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Ex-church member disputes account
Thelma Grimes/San Pedro Valley News-Sun
While the two-book series outlining the shooting at Miracle Valley in 1982 between a religious sect and the Cochise County Sheriff's Department has garnered much support, an ex-church member is not so quick to sign off.
From 1979 to 1982, Sounja Thompson lived within the confines of Miracle Valley, now saying she was a member of a cult.
Thompson was a member of Christ Miracle Healing Center and Church, located in Miracle Valley southeast of Sierra Vista. Led by Rev. Frances Thomas, the religious group came to Southern Arizona from Chicago.
Thompson was 18 when tensions reached a boiling point between church members and local law enforcement. The Chicago resident talked about being one of the teenagers arrested by police at Buena High School in Sierra Vista.
"By the time that happened, things were going crazy," she said. "This was all about custody of some kids that were actually abandoned by their dad. He was not taking care of them before they left. That was why they lived with their sister (Laura Triplett). Was she supposed to just leave them behind when she left? She was the caretaker. And (the police) created a problem coming to get them because it was underhanded.
"We were taught to look out for each other. You kinda did have to go through a few people to get to one person. I'm not agreeing or disagreeing; that's just the way it was. (The police) came to the school to pick up Laura Triplett. I was sitting in my class. Her brother Willie stopped by my class and told me they were looking for her. I asked my teacher for a pass and went to help find her. Not for them but because I knew she would not go if she could help it. I couldn't find her, but I did keep running into the police who told me I had to help them. That was not going to happen."
Thompson recalled trying to find a phone to call for help. None of them were working at the junior campus, so she ran to the Buena campus where they didn't work either. Finally, she ran to a store across the street.
"By the time I got back to class it was time for the bell," she said. "On the phone call, I was told to start walking for the valley once I had found Laura. As soon as the bell rang, the hall got crowded and I saw her. The police was coming up behind me. All I could say was, "Run, Laura. Run!" Other kids that were with our church heard me and we all started to run. The police grabbed her and we fought them to get her away. But, by the time we got to the front of the school, police were everywhere. But the funny thing about this story is her father didn't want her. He told them she was going to be trouble. They told him you have to take her also."
Thompson said the books published by area resident Larry Dempster and written by William Daniel portray the sheriff's department side of the shooting and its aftermath, she doesn't feel all information is accurate.
Thompson said she doesn't believe law enforcement always treated her and the church members fairly, giving the Buena incident as her example.
One issue that came up with the sheriff's department were the weapons sect members carried.
Thompson said there was a reason for the security force at Miracle Valley.
"I was there when the security force was started and the reason was more like neighborhood watch," she said. "One night we were sitting at home and someone tried to break in. At the time, I was living with my Godfather and his family. He was out of town. There was one female adult and about five kids. We had just moved into Miracle Valley from Sierra Vista. I can't remember the street name. But, it was the house next door to Bro Allen house on the back street. We actually saw someone running away from the house. Some of our neighbors had break-ins. When we first moved to Miracle Valley, other than that little scare, it was nice."
As an insider, Thompson said she knows a lot of people willing to talk about what led up to the bloody shootout that left some dead and several wounded, including current Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever.
Thompson said maybe her group should write a book that could tell a different story than the one published by Dempster and written by William Daniel.
Dempster published the first book in 2008 to fulfill a promise to Sheriff Judd on his deathbed.
The first book, "Shootout at Miracle Valley" was based on accounts primarily from Judd and deputies at the shooting.
Dempster said the second book wasn't planned, but with so many stories and so much that happened after the actual shooting, he felt he needed to finish the story.
No matter what Judd or other members of the sheriff's department have said, Thompson maintains not everything happened the way police say.
While Thompson defended the actions of her church, she said she is no longer a member.
"I don't think it was like other cults," she said. "By definition, I grew up in a cult. It was not all bad. When I was 18, I chose not to go back. There is a story behind this as well."
Thompson explained that she left after turning 18 because her real parents were not allowed inside.
Now 45, Thompson said the big thing she learned after leaving the church was how naive she was about the world.
"We were raised kind of strict; that in itself has very good points but it leaves you naive to the rest of the world," she said. "We were separated from our families and I lived in Arizona for almost four years. I don't know a lot about anything but Miracle Valley. I went back to Chicago about three times but not many places in Arizona. I had no friends outside of church."
Hesitant to talk about her experiences, Thompson said she isn't against the police, but said some things that happened between 1979 and 1982 have two sides.
While the two-book series outlining the shooting at Miracle Valley in 1982 between a religious sect and the Cochise County Sheriff's Department has garnered much support, an ex-church member is not so quick to sign off.
