On Saturday, July 3, 1982, a Continental Trailways bus was loaded passengers in Little Rock, bound for the Ozarks.
Among the passengers boarding were Keith and Kate Haigler.
All was well until the bus neared Western Grove. At that point, Keith Haigler stood up, a .22 pistol in his hand. He told the 19 passengers to stay seated and be quiet, or he would shoot them all. He placed the gun near the bus driver's head, then pointed it at an elderly passenger who fainted. The Haiglers ordered the driver to turn down Highway 123 and then on Highway 74 to Jasper.
Once in Jasper, Keith Haigler ordered the driver onto the Little Buffalo Bridge, and told him to block the road. He sent the driver to town with a note which demanded media coverage. He gave camera crews two hours to arrive. After that, he threatened to kill one passenger every 30 minutes.
The Haiglers were members of Foundation of Ubiquity, a cult who said their spiritual leader, Emory Lamb, was the Messiah. They had hijacked the bus in order to let this be known to everyone. They also believed that they must die that day in order to be resurrected three and a half days later.
Emory Lamb was contacted by authorities, but refused to come, though other members of the cult tried unsuccessfully to diffuse the situation.
The Haiglers let half their hostages go after a news crew arrived, and released the rest after their interview. They left the bus and got on their knees.
Police had sharpshooters wound the couple. But Kate Haigler was still able to kill her husband and then turn the gun on herself (Baxter Bulletin, July 7, 1982).
Barbara LeRoy is the author of “Which Side Were They On?,” a 302 page book listing biographical sketches of the Newton Countians who were involved in the Civil War, available for sale either in the Bradley House Museum or by purchasing online at www.newtoncountyar.com. The book sells for $33.
