David Koresh
David Koresh was an American religious sect leader of Branch Davidians. Born August 17, 1959, in Houston. Died April 19, 1993, in Mount Carmel Center. Educated at Garland High School.
Facts
11 facts · 2 confirmed by two sources · 2 cited · 7 from one source
Where this comes from
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What Wikidata says · copied November 14, 2026 · revision 2560256413
- Described as
- American religious sect leader of Branch Davidians (1959-1993)
- Other names
- Vernon Wayne Howell
- Born
- August 17, 1959 · 2 references
- Died
- April 19, 1993 · 2 references
- Born in
- Houston
- Died in
- Mount Carmel Center
- Buried in
- Tyler Memorial Park and Cemetery · 1 reference
- Cause of death
- self-immolation · 1 reference
- Name at birth
- Vernon Wayne Howell
- Citizen of
- United States
- Occupation
- cult leader · 1 reference
- Education
- Garland High School · 1 reference
- Religion
- Branch Davidians
- Wikipedias with a page
- 39
Wikidata item Q431015 (wikidata.org/wiki/Q431015), public domain (CC0). Copied November 14, 2026.
What Wikipedia says · copied November 14, 2026 · revision 1385398723
David Koresh (born Vernon Wayne Howell; August 17, 1959 – April 19, 1993) was an American cult leader and preacher who played a central role in the Waco siege of 1993. As the head of the Branch Davidians, a religious sect, Koresh claimed to be its final prophet. His apocalyptic Biblical teachings, including interpretations of the Book of Revelation and the Seven Seals, attracted various followers.
Coming from a dysfunctional background, Koresh was a member and later a leader of the Branch Davidians, a movement originally led by Benjamin Roden, based at the Mount Carmel Center outside Waco, Texas. There, Koresh competed for dominance with another leader, Benjamin Roden's son George, until Koresh and his followers took over Mount Carmel in 1987. In the early 1990s, he became subject to allegations about polygamy and child sexual abuse by former Branch Davidian associates.
Further allegations related to the Branch Davidians' stockpiling of weapons led the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) and later the FBI to launch a raid, now known as the Waco siege, on the group's Mount Carmel compound in February 1993. During the 51-day siege and violence that ensued, Koresh was wounded by ATF forces and later died of a gunshot wound in unclear circumstances as the compound was destroyed in a fire.
- Born, in its opening lines
- August 17, 1959
- Died, in its opening lines
- April 19, 1993
From the Wikipedia article “David Koresh” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Koresh), by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Copied November 14, 2026; not changed.
Confirmed Two sources agree. Cited One source, and it names where it got it. One source One source, without a reference of its own. Sources disagree The sources disagree. We show the best-supported value and keep theirs below.
