Seven members of New York 'cult' church charged with murder over beating death of teenager

Prosecutors say Lucas Leonard and his brother were beaten after revealing they wanted to leave the church

Community members held a vigil after the October killing (AP)

Seven members of a church described as a ‘cult’ have been charged with murder over the death of a young man beaten to death during a spiritual “intervention”.

The pastor of the church in New Hartford, Tiffanie Irwin, and her mother, Traci Irwin, were among the members of the Word of Life Christian Church charged over the death of 19-year-old Lucas Leonard.

He died after and his bother Christopher, were repeatedly beaten at the church as part of all-night session held to address the boy’s request to leave the church.

Bruce Leonard, 65, and Deborah Leonard, 59, were brought to court last month (AP)

Authorities have said spiritual counseling” spiraled into an all-night gang attack on the boys inside the church, located in a red-brick former elementary school in New Hartford that serves as both a church and a home for the Irwins.

Also charged on Tuesday were Tiffanie Irwin’s brothers, Joseph and Daniel Irwin, all of whom were leaders in the church. Bruce Leonard, the father of the two teenagers, their half-sister Sarah Ferguson, and church member Linda Morey were also charged with murder. Ms Morey’s son, David Morey, was charged with manslaughter and kidnapping.

The Associated Press said that Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara said the victim’s mother, Deborah Leonard, would be charged separately.

Her lawyer, Devin Garramone, said she would be arraigned next week on charges of first-degree assault in the death of Lucas Leonard and second-degree assault for the attack on Christopher Leonard.

The death has sent shockwaves through the town (AP)

Mr Garramone earlier told The Independent that the mother felt helpless to stop the intervention that she did not expect it to become so harsh.

At a hearing last month, Christopher Leonard testified that Tiffanie Irwin asked the Leonard family and some others to stay behind for a meeting after an eight-hour Sunday service.

Over what he estimated was six or more hours, the teen said he was pummeled with fists and whipped with a 4-foot, folded electrical cord on the back and elsewhere, suffering injuries to his torso and genitals.

Authorities said the meeting was called because Lucas Leonard had indicated he wanted to leave the secretive church. After the attack, the beating victims' relatives wouldn't tell officers where to find the injured Christopher Leonard, who ultimately was located on the church's second floor, investigators said.

The church has existed for as many as 30 years in a rural part of New Hartford, a town of 22,000 people about 50 miles from Syracuse. The church once had 40 or more members but now counts closer to 20, New Hartford police Chief Michael Inserra said after the attack