By Their Father's Hand : The True Story of the Wesson Family Massacre

by Monte Francis

Neighbors were unaware of what went on behind the tightly closed doors of a house in Fresno, California--the home of an imposing, 300-pound Marcus Wesson, his wife, children, nieces, and grandchildren. But on March 12, 2004, gunshots were heard inside the Wesson home, and police officers responding to what they believed was a routine domestic disturbance were horrified by the senseless carnage they discovered when they entered.

"By Their Father's Hand" is a chilling true story of incest, abuse, madness, and murder, and one family's terrible and ultimately fatal ordeal at the hands of a powerful, manipulative man--a cultist who envisioned vengeful gods and vampires, and totally controlled those closest to him before their world came to a brutal and bloody halt.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Cults, Audiobook, Abuse, Religion

285 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

The Associated Press Television and Radio Association named Monte Reporter of the Year in 2013 for a region covering 13 western states. Monte has also won four Emmys; the latest in 2015 for his part in NBC Bay Area's coverage of the Napa earthquake.

Monte is a graduate of the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, and has a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from California State University Fresno.

His first book, By Their Father's Hand: The True Story of the Wesson Family Massacre, was published by HarperCollins in 2007.

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best written book - felt kind of disjointed. I think the author's interest in writing is secondary to the interest in sharing this story.

The main reason you would want to read this one is the shock factor. It is over two hundred pages of "WHAT THE!?" and "NO WAY!?". It is hard to believe people could do this sort of stuff to their own family.

One weird thing Throughout the book they make passing references to a murder-suicide attempt on the boat the family lived on, but they never told that story (unless I somehow forgot or they skimmed over it so fast it didn't stick in the first place)

So, if you are a true crime junky or love reading the disturbingly unbelievable, check this out. If you are looking for finely written non-fiction, this may not be for you. But, all in all, not bad.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't even have the WORDS!!! The level of brainwashing and manipulation is sky high, the abuse is inexcusable
That so many died is tragic. That it could have been halted by a shake of the head, a raised hand is both shocking and sad.

2017 Lenten Buddy Reading Challenge book #28

[Cherrybomb · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's always hard for me to rate true crime books because the content is always disturbing. I have to detach myself from the events and concentrate on the quality of the writing and research.

In this case, the story was deeply disturbing. Probably the most disturbing book I've ever read. Even so, it was written well and the author did a great job with research so I have to give it high marks.

Monte Francis got interviews with some of the victims and corresponded with the perpetrator after many failed interview attempts with his lawyer. What was said by those involed gives added insight to this seriously twisted case.

Oddly enough, there was an audio recording of the entire final crime scene. The author transcribes it for the readers verbatim which is truly interesting.

Readers were not subjected to verbatim of the court hearing, which was also very nice. Only important parts were quoted. There is nothing worse than a true crime novel that reads like a court transcript. I always felt that was a cop out - a lazy way of writing - and it's a relief that this author doesn't go there.

We were also spared the blood, gore, shock writing. This author wrote very objectively and didn't make an already disturbing story worse. I would recommend this book, but would also recommend reading the synopsis carefully as this unfortunately true story may haunt some.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Considering that it involves the death of so many children and someone who thinks he’s the head of a vampire family (yep) I am surprised that I had never heard of Marcus Wesson and his family before. Of course, Wesson is black so likely people were less interested in the story (this is a depressing world.)

The story is absolutely heartbreaking. The writer was lucky in that there are some great source materials here (a recording of most of what went on during the time of the murders as well as letters from Wesson.)

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

JERRY!! JERRY!! JERRY!!.....Wow. This is quite possibly the most bizarre and disgusting group of human beings I have ever heard about. I have read a few true crime books and have learned about some demented people.... but "demented" doesn't even describe these people. Despite the fact that this is a difficult story to stomach, it is a very gripping one. How the things that happened carried on for so long. How the other members of the family didn't get involved. How the women under this mans control didn't realize this guy was a wacko. None of it makes any sense. You will be blown away. It's almost to strange to believe. Your typical "disfunctional family" will seem like the Waltons compared to this group. Utterly indescribable. When you read the book... you will understand.

