Investigation Discovery’s “Evil Lives Here: Son of the Prophet” chronicles the heinous murders of James Thimm and Luke Stice at the hands of Michael Ryan and his murderous cult. James and Luke were subjected to brutal torture and inhumane treatment before being killed in a horrific incident that left the town of Rulo in Nebraska petrified.
While Michael Ryan was arrested and convicted of first degree murder, his accomplices – Dennis Ryan and Timothy Haverkamp – were also tried for their involvement. If this case tickles your fancy and you want to know Dennis and Timothy’s current whereabouts, we’ve got you covered.
Who are Dennis Ryan and Timothy Haverkamp?
Dennis’ father, Michael Ryan, founded the anti-government cult and moved his followers to a farmhouse in Rulo, Nebraska, after being offered a place to live by landlord, Rick Stice. Gradually, the cult began to take over the farm while hoarding weapons and ammunition, as they believed in Armageddon. Michael declared himself chief and claimed to have spoken to Yahweh.
Michael insisted that Yahweh had asked him to take multiple wives, and he even began using trickery and deception to get more people to join the clan, according to the show. Subsequently, Michael’s own son, Dennis Ryan, was introduced into the sect and given a rather prestigious position. Another member, Timothy Haverkamp, ​​was also very loyal to Michael and thus ended up in the leader’s good books.
Subsequently, the owner of the farm, Rick Stice, along with another member, James Thimm, began to raise questions against Michael’s teaching. Michael resented this and had the members demoted to slavery before chaining them up in a pigsty. Rick’s 5-year-old son Luke was not even considered human and was subjected to inhumane torture including cigarette burns, beatings and sexual abuse. Finally, on March 25, 1985, Michael knocked the child against a cupboard, killing him instantly.
The leader’s anger then directed itself at James, and Michael allowed the other members to mercilessly whip him and sodomize him with a shovel. Dennis Ryan and Timothy Haverkamp joined in the torture and were involved in the fingertip shooting of James’ left hand as well as the severing of his legs. Meanwhile, Michael broke the victim’s hands and ribcage before ordering Timothy to shoot and kill James. After the compound was raided in 1985 following reports of stolen farm machinery, arrested cult members charged Michael, Timothy and Dennis with the double murder. Authorities immediately got to work recovering both bodies before arresting all three of them for murder.
Where are Dennis Ryan and Timothy Haverkamp now?
Although Dennis and Timothy were charged with first degree murder, the latter was never tried. He pleaded guilty to second degree murder and claimed he participated in the torture because it was Yahweh’s will. As a result, Timothy was sentenced to ten years to life in prison in 1986. On the other hand, Dennis was tried and found guilty of second degree murder by the jury. Based on his conviction, Dennis was also given a life sentence.
In 1997, Dennis successfully appealed his conviction and had it overturned. He was instead convicted of manslaughter and released from prison because he had already served his sentence. On the other hand, Timothy Haverkamp was granted parole in 2009, and in 2014 the Nebraska Board of Pardons commuted his sentence, freeing him from lifelong supervision and allowing him to leave the state without prior permission.
In 2015, a report claimed that Dennis was married and even had a son; the family resided in Kansas. The article further mentioned that he made a living as a long-haul truck driver and had become an audiobook connoisseur. However, Dennis showed no sympathy for his father and did not care about his failing health. Since then, Dennis has appeared on several TV shows and documentaries to talk about his experience.
Read more: James Thimm murder: Is Michael Ryan dead or alive?
