Horrifying cult led by 'centuries-old angel' with sick sex abuse at its heart

Daniel Perez, who also went by the name Lou Castro, convinced followers of his cult named the Angel's Landing that he was an angel who had to rape their daughters in order to stay alive

Mirror, UK/February 14, 2023

By Vassia Barba

A horrifying cult led by a "centuries-old angel" with sick sex abuse at its heart has been uncovered.

The story of Daniel Perez, a cult leader who convinced parents he had to rape their daughters in order to stay alive, shocked the world when it surfaced back in 2015.

He led a commune named the "Angel's Landing" and lived off life insurance money he earned after murdering one of his followers Victoria Hughes.

Witnesses testified at his trial that he in fact ran a whole scheme of life insurance frauds and was behind the deaths of multiple people that he promised would "return from the dead".

Perez, also known as Lou Castro, received multiple life sentences for over 20 crimes, including murder, sexual exploitation, and other charges.

He is ineligible for parole until he is 120 years old.

Years after his conviction, one of his victims described the ordeal she went through and how the "seer" lured his victims into his obscene lifestyle.

Sara McGrath was 17 years old when her family joined the commune after Perez, whom her mother met while selling him a house, convinced them to move in.

She told Fox News that Perez at first appeared innocent, caring, and charismatic.

He claimed to have magical powers, including the ability to see the future and led his followers on a 20-acre property, the Angel's Landing.

Initially, the communal family was close, and things seemed positive. However, it didn't take long for things to take a dark turn.

She said: "My mom had a journal and she had written how she felt she needed to protect Lou - or Daniel.

"I guess he appeared innocent or as someone who cared too much. My mother was very thoughtful when it came to people so she felt like she somehow needed to protect Lou.

"He was very charismatic and quite the talker. He somehow appeared wise."

Perez had convinced his followers that he was a centuries-old angel who needed to have sex with young girls to stay alive.

His victims' ages were 8 to 16, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation’s sex offender registry.

McGrath, who said she was also raped by him, said she was too scared to speak out, and "didn’t realize [she] was in a cult until [she] had been out for a few years".

When he was convicted, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett told reporters the case and outcome "is the reflection of a terrible time in a lot of lives".

He said: "Is this a happy moment? The answer is, ‘Sure, we got the verdict'. But we heard about life after life that was adversely affected by this man."

A judge said: "The evidence conclusively shows that Mr Perez used people as mere objects to fulfil his desire for money, sex and a lavish lifestyle. It is just that he serves the maximum sentence."

To see more documents/articles regarding this group/organization/subject click here.