[DAISY READS HORROR · Rating 4 out of 5]

This man is a straight manipulating human being. I was disgusted with his acts.....I think His wife Elizabeth should have been held accountable for her part in these monstrous acts. I do not believe her blindness to the molestation that went on. She is just as disgusting as him! Shame on her and him......so gross!!!

[Jennelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It reads like a large newspaper article,
other than that, it was a interesting story.

[Jenny Hilborne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very disturbing true crime book with the events well documented. I didn't find it as interesting to read as I hoped I would and found myself skimming in a number of places. I'm sure the author wrote much of the dialogue verbatim, and I didn't enjoy reading it. I couldn't identify with any of the real-life people in this book, except the innocent children who were slaughtered. The author injected no emotion into his account of the Wesson Family Massacre, therefore, it evoked little reaction in me as the reader.

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was difficult to read yet a fascinating true crime, cult type story. It was almost unbelievable that someone could do this to their own family.

[Brandi Blunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book. Makes me wonder what happens next door as it seems to be "normal". Well written.

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

January 24 2012: Hmm I see I gave it 4 stars but I wonder if that is correct. I remember that I thought the story was interesting but that the book was not that good. Must go check . see if I wrote a review somewhere else.

Aha I found it on bookcrossing.

Wrote this on Saturday, April 26, 2008:

I had never heard of these killings. Good book but you end up with more questions. I think Marcus Wesson got what he deserved but I do believe he did not do all the killing himself.
I am so disgusted with his wife Elizabeth. It is terrible that she is walking free. Of course she knew what was happening in that house. Plus I feel the same of some of the daughters who played a key role in the murder but still lived and blamed Ruby and Sofara.
Going to see if I can find more info online. (I gave it 8 out of 10)

change it to 3.5 cause 4 stars still feels wrong.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, what a sickening, disturbing, sad, and shocking story. I first heard about this on a radio show where they were talking about a man who subjected his family to a cultish "vampire-like" lifestyle that ultimately led to death. I was intrigued and wanted to know more, especially from this authors point of view, since he had spent so much time researching. The book itself was set up in a way that made it quite confusing to follow the events and there was a lot of unnecessary repetition. It's a horrific and unbelievable story, but there's no need to rehash all the details again and again. As far as the events themselves? I'm glad that sick SOB got what he deserved, I just wish it had happened sooner. Soooooo many people involved and this disgusting piece of sh** got away with it for so long? Then he STILL has the love and adoration of his family? Now, THAT'S real brainwashing...

[Hana Candelaria · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Trued Story of the Wesson Family Massacre
This is a tough read...possibly one of the strangest families ever conjured up...including physical abuse, mind control, and just plain disgusting stuff. The documentation is well written but the story is so horrible I threw the book out immediately after reading it.
If this weren't a true story, it would be a great Halloween horror tale.

[Doneka · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an amazing book. I encourage EVERYONE to read it. If you know me, you can ask me to borrow it, just take good care of it.
This is a book about the true story of the Wesson family massacre, and it is incredible. Intence. Page turning, jaw dropping, eye popping, crazy. its amazing

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marcus Wesson ruled his family as a cult leader, espousing odd religious beliefs including polygamy, incest, and belief in vampirism. He had children by several of his children and niecs. And then one day things at the home came to a blow-up leaving 9 dead. A very sad story of a very evil man.

