POLICE have taken away the 39 bodies of the Higher Source cult members who committed suicide in this California millionaires' hideaway, but the smell of putrefied bodies lingers outside the mansion they occupied.
It sits on a hillside amid three acres decorated by purple and scarlet bougainvillea and palm trees, with a magnificent view of the Pacific ocean. But its swimming pool, putting green, and tennis court were never used by the celibate crew cut disciples, men and women who referred to each other as "brother" and "sister", and always wore black or white.
The bodies of 39 of them, 21 women and 18 men ranging in age from their 20s to their 70s, were found on Wednesday afternoon by police from San Diego, California, who had received an anonymous tip and a phone call from an exmember. Each body lay face up on a bunk or mattress with its arms by its sides, dressed identically in black trousers and tennis shoes. "They looked as if they were asleep," said a police officer.
Detectives think the 39 used drugs to kill themselves over a few days ending on Monday, at the beginning of a "holy week" for Higher Source.
One cult expert, Dr Carl Raschke of the University of Denver, has disclosed that a Higher Source member told him recently that a "major series of transformations" (deaths) would occur in the next few weeks, starting around Easter, marking the Buddha's birthday on May 22nd, and culminating at the summer solstice in June.
It is not yet known whether the Higher Source leader, known as Father Jean, and an aide, Brother Logan, were among the dead in California. An ex-member of the cult, known only as Rio, has told police he received two videos on Tuesday from his former "brothers and sisters" announcing that 40 of them would be "leaving". The second video contained farewell messages from the cult members and they appeared "joyous", he told police.
Neighbours in Rancho Santa Fe, an exclusive gated community for the rich, with homes costing $1-3 million, saw little of the cultists. They worked indoors at computers, designing Internet sites for large fees. To one customer, the manager of the San Diego Polo Club, they appeared "a bit nerdy but sincere and efficient, and their work was excellent."
The cult house, currently on sale for $1.6 million, has nine bedrooms and seven bathrooms. Its stucco walls are painted cream, and like most of the homes nearby is built in "Spanish Mediterranean" style with red tile roofs and arches.
The community was designed for privacy and neighbours include the retired film actor Victor Mature and singer Patti Page. It was here in 1992 that an English businessman and self described Middle Eastern spy, Mr Ian Spiro, rented a mansion and shot dead his wife and three children before killing himself in the desert with a cyanide pill, apparently because of financial worries.
The owner of the suicide mansion, businessman Mr Sam Koutchesfahani, rented it to the cult members in October. Last year he pleaded guilty to making $350,000 on an immigration fraud involving students from the Middle East. He is free on bail and is to be sentenced in July.
The cult advertised itself on the Internet with a logo featuring stars and nebulae. Members were computer experts who earned enough to pay the rent, about $10,000 a month. Higher Source is believed to have chapters in New Mexico and Arizona, but was not known to the authorities. Neither is it believed to be connected to the Solar Temple suicide cult.