5 chilling details about Papa Pilgrim's decades-long abuse

Papa Pilgrim, or Robert Allen Hale, became a notorious figure after his story of long-drawn abuse came to the forefront in 2005, before which he made headlines with his fight against the federal government over a road leading to a homestead he nicknamed Hillbilly Heaven. But the truth of his 17-member family, which was unknown to most, served as one of the biggest shocks in past decades.

The upcoming episode of Evil Lives Here on Investigation Discovery, which follows some of America's most twisted criminal minds, will chronicle the story of Papa Pilgrim, whose eldest daughter, Elishaba Doerksen, has also written a book about the gut-wrenching tales of mental, physical, and sexual torture.

The synopsis for the upcoming episode of the show reads:

"Elishaba always believed her father wielded the power of God and that the only way to salvation was through suffering. Her father tormented and abused her for decades until she'd had enough and embarked on a daring escape."

Ahead of the episode on Sunday, February 25, 2024, at 9:00 PM ET, here are five shocking details about the crimes of Papa Pilgrim.

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5 horrific details about the abuses inflicted by Papa Pilgrim

1) Before he became Papa Pilgrim, Robert Allen Hale was already embroiled in controversy surrounding his first wife's death

When he was an 18-year-old senior, Robert Allen Hale, who belonged to a reputed American family, eloped with Kathleen "K.K." Connally, the daughter of future Texas governor John Connally.

Just 44 days into their marriage, Kathleen allegedly died after a 20-gauge shotgun discharged behind her right ear. While many suspected Hale behind this, it was cleared up and declared an accident. But given his twisted psyche, it cannot be ignored as an accident anymore.

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2) During a trip to Texas, Hale found religion and used it as his tool to control and manipulate

According to Elishaba Doerksen on her official site, Robert Hale found religion and began calling himself Papa Pilgrim during a trip to Texas. Following this, he used religion as a tool to manipulate his family. He moved them to the Pecos Mountains of central New Mexico and then to a remote valley in Alaska, all the while keeping his family isolated from the world.

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3) He began twisting Bible text to molest his eldest daughter Elishaba

When Elishaba turned 19, her father started sexually abusing and assaulting her. She was raped almost every day and Hale used twisted interpretations of religious texts to justify it. Alongside the carnal assaults, he also regularly beat up his Elishaba and his wife.

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4) He also physically abused his older sons and treated everyone with inhumane brutality

The details of the abuses the family faced emerged only in 2005, but it went on for decades before that. From twisted psychological games, where he made the family call him lord to physically beating young children, even the toddlers when they cried.

Elishaba Doerksen, who suffered the bulk of Hale's abuses, later documented everything in her book, Out of the Wilderness.

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5) Papa Pilgrim died in prison and did not repent or regret his actions

Such was the delusion that Papa Pilgrim, or Robert Hale, suffered from, he did not repent or regret what he had done even after being arrested. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2007 but died only eight months later.

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The upcoming episode of Evil Lives Here will chronicle this story in detail. Stay tuned for updates.