Missing ex-Hammond pastor found after nearly 30 years

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BY JOE CARLSON
jcarlson@nwitimes.com
219.662.5339 | Wednesday, November 21, 2007 | (81 comment(s))

The pastor of a Hammond church who mysteriously vanished in 1980 in what was described as an abduction by a Satanic cult has been rediscovered as an Arkansas mayor.

Don LaRose admitted to newspaper reporters Tuesday he left his wife and two daughters behind in Hammond. He said he fled because he was about to be abducted by a group of shadowy figures who had kidnapped him in New York five years earlier.

(Read: Why did he not contact his family?)

LaRose admitted to his actions Tuesday only after The Benton County Daily Record in Bentonville, Ark., pieced together the story based on tips from family members and Internet research. He confirmed the story in a phone interview with The Times.

LaRose has gone by the fake name Ken Williams for 27 years, and maintains a talk-radio show, a new marriage and has served as the mayor of Centerton, Ark., since 2001.

"I had an idea that sometime this would come down," LaRose said in an interview Tuesday night. "It had been a lot of years, though."

LaRose's original missing persons report from Hammond police in 1980 said he was born in Allentown, Pa., in 1940.

He told his parishioners in Hammond he was abducted by a cult in 1975 from Maine, N.Y., for "blaspheming Satan," Hammond Times articles from the time say. He claimed he was given shock therapy to erase his memory and then dumped in Minneapolis.

Rather than return to the East Coast, LaRose settled with his wife in the Midwest, where he joined the Hessville Baptist Church and became its pastor around 1978, when the former pastor died.

"He seemed to be a great man, with integrity, honesty, a good rapport, he loved people, good communicator," said Lee Roy Floyd, the janitor at the church and a 45-year member of its Deacon Board. "You think, good gracious, this is a good find."

Floyd said LaRose began acting strangely just before he disappeared. He began telling people that Satanists were threatening him and his family again because he was speaking out about cults.

The day before he disappeared, he was speaking to a group in the church, and in the middle of his sermon he stopped talking and looked at the back of the room. No one who turned around saw anything, but LaRose later claimed he had seen one of the Satanists through a window.

"And the next day he left. He was gone," Floyd said.

LaRose said Tuesday he was ordered by the kidnappers -- whom he now claims are an "underworld" crime group, not a Satanic cult -- to get into a car waiting in a school parking lot so he could be kidnapped again.

"I was told I had crossed the line and had to disappear again," LaRose said, adding that his abductors threatened to kill his family if he did not cooperate.

He said he went to Calumet City, bought a bicycle, and rode out of town. An account of the experience he has published online under the name Don LaRose, said he drifted out West for several years before ending up in Arkansas.

The Daily Record found that LaRose has been using the name and Social Security number of a Bruce Kent Williams, who was killed in a car wreck in Middleport, N.Y., in 1958.

LaRose told The Times his captors provided him with the Williams identity when they dropped him off in Minneapolis, and he resumed it after he left Hammond because he "didn't know what else to do."

He was remarried 21 years ago, and said he has lived in fear of discovery ever since. His closest call was when he appeared on a televised fundraiser for cerebal palsy, he said.

He moved to Centerton, a bedroom community near Wal-Mart's world headquarters in Bentonville, and was appointed mayor in 2001. He has won two elections since. Now, he intends to resign.

LaRose said Tuesday he fears the rush of publicity from his discovery will again put his family in jeopardy.

"I'm afraid even now that because this has come out, that they might be in danger," LaRose said.

