Tyler Measom has long felt a calling to tell the lore of Utah. In March of 2021, he brought one of the states most famous stories to millions of televisions across the world with Murder Among the Mormons.
The three-part Netflix docuseries tells the story of Mark Hofmanna prolific forger of documents pertaining to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintsand the series of bombings he committed in the 1980s.
Murder Among the Mormons brought the story to a mainstream audience and made a star out of the late Shannon Flynn, who was interviewed for the series that became one of Netflixs most-watched titles of the spring.
Both Measom and co-director Jared Hesswriter and director of Napoleon Dynamitegrew up in Utah. They began researching the story in 2017 and pitched it to anyone that would listen. They even sent it to Netflix a previous time before the streaming conglomerate accepted their second pitch.
Just researching and pitching the story was a big pushbut once Netflix accepted the project, the work only intensified. It was a labor of love trying to convince people that this is an amazing story, and Im insanely proud of it, Measom says. Not just because of the content, but because it was done. Because I made it. We made this project. We brought it into the world where it wasnt before.
Measom believes he made a documentary series that was very even-handed and fair, one that doesnt take unnecessary shots at the Church or its members and didnt turn the story into more than what it was. I think a lot of people were afraid that this massive Netflix project would throw punches at peoples beloved faithor conversely, I think people wanted the project to pull the rug out from the Churchs upstanding nature, if you willbut it didnt. I just wasnt part of the story, Measom says. We told the story in three hours, mainly focusing on Mark
Hofmann forged many documents in the 1980s, several of them pertaining to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 2002, the Deseret News reported that the Church had discovered 446 Hofmann forgeries in its collections. Then, in October of 1985, three bombings set the situation in motion.
Two of the bombings killed Steve Christensen and Kathy Sheets, for which Hofmann pleaded guilty to two second-degree murder charges in 1987. The other bombing injured Hofmann himself.
While Measom believes the story told was a fair one, he felt that a series titled Murder Among the Mormonswhere the main storyline is the forgery of Church documentswas always going to be a controversial topic of conversation.
The Church, the setting in Utahthey were the ballpark that allowed Mark to thrive, Measom says. Peoples love of history, peoples love of artifacts, and Ill say itthe culpability and gullibility of individuals in the state of Utah allowed him to thrive. It was the short right porch of Yankee Stadium for a left-handed hitter if you will, and Mark took advantage of that.
Measom believes there will always be people trying to pull the wool over your eyes. There are snake-oil salesmen. There are used car salesmen with an agenda. There are preachers, there are business leaders, there are people trying to take advantage of you, he says. Its pretty easy to get the facts, and most people dontmany people dont. That may be a forger, that may be a spoon bender, it may be a cult leader. And I just think its up to us as individuals to just dig a little bit deeper, and much of my work reflects on that.
Measoms work has largely been influenced by his upbringing in Utah, with the states culture shaping his career in a meaningful way. He started in the film industry at age 17, starting as a gripone of the people who set up equipmentfor movies that would come to Utah for filming, such as the 1996 movie A Life Less Ordinary.
I remember being on that set and just being in awe, Measom says of the movie directed by Danny Boyle. As a kid, I fell in love with movies. I remember seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark and just being wowed by movies and falling in love with them. I thought, This is what I want to do.
Measom attended Utah Valley University, where he studied in the schools small media department. As his website states, He soon grew weary of carrying C-stands and instead desired to have others carry them for him. Measom began to write and direct, starting with a short film and moving on to commercials and industrials.
In 2010, Measom directed Sons of Perdition, a documentary about teenagers who left Warren Jeffs Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The film won a spot in Oprah Winfreys Documentary Club and has a 6.9/10 rating on IMDb. Among Measoms other titles are An Honest Liar (2014) and Biography: I Want My MTV (2019). He has also recently begun hosting a documentary-style podcast on iHeart with Liz lacuzzi titled Was I In a Cult?
