Heaven’s Gate Cult: What Happened

We remember this incident very clearly. We were in Carmel, Calif. On a road trip. Creepy. Now National Geographic examines what really happened.

The Final Report: Heaven's Gate
Monday, September 29, at 10:00 PM ET/PT(World Premiere) TV-14
On March 26, 1997, San Diego police discovered 39 bodies in an affluent neighborhood home. Each victim was found lying neatly in bed next to a packed duffle bag — dressed in black with a triangular patch on each sleeve that read “Heavens-Gate Away Team.” The Final Report goes behind the scenes of one of the largest mass suicides committed on U.S. soil to investigate some of the key questions involved in the case. Why did they take poison, what did they believe, and how did cult leaders recruit hundreds of believers? Hear the actual 911 call from an anonymous tipper, testimony from police officers central to the investigation and statements from former cult and family members who lost loved ones in this tragic event. Then watch eerie footage shot by cult members, including one of the group leaders, of their last days.