[Ricky Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book, By Their Fathers Hands by Monte Francis, is by far one of the books I’ve read. Marcus Wesson has just murdered most of his children. Throughout the book you find out more about the families bad pass. You read about his trials and the questioning. Throughout the book and find horrible secrets about Marcus Wesson and his family.
By Their Fathers Hands is an outstanding book. Every detail about the murders and the families is exactly what you need in a book like this. Detail was very important in this book and Monte Francis did it very well. Things that I didn’t like was how the Francis brought up the past or took you back in time just like that and suddenly be in the present. That was confusing to read throughout the story. Also if the Monte should’ve used the point of view of his daughters or wives during the harsh situations in which Marcus made them go through and live with.
“Marcus Wesson, my father, I will always love you with in my heart and be a soldier of God.” Pg.225 Marcus Wesson had brain washed his family. He made them believe he was a god and was the ultimate leader. He made his family believe things that aren’t true and shouldn’t things. To some family members the murders he did were okay and didn’t hate him for them. These things all of the things weren’t right and you obviously see how in control he was in of his family. I'm glad Marcus Wesson is locked away and away from hurting any one else. its going to be difficult for his family to over come this tragedy

[D1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because I knew the author and I was genuinely impressed with the amount of reporting that went into this book. I really liked to see how doggedly he tried to reveal Marcus Wesson's story and whether or not he pulled the trigger on his nine children/wives/vampires. The writing was well paced and vivid as well. However, this man and family was so crazy that I just couldn't stomach all the nasty details on their lives and deaths. This would be an interesting case study for a psychology or sexual deviance expert.

[Vicki Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pure evil.
What a horrible man to have treated his family who loved him this way. Years of abuse culminated in a family massacre unlike anything I have read about. The book moved quickly putting the history of the family in center stage, showing how years of abuse can not be undone. The trial and legal system was well written too. I wonder how the survivors are surviving now, if they have been able to grow and live now that they are away from him. Or will his hold over them continue for their lifetime?

[Stacy Simpson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This moved along alot quicker than the last few true crime books I have read. I love how these sick minded human beings come up with all these crazy ideas and plans....The abuse suffered by these children was horrifing at most...I hope this guy's crazy new religious book never see's the light of day it would make even more trouble and give ideas to some other wack job...

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of the Wesson family led by the father who had numerous children with his own daughters and nieces. As if that wasn't bad enough, nine of the children were murdered at his behest to "keep the family together". The murders occured at the same time as the Laci Peterson story so it apparently was overshadowed. I certainly don't remeber hearing about it.

[Siobhan O'Laoghaire-Sannes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I read this in a single day, so I wonder if I should give it 5 stars, LOL! Seriously, though, it was a compelling read, all the more so since we lived in the area where and when the murders happened. It seemed it was going to turn out to be weird, and this book reveals it was weirder than I had guessed.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

True story of a man who lived with his family, which included his wife, children and grandchildren which he fathered with his own daughters and neices. He was forming a cult which blended religion and vampires. He then was responsible for the deaths of nine family members.

[Alisi ☆ wants to read too many books ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't heard of this case before I picked this up, though I did recognize the man's picture when I searched him on the internet. The writing wasn't bad. It's par the course for true crime books.

This details the murders of 9 family members (25 years old to 1 year old.) A crazy guy decides he's a vampire and Jesus starts marrying his daughters and nieces to have 'pure' kids on them. Apparently he told his children/wives that if they were to be separated, that they should kill the younger kids/their own kids and then themselves. There was a bit of a confusion whether the oldest to die had killed them all herself and then herself or if Marcus had killed them.

It was incredibly hard to believe the wife and her sister didn't know anything about all this. I really felt they did a disservice to give Elizabeth immunity for testifying against her husband. I realize she was only 15 when she married him but still!

