The idea of a vampire cult on a killing spree in the United States sounds like something out of a movie rather than real life. However, that's exactly what happened in 1996, when Rod Ferrell and several others who were part of his group viciously murdered an innocent couple in Florida.
The gruesome case led to widespread coverage in the media and resurfaced fears about the occult in the US. It's important to consider the events leading up to the double killing in 1996 and examine Ferrell himself; it's the only way to discover exactly who he was and why he committed such horrendous crimes.
The double murder of Richard Wendorf and Naoma Ruth Queen took place on November 25, 1996.Four members of the vampire cult had traveled from Kentucky to Florida; they were planning to pick up Heather Wendorf, who wanted to run away from home and join the group. Ferrell and Scott Anderson arrived at the home alone, while Heather met up with the two other girls who made the trip.
Once inside the home, Ferrell killed Richard using a crowbar, beating him over the head more than a dozen times. When Richard's partner Queen arrived downstairs moments later, she attempted to defend herself by throwing hot coffee at Ferrell. He proceeded to beat her with the same crowbar. Their bodies were found soon after by their other daughter Jennifer Wendorf.
Ferrell Believed He Was A 500-Year-Old Vampire Named Vesago
Perhaps the most bizarre aspect of the case was the fact that Ferrell believed he was a 500-year-old vampire named Vesago. Ferrell claimed he was part of a vampire cult and that the other members were part of a unique brotherhood. This belief stemmed from his obsession with the game Vampire: The Masquerade.
According to Aphrodite Jones's The Embrace, Ferrell became obsessed with role-playing games at a young age. When he began playing Vampire: The Masqueradewith like-minded individuals, he developed a fascination with the idea of vampirism.
By the time he was 16, Ferrell had become a highly destructive young man. The teenager was not just using drugs, but had turned his bedroom into a shrine to the occult. Court documents claimed he had been observed taking part in satanic rituals and self-harm, going as far as to carve an upside down cross onto his own chest. In an interview with Crime Watch Daily, Ferrell said:
Everything I was listening to it was dark, it was based upon hate, war, death, pain, that's all my music, all my movies that I watched... My bedroom was an array of the darker side of the occult, such as the Necronomicon, the Satanic Bible, I had upside-down crosses, I had broken shards of glass laying about in the corner. I had hooks and metal cables wrapped around looking like Hellraiser.
The Group Was Arrested After One Girl Called Her Parents
After committing the murders, Ferrell and Scott Anderson picked up the girls and left Florida. They crossed four different state lines as they attempted to keep a low profile from police and ensure they could start a new life as a group in New Orleans.
They were eventually arrested in Baton Rouge, LA. Charity Keesee contacted her mother, asking for extra money. In doing so, she informed the police of their location and where they were planning on staying, and the officers were waiting when they arrived.
The Group Met At A Location Known As The Vampire Hotel
The young cultists tended to meet and perform most of their blood rituals at a location dubbed the Vampire Hotel. This was an abandoned former home that had been left to crumble in the thick woods around Kentucky Lake, KY.
It was a secluded area because it was hidden from view and rumored to be haunted. Reportedly, the Vampire Clan would not only drink each other’s blood there, but also torture one another for sexual gratification.
The Vampire Cult Performed Strange Rituals And Drank Blood
The cult that Ferrell created was known as the Vampire Clan by its members. It's unclear how many individuals were involved in the group, but some of their activities have been recorded. They apparently met at locations including cemeteries, and took part in rituals that involved cutting themselves and drinking each other’s blood.
