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39 l{eaven's Gate cultmemberc die inweb of dmm
INTffiffG.JLT
INUrcMDNffi By Michael Ryan in RanChO Santa Fe
videotapes mailed tiiends, in which The group, which t'rperated a they revealed plans to leave '.heir Lromputer Web design servite "Earthlyvesseis". called Higher Source, also ral a
self-named site, Heaven's Gate WITH their bags packed as if -ror a trlp' most t,-,ln"T . uro they believed was behind A single computer had been left on carrying a passport or driver's ,rr. rirr.-B"pp comet. Authorities in the mansion and on the screen iicence' 39 members of a yestertlay confirmed the dead was an image of the Hale-Bopp Calif<rrnian computer cult died iange.t in age from 20 to'72. comer. believing they were going to meet a UFO behind ths Though 21 were women, police Hale-Bopp, a large comet, visible originaily believed they were all liom earth fbr the first time in Xf{ale-Bopp comet.
about 4000 years, and will be visible trom Australia in about
men.
The Heaven's Gate sect. led
hv
a
dea<lly coc.ktail
apple sauce, vo<lka and
of :Tttt "l:.T .*t:tktg and new black
serlatives.
.'Nike'
'Bopp comet.
US authorities believe the mass message on one of suicide took place possibly or", Both the women three days ancl . involvecl three men \^'ore thier cropped extremely jl:.. lr.*.t -9a.se1 said in part: short, in a style known as a 'buzz "Whether Hale-Bopp has a groups. compalion
cut.' The tirst 15 tu dic wcre assistcd
or not is
15, u'ho then APpatentiy planning for thier UFO tixtk thier own lives ancl were 1oi4 rendezvttus, each left a neatly "However. its arrival is -ioyously very significant to us at Heaven's out by thier surviving colleagues, packed suitcase beside thier hed'
a
seconcl
group
of
Bonnie Nettles, who died tiom cancer in 1985. Applewhite was known to cuit members as "Do" (pronounced "Doe").
Authorities revealed the couple
were behind a similar movement in the 1970s when they called themselves "Bo" and Space
lead a tlock of humans to higher level of existence with
a a
UFO.
Police yesterday continued the gruesome and grnzly task of unravelling the mass suicide. Police also believe the victims
may have placed plastic bags over thier heads to help them die taster.
Gate.
until onlv two were left.
Those who wore glasses had them
The tast two were the onlv no"" carefully placed at thier side. A "Hale-Bopps approach is the whose faces and torsos were not 9mm pistol was tbund inside one marker u,e've been *'aiting for-the time f-or the arrival of a space craft covere<l in p*rpie silk shrouds. of the suitcases. lrom the Level Above Human to Applewhite is believecl t. have Ea.ch person also carried a $5 take us home to Thier World-in the been among the last to clie. A11 6u, dollar note as well as some smal1 literal Heavens. one of the 39 apperaed
"Ti" was the name used. by Applewhite's tbrmer parmer,
irevelant
h'rm 'rur pcrspcitive
hy
'
Age sheperds on a mission to
Cult members believed that a UFO hiding behind the
sports shoes.
crew.
"Peep"- self:described
self--srylecl prophet Marstratl H The.dead were dressed identically; three weeks time. Applewhite, aleO in shi11s after black pants. black long-sleeved
consuming
this crew and go with Ti's
in fareweil change' - possibly
Good Friday Appeal -page I
tbr using a or
public telephone, aiongside his
"We are happily prepared to leave
her identification.
this
back- page 9
-Baek Pages
According to documents found on the bodies, the victims came
from Califomia, Texas. New Mexico, Florida, Colorado, Arizona, Washington, Miruresota, Utah and C:rrada. It appears no Australians wrre involved.
REPORTS Pages 4,5 & 6
killar in tfrfA csntinues -lnside