The Gruesome Murder of Brenda Lafferty

Brenda Lafferty was a young, vibrant 24-year-old woman. She was the wife of Allen Lafferty and the mother of two children. On July 24th 1984, she was brutally murdered in her apartment in American Fork, Utah. What happened to Brenda Lafferty? Who killed her and why? Let’s take a look at this horrific crime and uncover some answers.

Who Killed Brenda Lafferty?

The police discovered that the murderer was none other than her brother-in-law and the husband’s older brother, Ron Lafferty. He and his accomplice, Dan Lafferty (another brother) had planned the murder for months prior to carrying it out. They had been inspired by their religion - Mormonism - which they claimed told them that Brenda had to die because she wasn't a true believer.

The Investigation

At first, police were stumped as to who could have committed such an act of violence against such an innocent woman. Eventually, however, they discovered that Ron and Dan were responsible for the murder. During their investigation, police found several pieces of evidence linking them to the crime scene including a bloody footprint left by Ron at the scene of the crime. The two brothers were arrested shortly after and charged with first-degree murder.

Ron's Trial

Ron went on trial in 1985 for his part in Brenda's death but he maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings claiming that he was only following orders from God to kill her. After numerous witnesses testified against him, Ron was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without parole where he remains today. In spite of his conviction, he still maintains his innocence claiming that God ordered him to kill Brenda as part of an ancient Mormon prophecy known as "Blood Atonement".

The tragic murder of Brenda Lafferty shocked not just her family but also those living in American Fork at the time. While justice has been served with Ron being found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without parole, it doesn't take away from how devastating this crime really is - especially when you consider who killed her and why they did it. It goes without saying that no one should ever have to suffer like this and we can only hope that something like this never happens again.