hedges, and brightly colored flower gardens hid an insidious secret.
More than a hundred residents were members of a cult called The Zion Society. Hiding in plain sight, they hoarded guns and ammunition. They created, sold, and modeled sexy lingerie. They took children away from parents and groomed them for sexual abuse.
Their beliefs were centered around satisfying the perverted desires of one man - their leader: an unassuming, soft-spoken landscaper. Neighbors knew something was amiss, but it wasn't until a brave young woman broke away from the secretive group and confessed to authorities that everything began to unravel for this dangerous cult. This is the story of that unraveling told by the people who lived it.
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25 Sept 2025
Introducing Gardens of Evil
It was just another quiet neighborhood in small town America. At least, that's how it looked. But the immaculately groomed yards, trimmed hedges, and brightly colored flower gardens hid an insidious secret.
More than a hundred residents were members of a cult called The Zion Society. Hiding in plain sight, they hoarded guns and ammunition. They created, sold, and modeled sexy lingerie. They took children away from parents and groomed them for sexual abuse.
Their beliefs were centered around satisfying the perverted desires of one man - their leader: an unassuming, soft-spoken retiree. Neighbors knew something was amiss, but it wasn't until a brave young woman broke away from the secretive group and confessed to authorities that everything began to unravel for this dangerous cult. This is the story of that unraveling told by the people who lived it.
Series release begins October 16th
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
28 May 2024
Cult Files: Gardens of Evil (Trailer)
It was just another quiet neighborhood in small town America. At least, that’s how it looked. But the immaculately groomed yards, trimmed hedges, and brightly colored flower gardens hid an insidious secret.
Inside a recent episode
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Published 18 May 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] Marissa and her sister thought they knew who their father was. A mild-mannered, kind of goofy, kind-hearted Midwestern guy. A single dad who loved hockey and sports trivia. A guy who showed up at their basketball games and orchestra concerts. A guy who drove them to school in his dadmobile. A light blue Mercury Grand Marquis. And Keith Giammanco was this guy. But he was also someone else. This is a story about a crime. Actually, a series of crimes carried out by a mysterious figure who managed to evade the authorities. And it's about justice, about what punishment these crimes deserve. But at its core, for me, it's a story about the secrets that can exist within a family. […]
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