| Murder–suicide of the David family | |
| Location: | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
| Fatalities: | 8 (including the perpetrator) |
| Perpetrator: | Rachal David (the mother) |
The David family murder–suicide refers to a familicide which took place in Salt Lake City, United States, on the morning of August 3, 1978, in which Rachal David (1939–1978) pushed several of her children off an 11th floor hotel balcony and convinced at least the three oldest children to jump before her to their deaths.[1] [2] [3] A 15-year-old girl survived after spending a year in the hospital.[4] Three days earlier, Rachal's husband Immanuel David (1938–1978) who had said he was a divine leader had died by suicide.[2] [5] The hotel was then called the International Dunes Hotel, but is now a Holiday Inn as of 2014.[6]
The murder-suicide was related to the family's religious beliefs around Immanuel's divine calling and wanting to follow him to the next life,[1] [7] motivated by loyalty and altruism, as well as financial concerns.[8] Immanuel (formerly Charles Bruce Longo before 1970) was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) but was excommunicated in June 1969.[5] Immanuel was introduced to the LDS church while in the US Army.[5] After his time in the military he was a Mormon missionary in Uruguay, after which he and a Swedish woman Rachal (formerly Margit Briggita Ericsson)[9] met while enrolled in the LDS Church's largest school Brigham Young University.[5] After they were married and had several children Rachal's husband said he was a prophet and divine figure and developed a group of followers they called Family of David.[9] [5] [10] David died by suicide in Emigration Canyon near Salt Lake City while under FBI investigation for federal wire fraud.[11] [12] [13]
Following the David family deaths, some of Immanuel's followers continued in the Family of David, and in 2000 some reported awaiting the return of Immanuel.[14] One of those was the surviving daughter now in a wheelchair after surviving the jump, and multiple subsequent suicide attempts.[14]