What Happened to David Koresh's Wife, Rachel? Her Tragic Story Told

In Waco: American Apocalypse, Netflix explores the rise of David Koresh in the Branch Davidians. The three-part docuseries also looks into the outcome of the bloody 1993 siege of the religious sect's compound in Waco, Texas.

Koresh, real name Vernon Howell, had come to see himself as a messianic figure and believed that God spoke to him. He also took several "spiritual wives," some as young as 12, though he had only one legal wife: Rachel Jones.

Jones and her family kept close ties to Koresh throughout his time as leader of the Branch Davidians, and their story ended in tragedy.

What Happened to David Koresh's Wife, Rachel? Her Tragic Story Told

Koresh was suspected of having illegal firearms and so the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) conducted a raid of the compound in February 1993. The event saw four agents and five members of the Branch Davidians lose their lives, one of whom was Rachel's 66-year-old father, Perry.

During March and April 1993, the FBI conducted a siege of the compound, and the standoff lasted 51 days. When federal agents attempted to end the siege on April 19, 1993, fires broke out in the compound and at least 75 Branch Davidians died.

The Washington Post wrote about Rachel shortly after the end of the siege in April 1993. Reporters spoke to people who knew her and her family, and explored what Koresh's influence on the family was.

Houston lawyer Jack B. Zimmermann told the publication that Rachel "was polite and pleasant and very quiet." He added that he had seen her on April 4, around a fortnight before the siege ended.

"She acted like a wife whose husband was conducting business at home, and she was carefully letting him do his business," Zimmermann said.

The Washington Post added that Rachel and her family had been visiting the Mount Carmel compound for over two decades. It was a summer camp for the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and this is where Koresh met them. The Branch Davidians were an offshoot of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

Koresh married Rachel when she was 14 years old. However, shortly afterwards, he said he had a vision from God telling him he should take more women to be his wife, per The Washington Post. While Rachel was said to be against this at first, she relented, and did not complain when Koresh made her 18-year-old sister Michelle one of his wives. He would have a child with her soon afterwards.

It was also reported that Koresh had told his male followers that they had to be celibate and give him their wives. The cult leader was said to have had at least a dozen children by these different women.

Rachel's brother David also became one of Koresh's "mighty men," and he would act as the cult leader's bodyguard.

In the fire that broke out in April 1993, Rachel, her brother David, her sister Michelle and her kids with Koresh, Cyrus and Star, all died.

Waco: American Apocalypse is out on Netflix now.