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KAT wrote on Jan 30, 2008 12:27 PM:

" I was a young adult member of Hessville Baptist Church when this guy was selected to be our leader. I was could not believe that adults I had grown up respecting and admiring believed the line of nonsense he fed our congregation. It was a quick lesson on learning not everyone you trust as a child has a good judgement! I'm sure he will answer to a higher source for all the lies he has told and people he has hurt. "

KC from Centerton AR wrote on Nov 26, 2007 8:08 PM:

" Having worked with this ( ) and having first hand experiece of just how good a liar he is I strongly recommend everyone start legal action. This ( ) does nothing without himself being the center of attention. He will if not already attempt to make money off this. He today is still stating he has done nothing wrong or malicious. As far as how he became mayor well he was willing to do the dirty work of a corrupt city government. They appointed him as mayor because they felt they could control him, even knowing he lied about everything. Don't feel sorry for this ( ) he has ran over many people and never bat an eye. Jail is where he needs to be and it can't come soon enough. "

Thanks For The Laugh wrote on Nov 26, 2007 2:44 PM:

" This story just makes me giggle. And the comments people are making are even funnier. Especially the one about how he sounds like Al Gore. The police should do a full on investigation into this, to see what he did with other fake names. Also He should not go unpunished, I do NOT care if he is insane that is FRAUD and he should go to jail. actually I don't want MY tax dollars paying for his food send him to another country good riddens! "

Junior/Whiting wrote on Nov 26, 2007 12:15 PM:

" What a bunch of crap!!!! This guy is an idiot! "

JRS wrote on Nov 26, 2007 10:27 AM:

" What about the social security number that he used for over 25 years???? What happened to the government security and someone using a dead person's soc. sec. number? There should have been a red flag whenever any income and taxes were reported to the government since the person was deceased. Seems to me that there is a BIG hole in the soc.sec. system by not seeing that a dead person was working as a mayor in smalltown Arkansas. "

JB wrote on Nov 26, 2007 8:36 AM:

" Crazy as a fox. "

Yeah, right wrote on Nov 26, 2007 7:29 AM:

" Didn't buy it then, and don't buy it now! He may very well have some mental issues, but he knew then what he was doing, and knows now what he's doing. He's totally responsible for this game. "

PASTOR YAGUE OF CHICAGO wrote on Nov 25, 2007 5:42 PM:

" THIS IS A DISTURBED MAN WHO UNFORTUNATELY IS A BAPTIST AND NEEDS PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING OF WHICH I CAN OFFER FOR A SMALL FEE AND MANY DONATIONS TO MY FOUNDATION WHICH IS QUITE LEGAL. THANK YOU AND REMEMBER TO VOTE FOR HILLARY. "

JOEL KOMYATTE wrote on Nov 25, 2007 1:11 PM:

" Its just amazing what this so-called man did to his family! LaRose used the church, the members and GOD to adress his personal agenda!!! Our whole family attended HESSVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH, my grandfather REV. JAMES A FRINK was the pastor for over 20 years. After my grandfather went to be with the LORD, the church needed a strong man ,a sheppard to take over the flock. LETS PUT IT THIS WAY , THE LORD GIVETH AND THE LORD TAKETH AWAY. "

brian wrote on Nov 24, 2007 11:06 PM:

" this guy is the devil and he is the cult that we should fear the most the devil in a preists coat. His ideas as as false as he is. Who knows we should elect him as president of the good old USA we are used to be lied to and he knows how to do it for 27 years. HANG ON A SECOND SOMEONE IS IN WINDOW OF HOUSE TELLING ME TO GO OUTSIDE GET IN CAR AND RUN FOR MAYOR IN ARKANSAS TOWN. sorry be back in 27 years. "

Susan wrote on Nov 24, 2007 9:33 PM:

" If satanists had been after him, they would never have gone to the lengths he said they did..erase his memory, give him a new identity. They would have just killed him. Also, he moved to Arkansas..that shows mental illness right there! No one but the mentally ill would move to Arkansas!! "

Just Ducky wrote on Nov 24, 2007 8:02 PM:

" A crock of crap. When are people going to realize "pastors" are a flock of liars. A crock of crap. This guy is scum. Needs to pay back child support and be treated as an "illegal." He didn't assume an identity; he stoled it. I'm actually sick of these lying pastors and their excuses for molesting, leaving wives dead/alive. Good grief...put him in jail, where he belongs. Take the assests and give them to his children for back-child support. These guys need to go to jail. They make me sick. "

