Where Are Merrianne Jessop and Veda Keate Now? – Following his father’s death in 2002, Warren Jeffs assumed the job of prophet in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He then went on to commit heinous acts such as marrying underage girls, rapping family members, and sexually assaulting children.
‘Preaching Evil: A Wife on the Run With Warren Jeffs,’ by Peacock, describes how Jeffs was eventually apprehended and convicted of sexually abusing two adolescent girls. Merrianne Jessop and Veda Keate were the girls, according to the show. So, if you’re curious about their whereabouts today, here’s what we know.
Recommended: Where is Warren Jeffs’ Brother Lyle Jeffs Now?
Merrianne Jessop and Veda Keate: Who Are They?
Beginning in 2003, Warren began relocating numerous FLDS members to a property in Texas. However, he was apprehended and sentenced to prison for rape as an accomplice a few years later (the conviction was overturned later). Then, in 2008, authorities stormed the ranch after receiving information about the sexual assault of a minor, prompting a wide-ranging search of the region. Despite the fact that the tip was a hoax, investigators discovered proof of adolescent females being married off to much older men.
As a result, more than 400 children were taken from the ranch and placed in state custody. Warren had then entered into a “celestial marriage” with two minor girls, according to investigators.
Merrianne Jessop, who was 12 when Warren married her in July 2006, was one of them. She was also the sister of Naomie Fells, Warren’s wife and writer, according to the play. Veda Keate, the other adolescent, was 14 years old when Warren married her.
According to the show, Veda already had a child when the authorities invaded the property, and a DNA test revealed Warren was the father. Merrianne later told caseworkers that marrying Warren was not a crime, explaining that “Heavenly Father is the one who tells Warren when a girl is ready to get married… He’s merely doing what Heavenly Father says.” When Merrianne was informed that it was a felony, she insisted that these unions were pure.
Authorities reportedly discovered a 14-minute audiotape of Warren sexually assaulting Merrianne and having a group sex session with a few minor females in the ranch’s temple vault. Warren had sexual intercourse with her on a ceremonial bed during the marriage ceremony while other wives watched, the youngster subsequently told officials.
What Happened to Merrianne Jessop and Veda Keate?
Warren was sentenced to life in prison in 2011 after being convicted of two charges of sexual assault of a minor in regard to Merrianne and Veda. Merrianne was eventually placed in foster care for a while before her guardianship was granted to her cousin, who was no longer a member of the FLDS.
However, by August 2009, it was reported that she had returned to the ranch in Texas, which is now her last known whereabouts. Veda, on the other hand, has stayed out of the spotlight since the lawsuit ended. According to a report from 2008, she was living in Converse, Texas.
