Inspired by a true story: When two con-artists ask a prostitute to impersonate a goddess to help scam an entire Mexican village, they find more evil incarnate, torture, and human sacrifices than they, or the villagers, ever bargained for.

SYNOPSIS:

This story is inspired by terrifyingly true events from Yerba Buena, Mexico in 1963. Two brothers, SANTOS (32) and CAYETANO (30) HERNANDEZ, are small-time crooks and con artists determined to bilk the villagers of all they own. They present themselves as High Priests of Incan gods who will release gold from the mountains if they are worshiped and brought offerings. The brothers are brought money, food, water, and sexual favors for several weeks, but no gold appears from the gods, and the villagers become disillusioned. The brothers up their game by involving a young prostitute, MAGDALENA SOLÍS (14) and her pimp-brother, ELEAZOR (20), not knowing that Magdalena is an evil-incarnate no one could have imagined.

Magdalena assumes the role (and soul) of Coatlicue, a topless, snake-charming, Aztec goddess who demands more offerings from the villagers, coinciding with peyote-fused ceremonies in a cave above the village. She demands more money and sex, and an increasing number of sacrifices, first from chickens, then from humans. Her punishments are brutal, ranging from torture to hanging and dismemberment. Santos, Cayetano, and Eleazor, are now in over their heads as High Priests, and co-conspirators a growing cult.

Suspicious villagers are branded non-believers, and traitors who will deny the promised gold to fellow villagers. Magdalena gets her drugged cult members to participate in the punishments, followed by blood-drinking ceremonies and orgies. Coatlicue now demands human blood following the Aztec ritual of ripping out a beating human heart. Cult members cheer Magdalena on, including a MOTHER (40) and her YOUNG DAUGHTER (16).

JESUS RUBIO (20s) wants in on the scam, and tensions build with the Hernandez brothers. As the cult gets more murderous, a schoolboy, SEBASTIAN GUERRERO (14) spies on an elaborate human sacrifice of the Young Daughter at the cave, and runs 17 miles to a police station Villagrán. Sebastian tells his wild story to Officer Martinez (40), who returns to Yerba Buena with Sebastian to investigate. Four State Police find their dismembered bodies two days later, and the Army is called for backup. Cayetano is assassinated by Jesus, initiating an intense shootout between cult members and the army, Magdalena, Eleazor, Jesus, and cult members are captured. Santos is shot dead. The Mother escapes, never to be seen again.

Surprisingly, none of the surviving cult members talk to the police. Instead, they accept thirty-year sentences for more than eight bodies found in shallow graves by the cave. Only Jesus Rubio, a deranged killer himself, talks to reporters. Our story provides horrifying insights on how devious con-artists can take advantage of gullible people, and what or who we chose to worship. How could this have happened in 1963? Could it happen today?

WORSHIP BY TOM STOHLGREN AND DEVIN WALKER