Geronimo wrote on Nov 24, 2007 7:16 PM:

" If he is still a Pastor don't Place him in our community. Keep that trash over there! "

glad i left wrote on Nov 24, 2007 6:13 PM:

" It is this exact incident along with the holier than thou attitudes of others there that made me leave that church and never return to organized religion. As a teen I had more sense than to believe this. "

anonymous wrote on Nov 24, 2007 2:31 PM:

" I was a teacher at the school where one of his daughters attended. I didn't buy the story then and still don't. Three comments: I have a lot of compassion for his former wife and family but I suspect they weren't totally surprised. They may not have known all the details but I believe they knew something wasn't right. It's not difficult to have good discernment if one thinks a bit. Secondly, I believe he's getting ready to run again. Let's wait and see. Thirdly, I believe he knew then, and knows now, exactly what he's doing. It's not mental illness at all. "

Karma .... what goes around...comes around wrote on Nov 23, 2007 10:59 PM:

" He married my husband and I .... makes you wonder ... was he really a pastor???? And since he "never really died" is his marriage legal? or the Wife he left, she remarried, is hers legal???? HIS unbeliveable and selfish choices greatly effect the lives of alot of people (and they loved him and grieved for him). How horrible for all of those people. "

Tony Bridge wrote on Nov 23, 2007 7:36 PM:

" I mean, it could've happened. "

Make him Mayor of Hammond wrote on Nov 23, 2007 11:39 AM:

" We should make him the Mayor of Hammond. We wouldnt be any worse off. "

Lucifer wrote on Nov 23, 2007 8:28 AM:

" You will feel Satan's wrath! "

Margate Florida wrote on Nov 23, 2007 7:33 AM:

" How did La Rose get appointed mayor? Did the previous mayor die or what? Does anyone know? Very important that I find out. Any help will be appreciated. "

WATCH OUT wrote on Nov 23, 2007 6:52 AM:

" HEY NUT JOB, THE REAL ONES ARE COMING NOW! "

Just Me wrote on Nov 22, 2007 11:28 PM:

" Fool. "

G Davis wrote on Nov 22, 2007 10:48 AM:

" He was fighting the good fight against the Devil,Thank God He commanded the Devil to go back to Hell! You have to watch the Devil He is a trickey critter! "

The Truth wrote on Nov 22, 2007 1:59 AM:

" I know the truth when I hear it. What did he say? I can't hear you. I can't hear you. "

DD wrote on Nov 22, 2007 12:27 AM:

" You all seem quiet cruel. If you ever experience harsh adversity, I hope kinder words are spoken to you. What he did may not have been a good thing. Are the words you leave here doing any good for anyone? These people I guess have never done anything wrong. "

Tim wrote on Nov 21, 2007 10:32 PM:

" I also went to this school I was 10 years old when it happened. I hope he truely belives what he's saying because it will only take a great god to forgive what he did to his wife, kids, and the people that trusted him at that church. "

Ron in Oklahoma wrote on Nov 21, 2007 10:32 PM:

" Just saw his interview on local TV here. He is a sad liar, and believe me, it showed in his face. Creep. He does need to be investigated, and that former wife needs to sue his lardazz for child support. Satanists! "

Laura G. wrote on Nov 21, 2007 9:28 PM:

" I have been a memeber in this church since 1975. My father was a deacon of the church at the time of his disappearance. I along with the other young people were kept in the dark. As far as I am concerned it is his family that he left behind that has suffered. How can you abandon the people you love; why start another family and "put their lives in jeopardy". "

what? wrote on Nov 21, 2007 9:25 PM:

" this is the weirdest story I have ever read, and i am a reporter. "

drmichael wrote on Nov 21, 2007 9:02 PM:

" It is very doubtful that this man is a paranoid schizophrenic because he could not be so high functioning wihtout the proper psychotropic medications. It is highly unlikely that he could keep his treatment unknown by the people in such a small town. The film, A Beautiful Mind, takes much license with the facts. "

