10/15/2009 3:52:00 PM Sweat lodge deaths now a homicide case Deputies search Ray's California headquarters
Les Stukenberg/The Daily Courier
Lt. David Rhodes and Sheriff Steve Waugh answer questions from the media during a press conference where the Sheriff announced that the Sedona sweat lodge death investigation has now turned into a homicide investigation.
The investigation into the two deaths and numerous injuries that occurred during a James Arthur Ray "Spiritual Warrior" seminar at the Angel Valley Retreat near Sedona has turned into a homicide investigation, said Yavapai County Sheriff Steve Waugh said.
"Because of information that we have obtained from interviews from participants in this most recent "Spiritual Warrior" seminar and from other past participants in them, we have elevated the investigation from an accidental death investigation to a homicide investigation," Waugh said.
Waugh said YCSO would like all participants who have knowledge of the Spiritual Warrior seminar at Angel Valley Retreat, or who have experienced something similar, to contact the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office by e-mail at www.ycsoaz.gov or Yavapai Silent Witness 1-800-939-3232.
Waugh said investigators will focus on Ray, who is a person of interest, and any other person whose actions may have played a role in the deaths of James Shore, 40, of Milwaukee, Wis., and Kirby Brown, 38, of Westtown, New York.
"Right now there is no other person identified in that particular area yet, but the investigation is still young," Waugh said.
Ray refuses to talk with investigators, Waugh said. According to Associated Press reports, Ray has hired his own team of investigators. Waugh said Ray's investigators talked with YCSO investigators yesterday, but he could not divulge what was said.
Ray had a conference call Wednesday with many of the sweat lodge participants where he stressed the importance of eating healthy, resting, and being around "like-minded individuals," the Associated Press reports.
YCSO detectives executed search warrants Wednesday at James Ray International's offices in Carlsbad, Calif., with help from Carlsbad Police Department officers, Waugh said. Ray was not present when the search warrant was executed, said Lt. David Rhodes, of the criminal investigation bureau of the YCSO.
"Detectives, when they exercised that search warrant, were looking for medical information on participants of the current Spiritual Warrior event and also other previous events," Waugh said. "We're also trying to determine if documentation exists on how to construct sweat lodges, and the proper use of those lodges, and additionally, documentation on whether participants are advised of the risks prior to or during the Spiritual Warrior program," Waugh said.
"Because the deaths of James Shore and Kirby Brown were not accidental, we have, as I said earlier, started a full criminal investigation," Waugh said.
"People have become very sick from these activities before, so there should have been some preparation for these responses," Waugh said.
Waugh said he hopes people will be more careful about attending these types of seminars in the future.
Shore and Brown were pronounced dead Oct. 8 at Verde Valley Medical Center after they had been inside a sweat lodge during Ray's "Spiritual Warrior" seminar at the Angel Valley Retreat. Nineteen other people suffered injuries and one participant remains in critical condition at Flagstaff Medical Center, Waugh said.
The sweat lodge, was a temporary structure, with a frame of juniper and oak and covered with many layers of blankets, comforters and tarps, Waugh said. The floor area of the lodge was 415 square feet. It was just 53 inches high in the center, and 30 inches high on the edges, Waugh said. Fifty to 60 people were in the lodge during the ceremony, Waugh said.
Reader Comments
Posted: Monday, October 19, 2009
Article comment by:
Danny
Someone said no more than 12 people in a sweatlodge. That's untrue. Here in South Dakota on the Lakota (Sioux) reservations, we have sometimes more and sometimes less people in our Inipi Lodges. These lodges are quite small some measuring 10 ft from the entrance to the back and about 4-5 ft tall. The difference is that we don't sell our ceremonies and the person running the purification ceremony is a qualified elder or leader and we DON'T wrap our lodges in plastic or plastic tarps. This kind of tragedy happens when our Tribal ceremonies are misused and abused. Selling the ceremonies can have disastrous consequences such as this. We will pray for the families of those who have died and also for the other participants that they will realize that these kinds of 'religious hucksters' and 'plastic medicine man (and woman) do not know what they are messing with and that We as Native Peoples will not be blamed for the actions of this man and others of his kind that misuse and abuse our teachings. Pilama yelo. (Thank You0
Posted: Monday, October 19, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
There is a BIG difference between a sweat lodge and a sauna or sweat house to respond to the comment made about other it not being just a native ceremony. Saunas and sweathouses are for the theraputic effect and are often "social" gathering places in some cultures. With the tie to spirituality, the vision quest, and the whole pretence of a "Spiritual Warrior" experience, there is no doubt in my mind that he was stealing from the native world without a good understanding of it. This is a huge problem with the wanabee "shaman", they don't the understanding on how to deal with the spirits that may come to a ceremony and how to protect the people.
