3 Most Known Cult Suicides

While on the hunt for an interesting new topic for a creepy posts, I came across the Heaven's Gate cult, which had committed group suicide in 1997. Instead of only writing an article about only this perticular cult, I decided to do a top 3 most well known cult suicides.

1. People's Temple a.k.a Jonestown
The members of the People's Temple had moved to a remote camp in Jonestown, Guyana. While trying to speak to the group, Congressman Leo Ryan, reporter Don Harris, and three others, were murdered by the group. On November 18, 1978, the finally meeting of the People's Temple was recorded. On the tape the group's leader, Jim Jones, spoke of committing 'revolutionary suicide' and said thy had to 'die with some dignity'.Later that day, the members of Jonestown died from cyanide poisoning, except for Jones and his personal nurse, who had shot themselves in the head. Additionally four other members killed themselves at the groups headquarters in Georgetown.

2. Heaven's Gate
The members of Heaven's Gate believed that soon the Earth would be recycled and the only way to survive would be to leave it. The group was told by leader, Marshall Applewhite, that they would exit their 'vessels' and be transported to a spaceship following the comet Hale-Bopp. The group rented a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California an on March 26, 1997 Hale-Bopp was at its brightest. 39 memebers of Heaven's Gate were fround dead, having drank poison and put plastic bags over their heads. Each body was wearing identical clothing and all had purple shrouds placed over their bodies. 

3. Solar Temple 

Between 1994 and 1997, The Order of the Solar Temple's members participated in a series of group suicides. The final number of suicide deaths associated with this group is 74 spaced out over four years. Suicide letters left by the members said they wanted to leave the oppression of this world and that they would 'be moving on the Sirius'. The deseased members had left more then million dollars to the group's leader, Joseph Di Mambro. Another group suicide attemped was called off in the late 1990's. All of the suicides and suicide attempts occurred around the dates of equinoxes and solstices.