M wrote on Nov 21, 2007 8:53 PM:

" I know the LaRose family quite well. I was at there home the day he disapeared. I saw first hand what this did to his wife and daughters and it's unbeleivable to me that he has been living this double life all along. If he was so afraid something would happen to his family then why did he marry again? All these years and never a word. It is diffinately his loss as he wasn't there to see his daughters marry or to watch his grandkids grow up! I really trusted this man just to find out he is a big fraud. As a Christian I will be praying for him but more importantly, I will be praying for his family. "

EAST CHICAGO's wrote on Nov 21, 2007 8:43 PM:

" NEXT MAYOR!!! "

wooowie.... wrote on Nov 21, 2007 2:50 PM:

" good story...you think his wife and family will believe him? Couch work pal! "

Coward wrote on Nov 21, 2007 2:45 PM:

" This guy is such a coward...Shame on him. To hide behind the Lord this way...God bless the family he left and the new one he began. My deepest condolenses to both families. "

Countdown wrote on Nov 21, 2007 2:30 PM:

" Ken Williams, er, Don LaRose...today's WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD! "

No way! wrote on Nov 21, 2007 2:23 PM:

" Wait, did his first wife file a missing report? Did he take any money from the church? This man didn't want to be found and how in the world did he become a mayor? What was Bentonville, AR thinking, no background check and how in the world could he do this for all these years? And, why now was he found? This really is a fishy story and more should be done to find out why after all these years? He should go to jail for impersonating a dead man! "

Sounds like another religious story.... wrote on Nov 21, 2007 2:02 PM:

" What a total joke. I wonder where we will find an excuse for this in the Bible? Give me a break. "

RE: Thomas Checzak wrote on Nov 21, 2007 1:47 PM:

" I wouldn't say "that religion, priests, and ministers are nothing but a bunch of criminal scam artists." This is just another example of sinful people in a sinful world or sick people in a sick world. You could also say that all police officers are wife beaters and all CEOs are scamming their companies. This is so sad - the family left behind had to cope with his death, and now they have to cope with the realization that he is alive...and it probably would have been better if he was dead; now they have more questions then ever. "

Devil wrote on Nov 21, 2007 1:45 PM:

" Satan must be really ticked to be used like this. I always thought higher of Satan so I'm not buying into this story. "

Times Moderator wrote on Nov 21, 2007 1:25 PM:

" Read additional stories from The Benton County Daily Record in Bentonville, Ark.

www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/55905/
www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/55904/
www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/55936/
"

MAD DOG wrote on Nov 21, 2007 1:12 PM:

" What a dune of dung! Oh, yeah . . . Nice "Comb-over!" "

Satan wrote on Nov 21, 2007 1:07 PM:

" I had 20 large bet on a ballgame, I told my followers to abduct Pete Rose, not this guy. You just can't find good disciples any more. "

Thomas Checzak wrote on Nov 21, 2007 12:59 PM:

" I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that religion, priests, and ministers are nothing but a bunch of criminal scam artists. "

RLC wrote on Nov 21, 2007 12:59 PM:

" Can't wait til I see this movie some Sunday on Lifetime! "

Sympathetic Ear wrote on Nov 21, 2007 12:53 PM:

" Wow....I guess that I am in the minority on this issue because I really feel sorry for this guy. It's quite obvious to me that he has some type of mental deficiency. It was probably best that he did leave his wife and kids before something terrible happened to them. I hope that he gets the help that he deserves. As well, I hope that his former wife and kids have gotten over what happened to them with his disappearence. Instead of condemning people like LaRose, lets pray for them instead. He clearly needs help. "

I know why he left town wrote on Nov 21, 2007 12:52 PM:

" Take a close look at that hair piece he's shown wearing, would you stick around? "

Kendra wrote on Nov 21, 2007 12:27 PM:

