The Hare Krishna Murders Rated No. 4

August 14, 2025: Bella Foxwell, a marketing strategist and popular blogger, has rated the 7-part podcast series The Hare Krishna Murders in which Henry served as consultant, the No. 4 favorite one-off series podcast on her list of 31 favorite podcasts.

Henry noted, “I’m delighted that our podcast production, The Hare Krishna Murders, is still being recognized six years after its original release. It’s a fine series, based on my book Killing For Krishna: The Danger of Deranged Devotion. For more about this series, see my orignal April 2019 webpage about the podcasts: The Hare Krishna Murders. To see Bella’s blog, go to Making Time by Bella Foxwell.


Listen to The Hare Krishna Murders

    Episode 1: Go West, Old Man (2/26/2019)

      An elderly swami from India captures the zeitgeist of 1960s counterculture in America with his message of peace and love. But his western disciples are hungry for power, and one of his most trusted devotees betrays him.

    Episode 2: Sowing the Seeds (3/5/2019)

      When devotees at the New York City temple confront Keith Ham, who betrayed the Swami, he decides to found a commune of his own in West Virginia. Krishnas in temples across the country come up with illegal ways to raise money for the group, including drug dealing and money scams.

    Episode 3: A Vigil of Vultures (3/12/2019)

      When Swami Prabhupada dies, eleven senior disciples declare themselves gurus and take control of the movement. In Berkeley, Hansadutta becomes paranoid and starts amassing an arsenal of weapons. In West Virginia, Keith Ham finishes constructing his Palace of Gold. But when new devotees with records for violent crime join the commune, Deputy Westfall from the Marshall County Sheriff Department grows alarmed. A drug smuggling operation at the Krishna Temple in Laguna Beach ends in murder when temple leaders pair up with ex-mafia informants.

    Episode 4: The Whistleblower (3/19/2019)

      When a devotee in West Virginia goes missing, his wife suspects murder. Deputy Westfall is thwarted by the DA when he tries to take action. Keith flexes his muscles and expands his power over New Vrindaban.

    Episode 5: The Fracture (3/26/2019)

      Steve Bryant is forced out of the commune at gunpoint and heads to California where he finds evidence that the Gurus are frauds. Berkeley Temple Leader Hansadutta has a meltdown that lands him in jail. An attempt to start a Guru Reform movement divides the movement and leads to death threats. A devotee attacks Keith Ham, and the senior New Vrindaban leaders agree that Steven Bryant must die.

    Episode 6: Retribution and Reform (4/02/2019)

      Keith Ham’s chief enforcer is summoned back to New Vrindaban for a mission. He enlists the help of a friend of the commune who turns informer. Steve Bryant goes into hiding. Deputy Westfall works with the state police to finally make some arrests, but will he be able to bring down Keith Ham?

    The Hare Krishna Murders: Inside and Out (4/09/2019)

      Former Hare Krishna Henry Doktorski talks about what led him to join the faith, day to day life on the West Virginia commune, and why he finally left.

Back to: Killing For Krishna