David Koresh Biography

Koresh was born Vernon Wayne Howell to a 15-year-old single mother. He never knew his father or his grandparents. He was a bad student, teased and ostracised, and his only interests were music and the bible. By 12, he could recite long passages from the book.

He was welcomed into the Church of the Seventh Day Adventists in 1979, and quickly expelled again, for being an evil influence on his contemporaries. Spurned by his religion, Koresh turned to his other love, music. He went to Hollywood dreaming of becoming a rock star.

He failed and ended up in Waco in 1981, where he joined the Branch Davidians, an offshoot of the Adventists. The founders of this apocalyptic sect, Ben and Lois Roden, had decided a new Messiah would arrive, signifying the start of the Last Days.

Koresh had an affair with Lois, the geriatric prophetess and the couple travelled to Israel. She died in 1986, leaving Koresh and her son George to fight for control of the sect. Koresh stormed the compound, shot George in the chest and won. The new prophet was acquitted of attempted murder on a technicality.

The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms and Tabacco tried to arrest Koresh on 28 February 1993, on suspicion of child abuse and illegal weapons handling.

A shoot out - killing four agents and six Davidians - precipitated a siege lasting 51 days. Finally the compound burned to the ground. It is uncertain who started the fire.