" I went to school there also and all of us kids knew then it was all a bunch of lies. I always felt sorry for his daughters and his former wife this did have a huge impact on thier lives. They are the innocent victims as was stated by Lydia they are the ones that suffered. "

D Chicago wrote on Nov 21, 2007 12:25 PM:

" I tried the Satanist kidnapping as an excuse to my wife for an overly late "boys night out". Let's just say; it didn't work. Maybe if I stayed out for more than 25 years, it might work next time. "

CR wrote on Nov 21, 2007 11:42 AM:

" This person clearly demonstrates being a paranoid schizophrenic - in his mind - all of this makes sense to him. But to us "sane" people - it is so far fetched. I hope that he has a psychological evaluation. Watch "A Beautiful Mind" and notice the similarities. "

Lydia wrote on Nov 21, 2007 10:45 AM:

" Lies, lies, lies. I think he's the only one believing his lies now. I went to the school at Hessville Baptist and it all seemed pretty unbelievable even back then. Pray for the innocent victims in this - his daughters, former wife, and even current wife. It's all so sad and pathetic. "

weird wrote on Nov 21, 2007 10:19 AM:

" What a strange...weird story! "

Big Kielbasa wrote on Nov 21, 2007 10:07 AM:

" I see this story didn't take long into making into someones political agenda. The idiots are aplenty ! "

skeptic wrote on Nov 21, 2007 10:04 AM:

" Oh man, bail out on your story! Really, the guy's story is just so ridiculous! You don't run away from your wife and kids for 20+ years because you're afraid of satanists! "

Cybil wrote on Nov 21, 2007 9:49 AM:

" What a quack! "

fikey wrote on Nov 21, 2007 9:46 AM:

" Send this coward to Iraq and let him do his time there, what a stupid thing to tell the public and do to his family and blame Satan, Satan would forsake him, surely is laughing at him, does he really think that people could trust him after this stupid story. "

HessMan wrote on Nov 21, 2007 9:43 AM:

" Another self righteous nimrod fraud. Time for the bygamy charges before the satanists start showing up in Ark. Maybe he could hide in Texas and get a job at the Bush Library. "

WHAT A BUNCH OF B.S. wrote on Nov 21, 2007 9:32 AM:

" Wow, that's pretty good. Hmmmm, let's see, I want a new identity too. I'm tired of my bills, my job, my kids getting on my nerves too, lol, and not to mention my boyfriend is no longer romantic. A new life, sounds good to me right about now. OK, OK, so I'm kidding but he sure did get off. "

What a croc! wrote on Nov 21, 2007 9:20 AM:

" If it sounds too good to be true..... What else has this scammer done under fictitous names. Hopefully someone is investigating him. He should be arrested for admitted identity theft. I hope his first wife goes after him for the past due child support. Sounds like he has caused a great deal of pain and suffering to many! "

Regular Reader wrote on Nov 21, 2007 9:09 AM:

" Satanic kidnappers? What a kook! "

skeptic wrote on Nov 21, 2007 8:57 AM:

" Oh man, bail out on your story! Really, the guy's story is just so ridiculous! You don't run away from your wife and kids for 20+ years because you're afraid of satanists! "

What wrote on Nov 21, 2007 8:47 AM:

" This sounds like a bad episode of the Twilight Zone. Think of what he put his poor wife and kids through being gone all those years. Sounds like he wasn't happy and wanted a new life. Well, congratulations for thinking of no one but yourself. He needs to resign from the human race! What a real jerk for being a pastor. I hope he's charged with fraud and bigamy as well as back support for his wife and kids. "

bag-odonuts wrote on Nov 21, 2007 8:42 AM:

" This Story smells fishy and has a slight hint of the oldest trick in the fraud business. its like yo thanks for your time and money but I got abducted peace out "

FrUiTcAkE wrote on Nov 21, 2007 8:31 AM:

" This guy obviously needs his head examined! I am glad that he is resigning. Who knows what other crazy things he will spout off next! I think he definetly deserves padded walls and maybe something to bind his body, like a straight-jacket. "

