Michael W. Ryan: Difference between revisions

Ryan was the leader of a small, anti-government group that occupied a compound near [[Rulo, Nebraska]], in the early 1980s. He and his group of followers had loose ties to the [[Posse Comitatus (U.S. movement)|Posse Comitatus]] and links to the [[Christian Identity]] movement. His teachings included the supremacy of the white race, [[antisemitism]], and a distrust of all established earthly authority, including governments. HeFor months he and his followers carriedcommitted out months of burglaryburglaries under the cover of night. Reselling the items which were obtained by theft financially supported the activities of the group financially and builtit upstockpiled weapons and supplies theywhich it believed wouldit bewould neededneed forduring the imminent battle of [[Armageddon]], which theyit assumed would occur in the form of a [[Ethnic conflict|race war]].<ref name="Wickstrom"/>

Ryan was arrested in 1984 after reports and a criminal investigation indicated that he had abused and killed five-year-old Luke Stice and later killed fellow group member James Thimm after he had tortured the latter for several days, beating him, whipping him, then shooting off his fingertips, skinning him alive, breaking his legs, and raping him with a shovel before finally stomping him to death.<ref name="Wickstrom">{{cite web|url=http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2004/winter/return-of-the-pastor?page=0,2|title=James Wickstrom Faces Attacks, Continues to Preach Christian Identity Doctrine|work=splcenter.org|accessdate=May 25, 2015}}</ref>

Ryan was tried, convicted and [[capital punishment|sentenced to death]] on September 12, 1985. Ryan hadHe claimed to have beenbe in direct contact with [[God]] and vowed to spend his days in prison rewriting the [[Bible]], but sincehe later recanted on both statements. He died of natural causes at the [[Tecumseh State Correctional Institution]] on [[death row]] on May 24, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/nebraska-death-row-inmate-michael-ryan-dies/article_f35c008c-02e4-11e5-a86b-b7ba1e438c2c.html|title=Cult leader Michael Ryan dies on Nebraska death row|work=Omaha.com|accessdate=May 25, 2015}}</ref>