The Voice of Eldorado and Schleicher County Since 1901

Arizona man says Prophet stole his family

JUNE 17, 2004
Richard Holm, 51, of Colorado City, Arizona, an admitted polygamist, says he never expected to find himself fighting for custody of his children. Much less, did he think the court battle would involve the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS). As a faithful member of the church and loyal follower of its prophets, Holm says he was stunned to learn that he had been excommunicated by new FLDS Prophet Warren Jeffs.

Holm, a respected businessman and longtime member of the Colorado City, AZ City Council, said he thought life was about as good as it could get. He and his two wives, Lorena and Alice, and their seven children owned and operated a Motel in the twin cities of Colorado City and Hildale. Holm also provided transportation for the church's former prophet, Rulon Jeffs.

Holm says that new prophet Warren Jeffs secretly recorded meetings his father had with church members. Among those recordings are audio tapes of confessions that church members believed were meant only for the ears of their former prophet. Holm says those tapes are now being used to blackmail and intimidate FLDS members into following the leadership of Warren Jeffs.

"He is a sinister man," Holm said of Warren Jeffs. "Only an evil man would tear apart a man's family this way."

Holm believes that the new Prophet became aware of a confession he made about some youthful indiscretions. "I wasn't always close to God and I made some mistakes when I was young. But I confessed those and cane back to the faith and back to the church," Holm said.

But priest-penitent confidentiality apparently doesn't apply in the FLDS, at least according to Richard Holm. He says that Warren Jeffs used the information in his confession against him and ordered him out of his home and away from his family. The order to vacate his home was based on the fact that it was built on property owned by the United Effort Plan, a trust fund controlled by the FLDS.

Holm says his greatest mistake was actually leaving the property instead of fighting the eviction notice. Recently another man, Ross Chatwin, won a court battle with the FLDS and was able to stay in his home after he was excommunicated by Warren Jeffs.

Holm says his greatest blow came a few weeks after he moved out of his home when he was notified that his two wives had been given in marriage to his brother Ed.

"Warren Jeffs executed my family," Holm told the Success in a telephone interview. "He took my wives and gave them in marriage to my brother. It was like a death sentence."

Recently, Holm sought and won the right to visit his seven children, something he says has made his life a little easier. "They are my whole life. I can't imagine life without them."

Holm says Warren Jeffs decision to move a portion his FLDS faithful to Texas is a strange one. "I think his decision to move has a lot to do with the pressure Warren is under here in Colorado City," Holm said. "I'm not sure why he chose Eldorado, or Texas for that matter," Holm said. "It might have had something to do with the Supreme Court striking down Texas' anti-sodomy law."

Holm noted that Jeffs, who has a well publicized penchant for security and who travels with a group of body guards, could be on the coming to Texas because he fears reprisal from those he has stepped on in Colorado City. "People like me," Holm said. "There are a lot of people like me who have had their lives ruined by this snake."

Holm says he doesn't expect a mass exodus from Colorado City to Texas. "I have trouble picturing a mass move away from here," Holm stated. "What he may be doing is building his own sort of Disneyland down there where his most obedient followers can come and visit for a few days and while they are there they get to see the wizard."

Holm went on to say that Eldoradoans probably don't have much to fear from Warren Jeffs. "Warren is a coward and he is going to do whatever he can to stay out of trouble," Holms said. "I've heard him say in his sermons that if he is ever arrested he will be killed in jail. I honestly believe that he believes that."

Holm says he would like to visit Eldorado someday and see the YFZ Ranch. "I want to see what Warren is spending all that money on. I want to see what he is spending my money on."

The Eldorado Success invites Warren Jeffs and/or other leaders of the FLDS church to comment on this or any other story surrounding the FLDS and the YFZ Ranch