Jonestown: Paradise Lost | Crime Documentary | The Horror of a Cult | True Crime Central

This dramatic documentary drama tracks the final build up to a horrific doomsday: the infamous mass murder and suicides of Jim Jones' cult followers in the jungles of Guyana, where over 900 men, women, and children died on November 18, 1978.

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[deniseackermann]

I had just joined the Navy in 1977. I met this one girl in my boot camp who always talked about Jim Jones... she said she had left her 3 children with her mom, who was in Jonestown... then in 1978 she and I were in San Diego in training class... she was called out of class... a few minutes later, we heard this screaming... I ran out of the class to her... she had just learned her mom and her 3 children were dead... the base clinic sent a corpman and a doctor with an ambulance to take her to the hospital. I stayed in contact with her for a couple of years. But then I heard she had taken her life... 😢 now in 2024, to this day when I hear Jonestown or Jim Jones I see the picture she showed me of her, her mom and her 3 children. The picture had been taken at Jonestown...

[Pickleskittycat]

I was 11 when this happened. I remember my mom crying. Years later my grandma told me that my aunt and her best friend wanted to join. My grandma said she had a really bad feeling about it and managed to put my aunt off on going ...one week at a time. My aunt's best friend went and the plan was my aunt would join her. My grandma would tell my aunt... Can't go, next week is your grandma's birthday and she'll get her feelings hurt if you're not there, can you help me this week paint the living room and help me pick the color? Week by week she got her to put it off.... Until one day she met my Uncle and she never brought it up about going again. They were going to join while the group was still stateside and when they went to guana her best friend went. My aunt's best friend was one of the dead. My aunt was so distraught and grief stricken when this happened. I'm so grateful and thankful my grandma was able by the Grace of God to keep my aunt from going. I have often wondered if today's kids know where the saying "drinking the Kool aid" originates.

[louib]

Congressman Ryan was a good man who died trying to rescue as many people as he could. RIP. You did your best.

[nicoleallen]

His son grew up to be a very articulate, critical thinker. Nice to see he was strong minded enough to see whats real. Especially since it was his dad.

[milla]

I cannot stop thinking about those children. Those poor, innocent children. And adults who killed them.

[glittery_cucumber]

The guy who played Jim Jones in this honesty deserves an Oscar

[teetee]

On the actual recording, their was cursing, yelling, kids crying and many did not want to take their lives. There also was a lady who was trying to save the children and got cussed out by the crowd. If you get a chance listen to the actual tape recordings. This scene is to calm.

[justhuman]

Congressman Ryan was a brave man, and died for his cause. We don't have such statesmen anymore.

[annt.]

I was 15 years old when this happened and still remember feeling sick to my stomach watching and listening to the news reports about it right after it happened.

[kingoffire]

He essentially put all of his drug fueled paranoia, anger and fear directly on to the people, he was insane, depressed, angry and confused so he felt that his followers had to be. Horrible tragedy and even after it he took the easy way out. It is a tragic look into the twists and chasms that the human mind can create for itself and how it can spread to others. He did get one thing right by having the sign "Those who do not remember history, are condemned to repeat it." Let us never forget this, and let us never repeat it.

[nancyhoward]

I was 18 when this happened. Raised in an orphanage with almost 200 kids I wasn't really smart. I didn't know much about the world 🌎 and I didn't know that I was 18. I learned so much from this Jonestown. I stayed away from cults, people offering me airplane ✈️ rides and jobs in other countries. In a huge way this. Saved me from alot. Gid Bless all of you 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 This innocent who are in heaven and those still on 🌎. I watch this often

[dawnemile]

Us versus them is always one of the signs of a cult.

[sean]

If that happened now there is no way a Congressman would visit a suspicious organization without a secret service or military security detachment

[arniezanzibar]

What are they talking about Paradise Lost on November 18 1978, it was never a paradise, it was run like a southern slave plantation, it was never a paradise from Start to end.

[diddlysquat]

Jim Jones looked like an Elvis impersonator who stole Roy Orbison’s glasses.

[kimmij]

This doc is so good. I’ve watched it probably five times and each time it gets more horrific .. I tend to get desensitized by all that we see now on the internet and tv ..but this really takes it to a new level. A different kind of fear altogether

[clifforddriver]

These were individuals who lived a life that basically had nothing to offer. So people this impoverished felt like this was an alternative that was better than what they were experiencing stateside. I remember this like it was yesterday. My heart goes out to congressman Ryan. He did his best to bring this to a conclusion. He just didn't expect it to end the way it would eventually.

[paco]

Congressman Ryan was a true hero, sad that he had to die for this cause😢

[valentinealusa]

It happened in Kenya a couple of weeks ago, some pastor told his followers to starve to death so that they can meet Jesus, among them were women and children, it's so tragic may their soul Rest in perfect peace 😭🕊🌹

[stephanielouise]

I am struggling with the guy who left his little son there. He left because he was scared, he knew bad things were happening that's why he left. Why on earth would he leave his defenceless small child there??? I dont get it. He was saying he wasn't thinking straight yet he was straight thinking enough to pass a note to get himself out and yet, left his small child there.

I know that people are going to come to his defense but how, as a parent, do you remove yourself from a very dangerous environment and then intentionally leave your vulnerable child in that dangerous environment?