ABSTRACT
David Koresh was born Vernon Howell (no relation to the author) in Houston, Texas, on August 17, 1959. His mother was 14 or 15 years old at that time and unmarried, although they lived with the father, Bobby Howell, for two years. After his father left, Vernon was passed back and forth between his grandparents and his mother and stepfather until his late teens. He was hyperactive and had a learning disability so he was diffi cult to handle and did not do well in school. He later stated he was mistreated by his stepfather and was sexually molested by other boys. He was eventually placed in a special needs class and called “Mr. Retardo” by other kids, an experience that shocked him and that he frequently mentioned in later life. His mother belonged to the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church, and David attended this church from childhood. Th e Christian Bible fascinated him, and his mother reported that by the age of 14 he had memorized a major part of the New Testament. He dropped out of school in the 11th grade and began working as a carpenter and repairman, skills he apparently learned from his stepfather. At age 18, he began seeing a 16-year-old girl and moved in with her family. When she became pregnant, her father threw Vernon out. Th e relationship ended, and the girl later gave birth to Vernon’s fi rst daughter.