Sure sure wrote on Nov 21, 2007 8:30 AM:

" What a web of a story he has. I don't believe a word he says. "

What the ??? wrote on Nov 21, 2007 8:25 AM:

" ...are you kidding me??? WOW! CRRRAAAAZZZZYYYY "

eibhlin wrote on Nov 21, 2007 8:24 AM:

" This is very sad. To me this guy seems like a coward. There was obviously something he was unhappy with in his "former" life so he made up some ridiculous excuse and dissapeared. He should have stayed in Hessville and handled his relations like an adult. Too bad for his abandoned wife and kids. "

Unbelieveable wrote on Nov 21, 2007 8:11 AM:

" Someone should check out where this guy came for before Hammond. LaRose was just tired of his family and life in Hammond and just left. Told a whopper of a lie and left. Now he is caught and is still telling a whopper of a lie with a second family. He rode out of town on a bicycle. That is too funny. LaRose on top of everything stole a dead man's identity. Put his sorry behind in prison. He is a disgrace to the human race. "

Better than... wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:53 AM:

" A lying, dillusional, borderline insane pastor. Well, I guess that's a lot better than a child molesting pastor. "

Margate Florida wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:48 AM:

" I remember the La Rose issue well. (Notice I did not say PASTOR La Rose). Two of my children were at the time of his "disappearance", attending the school at Hessville Baptist. I can only say that it would appear in hindsight, his charade of being "kindnapped" and his subsequent running out on his family, church and school was one of the best things that happened to those that trusted him. It is quite obvious that this man has all the symptoms of severe mental illnesses. What terrible things would have happened, had he stayed in Hessville under the guise of being a pastor? Hopefully La Rose will stay in Arkansas. "

Sure......I totally believe him wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:42 AM:

" As a member of a Satanic Cult, I used to kidnap church pastors all the time. Are you kidding me? Why would a so-called Satanic Cult care one bit about some half whit Baptist Pastor in Hessville? This guy has some nerve to think that anybody would buy that story, especially his own family. I'm glad that they can have some closure on that whole missing issue. "

anybody who believes this... wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:33 AM:

" i have a bridge in schererville to sell you! "

alert! alertt!!! wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:32 AM:

" nobody cares... "

oh, please... wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:31 AM:

" gag me ... "

tim leery wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:27 AM:

" too funny. A pure con man. This guy is a cable-ready made for television movie. "

Yeah Right wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:24 AM:

" Yeah right! "

cc from hammond wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:23 AM:

" so i see you did not have the courage to tell your wife that you met another woman and wanted out of your marriage. instead you make up some foolish story, run off, and leave your friends and family here to worry so you can start a new life. i can only imagine what the family you left behind went through. the sleepless nights wondering what was happening to you, are you still alive, are you hurting, are you hungry or cold. your were on tv and your a mayor...if your story was true, you would have never done those things. your a coward of the worst kind. "

Arnold Nemcek wrote on Nov 21, 2007 6:56 AM:

" This guy sounds alot like Al Gore. "

InTheNo wrote on Nov 21, 2007 6:56 AM:

" Oh Good Grief. Now there's a made for TV movie in the making. "

CRAZY wrote on Nov 21, 2007 6:08 AM:

" This guy is a nut case and they need to lock him up and throw away the key! The woman and children that he left are very lucky that this nut left them alone. What a shame to claim to be a representative of the Lord. I sure hope this idiot gets prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law! "

What!?!!?? wrote on Nov 21, 2007 5:46 AM:

" Is this the twilight zone? No, this is planet earth. This man needs a psychological evaluation, not to mention polygamy charges should be filed. His first wife should file for divorce and collect all his assets. "

JP/BLOOMINGTON IN. wrote on Nov 21, 2007 4:26 AM:

" WHAT A NUT!!! HE SHOULD BE PUT AWAY FOREVER, WE WOULD BE DOING SOCIETY A BIG FAVOR! "

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