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Today in History: Swiss Police Find 48 Solar Temple Bodies

By Drooid · Oct 5, 2026, 10:35 AM UTC · How we work

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Summary

Story summary

Swiss police discovered 48 bodies of Order of the Solar Temple members in a remote chalet on 5 October 1994, confirming a coordinated mass murder-suicide that mirrored a similar tragedy in Quebec earlier that week. Led by Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret, the neo-Templar cult believed the deaths would transport souls to Sirius.

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Story summary

Swiss police discovered 48 bodies of Order of the Solar Temple members in a remote chalet on 5 October 1994, confirming a coordinated mass murder-suicide that mirrored a similar tragedy in Quebec earlier that week. Led by Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret, the neo-Templar cult believed the deaths would transport souls to Sirius.