For Biography: I Want My MTV, Measom interviewed stars like Billy Idol and Pat Benatar. Getting someone to open up about leaving a religious cult (such as Jeffs) or an ex-husbands forgery and murder plots (as with Hofmanns ex-wife, Dorie) is a completely different story.
I think its just being able to listen to somebody. People are not used to being listened to, Measom says. Its very rare for someone to tell their story without being interrupted by the other person telling their story. And so for me, to interview someone, I interviewed Shannon [Flynn] for Murder Among the Mormons over two successive days. I interviewed Brent Metcalfe for two days. And I think what showed in Murder Among the Mormons.
Nobody really talks about the vulnerability of these older men, Measom says, who were of a generation that didnt show feelings and didnt cry or open up. For them to really show their emotions on screen was beautiful and amazing, and to get them to that place was difficult for them, but also difficult for me, Measom says. Its really hard to sit and listen to someone tell their tale for eight-plus hours. Its exhausting and difficult, but worth it, because I respect their stories.
From movies to podcasts, Measom loves the stories hes been able to tell. His father grew up on a farm, and that same cant-sit-still work ethic rubbed off on Measom. He loves to watch baseball, exercise, and spend time with his family, and he loves his work. Hes constantly thinking about his next project. I love what I do. I love it. Im good at it. It makes me happy. It makes me fulfilled, Measom says.
He also loves Utah, though it sounds like a complicated relationship. Measom views Salt Lake City as if it were a teenager still growing up, fighting with its parents, and finding its legs and voice. Im a progressive individual, Measom says. I believe in progressive ideals. I believe in rights for all individuals. To see that being gerrymandered in this last census and this last redistricting really hurt because Salt Lake is a progressive city. It really is.
Not only is Salt Lake City progressive, but its also forward-thinking, artistic, creative, and interesting, Measom says. And the fact of the matter is, mom and dad cant keep that from happening, he continues. Salt Lake is going to get bigger, and its going to get more progressive, and its going to get more liberal. Its wonderful to see that, and I wish people would just accept that for what it is and wouldnt be so afraid of it.
Measom has left the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and moved away from Utah for the time being, but the states culture, beliefs, religion, and history have still stuck with him.
Most of my work deals with belief and religionit deals with why people believe things, Measom says. Theres a need for me to tell my fiction, my lore, my history, and the myths around my ancestorsa long line of Mormon families. Polygamy is even in my genes, for goodness sake! Like an Irish man who has to tell great tales of the legends of his past, I feel that same way about the legends of the lore of Utah and Mormonism and the great stories around it.
Read more here:
Netflix's Murder Among the Mormons was inspired by Utah's oddities - Utah Business - Utah Business
- Why 'Sister Wives' Star Kody Brown Thought Polygamy Was 'Unfair' - PEOPLE - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Mr Seed's Marriage in Trouble Over His Sentiments About Polygamy: "Insensitive" - Tuko.co.ke - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Exclusive: Mr Seed clarifies controversial statement on polygamy after wife's outburst - Nairobi News - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Sister Wives: Kody & Robyn Brown Will Probably Get A Divorce (Their Problems Are Getting Worse) - Screen Rant - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Miriam Lord: Polygamy and throuples in the Dil chamber? Doesn't sound like a durable relationship - The Irish Times - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Kody Brown's 'Confidence Is Coming Back' as He Looks Forward to 'a Lot More Understanding' in Family (Exclusive) - Yahoo Canada Shine On - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Referendum to expand definition of family will not include protections for polygamy or throuples - http://gcn.ie/ - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Sister Wives star Christine Browns new husbands niece and her 2 children tragically murdered in Mex... - The US Sun - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Polygamy: The case of Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib - The Weekly Al Hakam - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- The acceptance