Posted: Saturday, October 17, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Other countries have sweat lodges, saunas, sweathouses, etc, so it is not restricted as just a “Native ceremony” aspect until specific cultural characteristics and beliefs are integrated into it. I do agree that it is insane that those folks gave so much money to the crystal crunchers for that experience where they could have spent the money and built themselves a nice sauna at home. Then they could have stayed home and re-charged their shakras there instead of paying some shyster to give them the likeness of a special experience.
Posted: Saturday, October 17, 2009
Article comment by:
jim
I agree no name. Waugh was stated by another to have made the comment that he may consider this a murder investigation.
Posted: Saturday, October 17, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
homicide is the taking of a life by another - it includes murder (which requires the mental state of intent) as well as manslaughter, negligent homicide etc. Someone can be guilty of a type of homicide, but not murder
Posted: Saturday, October 17, 2009
Article comment by:
jim
OK, the whole situation is sad. My sympathies. That said, homicide is intentionally killing someone with forethought.
Does Waugh really think he can prove this guy had planned to murder these people? Almost sounds like national news may be a contributing factor here.
At the very best, manslaughter maybe a possible, but murder? I think we will be wasting money if that charge is made. Stick to what you can get Waugh and cut out the grandstanding.
Posted: Saturday, October 17, 2009
Article comment by:
No Secret
Two rich whites die in a voluntary pseudo sweat lodge ceremony and it's a homicide. A dozen poor Mexicans looking for a better life die of heat exhaustion locked in a van in the desert and that's a "tradgedy." Sigh...
Posted: Friday, October 16, 2009
Article comment by:
t quig
What is astounding is that Not One of those 50-60 people crammed into a sweatlodge (where 15 people are a crowd) noticed or spoke up that there was a serious problem with the situation.
First rule of Native American ceremony - Don't Sell The Medicine.
Posted: Friday, October 16, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
That's 1450 cubic feet of airspace for 60 people (24 cubic feet/person). That's about a cubic meter each. You cannot use up all the oxygen before you die. I bet they just used it all up if there want't enough ventilation provided.
Posted: Friday, October 16, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
This is another sad abuse of native ceremony and culture. Take what sounds good and blend it to market it as a way for salvation. Having followed Lakota traditions for some time, one of the first things that I was taught is that there can be no monetary obligations required for a ceremony. The spirits won't come. Gifting after a ceremony is appropriate after help has been given. Hopefully this is a lesson, tragic as it may be, that spiritual ceremonies should not be sold. Yes, Ray should be held accountable as he obviously didn't know what he was doing other than pocketing lots of money.
Posted: Friday, October 16, 2009
Article comment by:
Stupidity Has A Price
Methinks the sheriff is absolutely right and someone is responsible for these men’s deaths.
Posted: Friday, October 16, 2009
Article comment by:
tellin' it like it is
Make that 64 people at $9,000-$10,000 a person. No ethical sweat lodge leader would hold a ceremony with more than 12 participants. I'm infuriated by the gall of Ray telling the survivors to hang out with like-minded people, and appalled that he received a standing ovation in a talk in California a few days ago.
Posted: Friday, October 16, 2009
Article comment by:
TR
Methinks the coroner's office turned up something ? As for cameras apparently the docu film makers and the tv tabloids are already all over the sedona / verde valley and Flagstaff . There seems to be more to the story .
Which isn't surprising with all these interconnected supposed new age gurus over there. Maybe its the secret behind the secret .
I'm glad there is an investigation and know that right now somewhere in a real native American sweat lodge ceremony, not some phony plastic tarp new age wanna be one, in many parts of the country, there are people praying for the families of those who perished and the ones still in the hospital from this fiasco as well as for those investigating this.
Maybe people will finally leave these ceremonies to those who know them and earn the right to perform them .
Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009
Article comment by:
SAY CHEESE!