Really, really sad case. Those kids shouldn't've died like that. =/

[Bill reilly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Marcus Wesson is a three hundred pound black man who believes that he is a vampire and a modern day Messiah. Praise Jesus, I love this guy. The lunatic lived on a decrepit tug boat in Fresno, California with his wife and fourteen children. Many of the kids were born as a result of incest. In March of 2004, nine of the children were shot to death and piled on top of one another. Monte Francis’ book is nauseating. Somehow, Marcus was able to brainwash his family in the manner of Charles Manson. The Messiah complex seems to endure. Anne Rice novels and Dracula movies were of great interest to the whacked out family. They dressed mostly and black and were home schooled. Marcus was able to convince his offspring to work at fast food jobs that supported his life of leisure. The God-like leader moved his flock like a band of gypsies, from house to house and to a few boats with a dinghy which was rowed to the shore. Some of the young-ens’ slept on the top of coffins in sleeping beds. This is some crazy ass s***. The trial dragged on for three months and the outcome is no surprise. The survivors are as deranged as their delusional daddy. By Their Father’s Hands is a mediocre read.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

In prose attempting to be factual and impartial, Monte Francis reports out the shocking case of the Wesson family and the massacre of 9 of its members, most of whom were children. The writing style is mid, and critique of the events is essentially absent, but the story is so shocking and compelling that this book was a serious page turner for me. It pairs well juxtaposed against Charles Manson and his family, but more insular, more vampire obsessed.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and horrifying, this is the kind of book which make you wonder about the level of insanity necessary to commit such awful crimes against your own family.

But it also made me wonder how nobody saw a thing, nobody was aware about what was going on with that family *shakes head* It baffles me.

[Love · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first want to say I have not read a TC in a while. I do like them but I tire of the court room stuff very easily. To me this one had more history of the family than anything. Marcus was a very disturbed person. To start with he was a man who prayed upon his own children (SICK). He took advantage of his wifes neices also. This wife can not tell me she did not know any of this was going on. I know there was alot of people living in just a small place she had to have heard or seen many things. One of the girls said she walked in on several occassions while he was abusing her.. She said she did not! I say she had to have. I am not sure how this family avoided people knowing how they lived for so long. And seeing as they were collecting welfare someone knew how many people lived with this man. Does welfare not ask for the fathers of the babies?? Well I feel very sorry for the survivors as they have to live with their part in this horrible mess (the wife mainly). As with most TC I read if left me wanting to know more!!

[Bettye McKee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a horrible, disgusting story

Thanks to the author's research and attention to detail, the story of Marcus Wesson and his family is presented in its entirety. Marcus Wesson is evil disguised in human form.

Marcus Wesson controlled every aspect of his family's lives. He controlled what they wore, what they ate, whether they worked and where, and who they talked to (absolutely no one if he had his way). They were brutally punished if they failed to obey any of his rules.

Marcus Wesson began grooming his daughters and nieces from an early age to become his "wives" and bear his children. He drilled them in his outlandish brand of religion, which was altered to suit his own purposes. He brainwashed them with his plan of what they were to do if anyone in authority threatened to separate them.

The home life of this dysfunctional family will make you gasp. The lives he destroyed will make you weep.

8

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle should be The Most Despicable Man on the Planet. The subject is Marcus Wesson, a man who raped and reproduced with his own daughters and nieces while they were still children. But that’s not even the crime that’s addressed here. He was responsible for the death of 9 of his family members, 7 of them children. The book looks at the crime, the investigation, and the lengthy trial. Wesson was a manipulative man who was threatened by the outside world, so he murdered 9 of his own children (7 of whom were also his grandchildren!). This is a book about a pervert with a god complex who also wanted to be a vampire like Jesus. Yup, that’s how delusional he was… You’ve been warned.

[Red Denver · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am about 2/3 of the way through this book. I am not overly thrilled with the book, although I think it is fairly well written. I feel somewhat guilty that the events depicted in the book didn't move me more. It could be the gross-out factor; but is more likely to be because I find it so hard to relate to or even understand most of the people or the events. I assume it's because their lives, decisions made, etc., are so far removed from my own life experiences. The book contains factual dialog, some of which was from jailhouse conversations and also from trial transcripts. The trial transcript dialog was fine; the jailhouse conversations were just off-the-wall strange.