Devereaux Cleaver
Real Name: Devereaux Cleaver
Nicknames: No Known Nicknames
Location: Hawaii
Date: February 25, 1979
Case[]
Details: Devereaux Cleaver is the daughter of Sandy Cleaver, who joined a spiritual movement called "Conscious Development of the Mind, Body, and Soul" in the 1970s, which was created by Terri Hoffman. Devereaux and her mother reportedly had a rocky relationship. Terri allegedly told Sandy that her daughter had "demons". In February of 1979, Devereaux, Sandy, and another follower went on a vacation to Hawaii. While there, on February 25, Devereaux and Sandy went on a raft when she was allegedly pulled away by the water and drowned. Investigators later discovered that Devereaux had created a will and wrote all of her money and possessions to Terri Hoffman. Some believe she may have been involved in Devereaux's death along with Sandy's death two years later.
Suspects: Terri Hoffman is suspected of being indirectly involved in Devereaux's death. Some have speculated that Sandy may have killed her daughter because of the "demons" that Terri claimed were in her.
Extra Notes: This case originally ran on the November 10, 1995 episode, mainly about follower Charles Southern Jr.
Results: Unsolved
Links:
- Deaths among followers of 'guru' prompt investigation - February 4, 1990
- The Curse of the Black Lords - May 1980
- Troubling deaths of spiritual seekers: Allegations of mind control follow Dallas couple's suicide - January 28, 1990
- Police Seek Link Between Cult Leader, Nine Deaths - March 4, 1990
- Prosecutor out to prove that beliefs can kill - March 4, 1990
- Mystery Lingers About Mystic and 10 Deaths - February 13, 1994
- After nearly four years, mystery remains in case of mystical leader - February 13, 1994
- Families charge meditation expert caused death of loved ones - February 13, 1994
- Dallas mystic sentenced to jail for fraud - May 21, 1994
- D Magazine's 40 Greatest Stories: Death in a North Dallas Cult - June 26, 2014
- Last image of Devereaux Cleaver (left) taken on February 25, 1979, during a vacation in Hawaii. Not long after this picture was taken, Devereaux drowned - May 6, 2020