Scientology - A Question of Faith

Did A Mother's Faith Contribute To Her Murder?

(CBS) 
On the morning of March 13, 2003 Jeremy was told to pack for his trip to Albert Brown’s.

"His parents tell him that he is leaving. That he's gonna leave the safety and security of the only security that he knows - his home,” says Nuchereno.

Don Perkins went to work, but returned briefly to settle an argument between Jeremy and Elli. After he left, Elli demanded that Jeremy take a shower. She was on the phone with a friend when the attack began.

Dr. Joseph read Jeremy’s statement to the police. “I tried to slit my wrists after the shower. But I wouldn't die, so I decided to do my mom instead," Dr. Joseph read. "She was screaming, 'No, Jeremy, don't.' I stabbed her about four to five times before she fell down. … I then stabbed her about ten more times in the stomach after she fell to the ground. I knew she was a goner. … I believe that I have lived different lives for the past thousand years, and wished I was in another life now."

What was the church's reaction to all of this?

"At the time, it was a panic," Dunning says. He says high-ranking church officials flew into town and told everyone to stay quiet.

Asked whether there was a cover-up, Dunning says, "Yes, there was.” The purpose, according to Dunning was “to distance the church as far as away they could from Jeremy Perkins.”

Dunning says the murder was a PR nightmare for the church for two reasons: first, it exposed the danger of Scientology’s ban on psychiatry; but equally important, it punctured the church’s promises that by reaching higher “OT” levels, true believers achieved special powers.

“Because you know, an OT is a super being. Nothing bad should happen to an OT," Dunning explains.

Gabrielle Carlson hoped the shock of the tragedy would finally force her brother to question the church. But her hopes were in vain. "Absolutely nothing, nothing changed. It's kind of brushed over, hushed hush, move on, don't talk about it,” she explains.

But the Perkins family tragedy could not simply be brushed over. Now, Jeremy was facing the charge of murdering his mother.