From 1979 to 1982, Sounja Thompson lived within the confines of Miracle Valley, now saying she was a member of a cult.
Thompson was a member of Christ Miracle Healing Center and Church, located in Miracle Valley southeast of Sierra Vista. Led by Rev. Frances Thomas, the religious group came to Southern Arizona from Chicago.
Thompson was 18 when tensions reached a boiling point between church members and local law enforcement. The Chicago resident talked about being one of the teenagers arrested by police at Buena High School in Sierra Vista.
"By the time that happened, things were going crazy," she said. "This was all about custody of some kids that were actually abandoned by their dad. He was not taking care of them before they left. That was why they lived with their sister (Laura Triplett). Was she supposed to just leave them behind when she left? She was the caretaker. And (the police) created a problem coming to get them because it was underhanded.
"We were taught to look out for each other. You kinda did have to go through a few people to get to one person. I'm not agreeing or disagreeing; that's just the way it was. (The police) came to the school to pick up Laura Triplett. I was sitting in my class. Her brother Willie stopped by my class and told me they were looking for her. I asked my teacher for a pass and went to help find her. Not for them but because I knew she would not go if she could help it. I couldn't find her, but I did keep running into the police who told me I had to help them. That was not going to happen."
Thompson recalled trying to find a phone to call for help. None of them were working at the junior campus, so she ran to the Buena campus where they didn't work either. Finally, she ran to a store across the street.
"By the time I got back to class it was time for the bell," she said. "On the phone call, I was told to start walking for the valley once I had found Laura. As soon as the bell rang, the hall got crowded and I saw her. The police was coming up behind me. All I could say was, "Run, Laura. Run!" Other kids that were with our church heard me and we all started to run. The police grabbed her and we fought them to get her away. But, by the time we got to the front of the school, police were everywhere. But the funny thing about this story is her father didn't want her. He told them she was going to be trouble. They told him you have to take her also."
Thompson said the books published by area resident Larry Dempster and written by William Daniel portray the sheriff's department side of the shooting and its aftermath, she doesn't feel all information is accurate.
Thompson said she doesn't believe law enforcement always treated her and the church members fairly, giving the Buena incident as her example.
One issue that came up with the sheriff's department were the weapons sect members carried.
Thompson said there was a reason for the security force at Miracle Valley.
"I was there when the security force was started and the reason was more like neighborhood watch," she said. "One night we were sitting at home and someone tried to break in. At the time, I was living with my Godfather and his family. He was out of town. There was one female adult and about five kids. We had just moved into Miracle Valley from Sierra Vista. I can't remember the street name. But, it was the house next door to Bro Allen house on the back street. We actually saw someone running away from the house. Some of our neighbors had break-ins. When we first moved to Miracle Valley, other than that little scare, it was nice."
As an insider, Thompson said she knows a lot of people willing to talk about what led up to the bloody shootout that left some dead and several wounded, including current Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever.
Thompson said maybe her group should write a book that could tell a different story than the one published by Dempster and written by William Daniel.
Dempster published the first book in 2008 to fulfill a promise to Sheriff Judd on his deathbed.
The first book, "Shootout at Miracle Valley" was based on accounts primarily from Judd and deputies at the shooting.
Dempster said the second book wasn't planned, but with so many stories and so much that happened after the actual shooting, he felt he needed to finish the story.
No matter what Judd or other members of the sheriff's department have said, Thompson maintains not everything happened the way police say.
While Thompson defended the actions of her church, she said she is no longer a member.
"I don't think it was like other cults," she said. "By definition, I grew up in a cult. It was not all bad. When I was 18, I chose not to go back. There is a story behind this as well."
Thompson explained that she left after turning 18 because her real parents were not allowed inside.
Now 45, Thompson said the big thing she learned after leaving the church was how naive she was about the world.
"We were raised kind of strict; that in itself has very good points but it leaves you naive to the rest of the world," she said. "We were separated from our families and I lived in Arizona for almost four years. I don't know a lot about anything but Miracle Valley. I went back to Chicago about three times but not many places in Arizona. I had no friends outside of church."
Hesitant to talk about her experiences, Thompson said she isn't against the police, but said some things that happened between 1979 and 1982 have two sides.
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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of bensonnews-sun.com.
ALVA wrote on Jul 29, 2010 10:33 PM:
" Thompson and her group should write a book and let it known, what really happened. I don't feel all the information was accurate. The shootings and the school incident was a terrible thing, The local law enforcement side was only told at the time of the shootings. "
Charlie wrote on Jul 28, 2010 1:03 PM: