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Lucas Leonard was the 19-year-old son of Bruce and Deborah Leonard, who was beaten to death at the Word of Life Christian Church in the town of Chadwicks, New York. Lucas and his 17-year-old brother Christopher were taken for a counseling session on the night of October 11, 2015.
During this time, the two brothers were severely beaten by 30 parishioners, including their parents and half-sister. The beating session lasted for almost 14 hours and stopped only when they realized that Lucas was not responding. The dreadful murder of Lucas Leonard is documented in Episode 2 of Hulu's upcoming docuseries titled How I Escaped My Cult.
The episode titled Word of Life is set to make its release on Thursday, February 20, 2025, on Freeform and will be available for streaming on Hulu. The official synopsis of the episode reads,
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"For Kristel Leonard, the Word of Life dictates every aspect of her life. But when ruthless new pastor Tiffanie Irwin takes over, Kristel tries to leave her iron grip, leading to deadly and horrifying consequences for those closest to her."
5 key details about the murder of Lucas Leonard
1) Leonard's parents were members of a cult church community
The Word of Life was a Pentecostal church located in the town of Chadwick, New York. As per an Inquisitr News article published on February 1, 2023, neighbors described the church to be completely isolated from the rest of the community. The Word of God, despite being a Pentecostal church, was not affiliated with the Assembly of God or any organization.
The members of its congregation were constricted to rigid rules, where they cocooned themselves and even homeschooled their children. It was guided by cult rules, which often involved chanting and disturbing rituals.
As per an Associated Press article published on October 22, 2015, authorities reported that Lucas and Christopher were taken for a counseling session after they expressed their decision to leave the congregation.
2) Christopher and Lucas Leonard were severely beaten with an electrical cord
As per an NBC News article published on October 22, 2015, Christopher and Lucas Leonard were taken for an all-night counseling session after it was discussed in a Sunday church meeting. As per Christopher's description, the brothers' had expressed their decision to leave the church previously.
Christopher and Lucas Leonard were exposed to severe punishment, where they were beaten continuously. The parishioners, with an electrical cord, whipped the boys. Christopher recalled that they were punched in the stomach, then beaten on the genitals, and then throughout their bodies.
As per a Syracuse.com article published on August 21, 2022, the Leonards were beaten for nearly 14 hours. It only stopped when Lucas Leonard fell unresponsive on the floor. Christopher tried to give him CPR but stopped upon realizing his brother was dead.
3) Lucas Leonard's parents and sister were involved in the murder
As per the Syracuse article, Lucas's parents, Bruce, and Deborah Leonard, along with his half-sister Sarah Ferguson, were among the parishioners involved in the beatings. The church pastor Tiffanie Irwin, was behind organizing the counseling session, doubting the brothers were involved in voodoo and witchcraft.
It was only the next day that Lucas Leonard was rushed to the hospital. The doctors said that he would've survived if treated sooner. As per a CNN article published on June 13, 2023, Lucas's autopsy reports revealed multiple contusions in the torso and genital area due to blows and blunt force trauma.
As per a CBS News article published on October 19, 2015, investigators found the Leonards' house full of garbage and covered with a foul decaying smell.
4) The cult members involved in the murder of Lucas Leonard were arrested and sentenced
As per the Syracuse article, the culprits responsible for the murder of Lucas Leonard were arrested and put before the jury.
- Bruce Leonard: He was found guilty of felony assault and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. He was incarcerated at the Marcy Correctional Facility and was paroled in 2024.
- Deborah Leonard: She was also found guilty of felony assault and was sentenced to spend time at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. She was released in January 2020.
- Sarah Fergusson: Lucas Leonard's half-sister was found guilty of her involvement in the murder and sentenced to spend 25 years. She is currently spending her sentence at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Westchester.
- Pastor Tiffanie Irwin: The pastor who led the counseling session was sentenced to spend 12 years in prison. She is currently spending her time at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility and will be eligible for parole in 2026.
- David Morey: He was sentenced to 3 years on January 9, 2017, and was released in 2020.
- Daniel and Traci Irwin: Both were sentenced to two years imprisonment, respectively. The two were released on March 24, 2017, from the prison.
- Joseph Irwin: It was in September 2022 when he was sentenced to serve years in prison sic in the Collins Correctional Facility. He was released on parole in 2022.
5) The Word of Life church was shut down by townspeople
As per a Syracuse.com article published on October 21, 2015, the mourners among the townspeople hosted a prayer vigil outside the Word of Life church on October 20, 2015. Stacey Mendell, the organizer, said:
"We want peace back in our community. We want justice for our boys."
She organized a fundraiser for Christopher and protested in support of closing the church. Another organizer named Ami Loomis encouraged the community to step up for the victims. She said:
"He needs to know there's life outside that place," she added. "He needs to know there's a community behind him."
The Word of Life Christian Church was finally shut down, with a signboard in cursive writing that the Church would be closed during the time of mourning.
Check our other articles to learn more details about How I Escaped My Cult.
