Lew Eric Jones is one of the many adoptive sons of Jim Jones. Lew Eric Jones’s life and death surrounds the haunting events of the Jonestown massacre. Lew Jones’ father Jim Jones was a cult leader, who led over 900 people to take part in mass murder-suicide.
Table of Contents
Lew Eric Jones Early Life
Lew Eric Jones was born on November 23rd, 1956 in South Korea. Later he was adopted by Jim Jones and his wife Marceline Jones in 1959, alongside two American-Korean children. He used to live in Redwood Valley, California. Then He moved to Guyana, Jonestown where spent his life with his family and he was given the responsibility of Jonestown security.
Tragic Bond And Death
Lew Jones was adopted by Jim Jones like many others. However, upon his entry in Jonestown, he became a part of the controversial environment. His father, Jim was a preacher and founded a church in Indiana, which was later renamed as the Peoples Temple Full Gospel Church and famously known as Peoples Temple. Preaching about his cultish thoughts, Jim was able to influence many people alongside his son, Lew Eric Jones. Despite the rumors of beatings, cult practices and murders, Jim Jones was respected and praised for founding a radically mixed church. He was even appointed by the Mayor of San Francisco, to help their city with social equality.
The Tragic Massacre
To see if the rumors about sexual slavery, cult preaching and murders were true or not, Congressman Leo Ryan led a mission to Jonestwon for investigation. In the year 1978, after three days of investigations and interviewing the locals, Ryan decided to leave while taking 20 people from the Peoples Temple who wanted to leave the place. However, as they were on the airplane, Jim Jones’ guard reached there and shot the man dead on the spot. Killing the rest Congressmen and a NBC reporter, alongside two photographers and locals of Jamestown. Who survived the slaughter were taken back to the Peoples Temple. While at Jonestown, Jim called his followers and ordered everyone to drink a grape flavored cyanide.
A total of over 900 people died, including nearly 300 children that day, at Jonestown massacre-suicd. Lew Eric Jones also followed his father’s order alongside his wife and children. Lew found his father’s preaching unique, and the haunting event took place being the notable dark history of Jonestown.
Lew Eric Jones’ Surviving Siblings
There were many who died during the massacre, alongside Lew Eric Jones. However, some of his siblings Stephen Jones and Jim Jones Jr were able to survive it because the time it happened, they were outside of the city. Later in an interview with Stephen Jones said that he loved how his community used to live in harmony, no matter what place or background they came from. However as the time passed, Stephen stated that it had become all superficial. Now Stephen and Jim Jones jr live normally, away from their hometown.
Conclusion
Lew Eric Jones was the adoptive son of the cult leader, Jim Jones. He lived a peaceful life, until the day when his father ordered for mass-sucide. Ultimately leading to Lew Eric’s death alongside many. Lew Eric Jones was only 21 when he died. Even Children were not spared on the tragic day of November 18th, 1978.