of polygamy and the slippery slope - The Christian Post - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- Sister Wives Fan Theory Proves Why Robyn & Kody's Marriage Doesn't Work Without His Exes - Screen Rant - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- Sister Wives: How Kody Brown & Robyn's Relationship Led To The Family's Downfall - Screen Rant - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- COMMENT | Why is it so hard to stamp out misogyny and sexism? - Malaysiakini - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- What Entails the Call to theological and pastoral discernment on the ... - ACI Africa - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Is it time to rethink monogamy? | Nation - Nation - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Karen Nyamu should answer why Edday relocated to US not me ... - K24 TV - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Cardinal Cupich on the synod, women deacons, giving bishops job ... - America: The Jesuit Review - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- 'Sister Wives' Season 18 Episode 11 Recap: A Cringey Anniversary ... - The Ashley's Reality Roundup - November 4th, 2023 [November 4th, 2023]
- Letter: Like James Huntsman, I cannot accept the doctrine of polygamy - Salt Lake Tribune - October 31st, 2023 [October 31st, 2023]
- Orem's Pioneer History Comes to Life City of Orem - City of Orem - October 31st, 2023 [October 31st, 2023]
- From draft to final text: 10 ways the synod report changed - The Pillar - October 31st, 2023 [October 31st, 2023]
- Mitt Romney, We Hardly Knew Ye - The Federalist - October 31st, 2023 [October 31st, 2023]
- Living in polygamy: Local author looks back on growing up in ... - Wyoming Tribune - July 21st, 2023 [July 21st, 2023]
- Sister Wives: Robyn Brown's All About Monogamy Now (Was She ... - Screen Rant - July 21st, 2023 [July 21st, 2023]
- First, make all polygamy illegal | India News - Times of India - Times of India - July 21st, 2023 [July 21st, 2023]
- Polygamy going down among Muslims, says GoI supported ... - THE INDIAN AWAAZ - July 21st, 2023 [July 21st, 2023]
- Article XVIII of the BF&M: The Family - The Pathway - July 21st, 2023 [July 21st, 2023]
- Apologetics that (Might) Matter - By Common Consent - July 21st, 2023 [July 21st, 2023]
- It's not just Muslims who have multiple wives in India. But practice ... - ThePrint - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Performance review: The Poison of Polygamy, La Boite Theatre - ArtsHub - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Jake Shields wants polygamy to be legal in the US after several attacks on the transgender community - Sportskeeda - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Rajasthan Man Marries Two Sisters, Here's The Reason Behind It - SheThePeople - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- India News LIVE | Assam forms 4-member panel to examine possibility of law to end polygamy - Republic World - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- A Muslim woman responds to Prof Wasey's article on inheritance ... - Awaz The Voice - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Musa Mselekus son on polygamy and wanting more than four wives - TimesLIVE - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- KNUT Boss Urges Men to Consider 3 Wives in Polygamous ... - Tuko.co.ke - April 30th, 2023 [April 30th, 2023]
- Sister Wives Christine Brown shows off slimmed-down figure in sexy V-neck top after engagement to David W... - The US Sun - April 30th, 2023 [April 30th, 2023]
- Brazilian man spends Rs 80 lakh for bed to share with 6 wives: What is polyamory? - Firstpost - April 30th, 2023 [April 30th, 2023]
- Same-Sex Marriage Case : Sexual Autonomy Argument May Be Used To Defend Incest, Argues Solicitor General; ... - Live Law - Indian Legal News - April 30th, 2023 [April 30th, 2023]
- Population anxiety in Pakistan - The Express Tribune - April 30th, 2023 [April 30th, 2023]
- Indore: City youths give thumbs up to same-sex marriage - Free Press Journal - April 30th, 2023 [April 30th, 2023]
- Sister Wives Kody Brown Has Been Outspoken About His Thoughts on Polygamy and Monogamy: Quotes - inTouch Weekly - March 31st, 2023 [March 31st, 2023]
- Pros And Cons Of Polygamy (29 Things You Should Know About Polygamy) - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- Rev Father Kelvin Ugwu knocks women wishing to be Ned Nwokos next wife after condemning polygamy - WITHIN NIGERIA GIST - January 27th, 2023 [January 27th, 2023]
- Top judge who upheld Canada's polygamy law announces he will be retiring - Vancouver Sun - January 10th, 2023 [January 10th, 2023]
