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The three-part docuseries Waco: American Apocalypse, now on Netflix, retraces the intricate, gruesome story of what happened in Waco, Texas, in 1993 between the heavily armed cult leader David Koresh, his Branch Davidian members, and the US armed forces.
The infamous 51-day standoff of the bloody siege, which resulted in the loss of 86 lives from both camps, including 25 children, is the subject of the latest documentary from Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer filmmaker Tiller Russell.
Former Branch Davidian followers David Thibodeau, Heather Jones, and Kathy Shroeder, along with FBI personnel, take part in the documentary to tell the tale of what happened at the Mount Carmel Center in Waco that ended in a multi-week gunfight.
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The main cast in Waco: American Apocalypse
1) David Thibodeau
The Bangor, Maine-born David Thibodeau is a member of Branch Davidian and one of the few members who witnessed the Waco siege some 30 years ago. He had a big hand in retelling the true story of what happened at Mount Carmel in 1993, from his memoir A Place Called Waco: A Survivor's Story to the Paramount miniseries Waco.
More recently, he tells his story as one of Koresh's cult members during the siege in Netflix's Waco: American Apocalypse. In the documentary, he shared his meeting with the cult leader for the first time:
"[Then] I met David [Koresh] in '91. I was at a Guitar Center in Hollywood. Now, these two guys were looking at one of the drum sets."
He shared that the cult leader said something that "blew his mind" because of how it relates to his life, and then he went to Texas and joined the cult.
"By being there, you're part of God's plan. And I could see that this was history happening right in front of me," he added.
2) Christopher "Chris" Whitcomb
Christopher Whitcomb, who was 34 at the time, was part of the FBI Hostage Rescue Team, working as a sniper when they were called to assist during the bloody siege in Waco. Recalling the job at hand in 1993 in Waco: American Apocalypse, he described the aftermath of the nearly two months of gunfight as an "apocalyptic carnage."
He remembered the horror of the destruction as the compound burnt down, saying:
"It was raining Bible pages into these embers, and in the embers were 1.6 million rounds of rifle ammo that was cooking off and popping up."
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3) Bob Ricks
Bob Ricks was the lead FBI special agent during the federal raid in Waco, Texas, in 1993. He was also the main spokesperson during the 51-day standoff. Recalling the events during the Waco siege, aka the Waco Massacre, Ricks said in the Waco: American Apocalypse:
"[There was] no doubt that David Kores had s*x with young kids, some as young as 10."
4) Heather Jones
Another former Branch Davidian member and Waco siege survivor is Heather Jones. Unlike other members who joined the group, Jones was born and raised by her parents in the Mount Carmel compound. When her mother left the cult, she was isolated from the rest of her family, with Koresh assuming her guardianship.
While Koresh was affectionate to the other girls, he was abusive towards the young Jones, which she recalled in the documentary. She remembered Koresh physically striking her with a paddle, and during the 1993 siege, she watched her grandfather get shot and die before she was able to leave the compound.
In Waco: American Apocalypse, Heather Jones admitted that she doesn't place blame on Koresh or the police for the fire burning down the house that killed the rest of her family members. However, she noted that the situation could have been handled better.
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5) Kathy Shroeder
Kathy Shroeder joined Koresh and his cult with her husband and two children despite knowing that he sleeps with minors. In the documentary, she remains in admiration of the Branch Davidian leader and compares having s*xual relations with Koresh to bible study.
She is one of the survivors of the cult during the 1993 Waco siege but has chosen to move away from Texas after the event, unlike some of the surviving Branch Davidian members. Shroeder's husband, however, didn't make it out alive.
Shroeder's continued belief in Koresh, going as far as defending and justifying his actions, no matter how horrifying, adds a fascinating angle to the Waco: American Apocalypse docuseries.
Other cast members in the Netflix's Waco: American Apocalypse
Below are other personalities participating in the Netflix docuseries, bringing additional perspective and never-before-heard accounts from the 1993 51-day standoff in Waco, Texas.
- Lee Hancock (Dallas Morning News reporter)
- Gary W. Noesner (FBI Crisis Negotiation Chief)
- Balenda Ganem (David Thibodeau's mother)
- John McLemore (KWTX News reporter)
- Dick DeGuerin (Criminal defense lawyer)
- Jim Cavanaugh (ATF Special Agent)
- Bill Buford (ATF Special Agent)
Watch Waco: American Apocalypse is now streaming on Netflix.