- Polygamy: Yul Edochie publicly apologises to first wife - December 26th, 2022 [December 26th, 2022]
- Utah polygamist sect accused of indoctrination, rape and child marriage ... - December 26th, 2022 [December 26th, 2022]
- Difference Between Monogamy and Polygamy - December 21st, 2022 [December 21st, 2022]
- Take out the polygamy and the Browns of Sister Wives are just another messed up family - Toronto Star - December 16th, 2022 [December 16th, 2022]
- Tony Perkins slams New York courts pro-polygamy ruling | Politics News - December 12th, 2022 [December 12th, 2022]
- Polygamist leader had at least 20 wives, mostly minors, documents say - NPR - December 12th, 2022 [December 12th, 2022]
- Polyandry in Tibet - Wikipedia - November 1st, 2022 [November 1st, 2022]
- Why is polygamy in the Vaticans synod document? - The Pillar - November 1st, 2022 [November 1st, 2022]
- "Chubby and Slim, Nice": Loving Man Wows His 2 Wives, Gifts Them New Cars on the Same Day in Cute Video - Legit.ng - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Heartbroken Womans Husband Goes on Weekend Business Trip, Comes Back Wanting a Polygamist Marriage - Briefly - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Sister Wives Season 17 Is a Triumph of Documentary Filmmaking - Gawker - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Triple talaq to hijabHow Hindutva reversed gains made by Muslim womens movements - ThePrint - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- "Sign the divorce paper" Netizens fire Yul Edochie as he begins another project with Judy Austin - Kemi Filani News - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Escape from Polygamy (TV Movie 2013) - IMDb - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- What The Bible Really Says About Polygamy | The Daily Wire - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Judge allows public school with ties to polygamy to keep its board, for now - FOX 13 News Utah - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- 'The Colony' revisits the 2019 cartel murder of 9 women, children in Mexico - KNPR - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Like some other religions, LDS Church seems obsessed with sex. - Salt Lake Tribune - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Sharia Court Holds That Divorce Is The Only Circumstance In Which A Muslim Man, Who Contracted A Marriage Under The Marriage Act Can Practice Polygamy... - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- What Is Polygamy? A Polygamist Debunks the Allure of Marrying More Than One Partner - Esquire - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- Siege warfare, polygamy and sacrilege: meet history's most outrageous king, Demetrius the Besieger - The Conversation - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- Ivorian Parliament to Review Polygamy in a Blow for Womens Equality - IDN InDepthNews | Analysis That Matters - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- Minimum age for women to marry increased to 18 in Kedah, one year jail for polygamy without permission - The Star Online - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- 'Mseleku is the face of heartbreak': Tweeps react to 'Mnakwethu' episode - TimesLIVE - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- Utah's Pioneer Day celebrates Mormons' trek west but there's a lot more to the history of Latter-day Saints and migration - The Edwardsville... - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- How I survived depression after my husband took a second wife May Edochie - Daily Post Nigeria - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- New book, 'The Colony,' takes readers into a realm they never could have imagined - Mesquite Local News - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Challenging the conventional way of loving - Hindustan Times - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- 'What We Do in the Shadows' Season 4's most uncanny twist is a total delight - Inverse - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Legality of polygamy - Wikipedia - July 11th, 2022 [July 11th, 2022]
- Legality of polygamy in the United States - Wikipedia - July 11th, 2022 [July 11th, 2022]
- Letter to the Editor: Rep. Lauren Boebert's comments about church and state are wrong - Summit Daily - July 11th, 2022 [July 11th, 2022]
- Elon Musk jokes after twin reveal: I'm 'doing my best to help the underpopulation crisis' - Marca English - July 11th, 2022 [July 11th, 2022]
- The Resurging Spectacle of the LDS Church in Film and TV - Study Breaks - July 11th, 2022 [July 11th, 2022]
- Drake Makes Tristan Thompson Best Man in Polygamy-Themed 'Falling Back' Vid - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]