There is no connection with the Church now or previously. This one is just a Patch Collector - something we have put a stop to.
Does Utah inmate have tattoos of alleged victims? Investigators seek new photos
Jerrod Baum charged with capital murder in deaths of young Eureka couple
Pat Reavy | Deseret News (https://www.deseret.com/) (U.S.A.) | 10 September 2020
https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/9/10/21430804/does-inmate-jarrod-baum-have-tattoos-people-hes-killed-investigators-seek-new-photos-murder
Excerpt: Jerrod Baum has pleaded not guilty to brutally murdering two people and dumping their bodies in an abandoned mine shaft.
But investigators want to know if Baum's tattoos tell a different story.
The Utah County Attorney Bureau of Investigations recently served a search warrant to collect updated photographs of all of Baum's tattoos. According to those who know Baum, he considers his tattoos to be his "records."
Those records include tattoos of headstones with the initials of the people he's killed, according to a new search warrant affidavit filed in 4th District Court.
Investigators now want to find out whether Baum has added tattoos to represent the killings of Riley Powell, 18, and Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson, 17.
Baum, 43, is accused of slitting the throats of the young couple and throwing their bound bodies into the Tintic Standard Mine outside Eureka, Juab County, sometime between the night of Dec. 29 and the morning of Dec. 30, 2017.
Baum is charged with two counts of capital murder and prosecutors have announced they are pursuing the death penalty if he is convicted. His trial is scheduled to start in March.
"While listening to interviews of Morgan Henderson I was made aware Mr. Baum had a variety of highly controversial tattoos depicting and documenting his ideologies and organizational principles. During these interviews, Morgan made reference to the swastika tattooed on Mr. Baum's face," the warrant states.
In another interview, Henderson said Baum "spoke about his tattoos as 'records.' With specificity, she reported the tattoos of the 'headstones' ... symbolized people he had killed. Morgan stated Mr. Baum did kill people and he was a 'tax man' for illicit organizations," according to the affidavit.
Baum claimed he was "working for local drug dealers 'collecting taxes,'" meaning he would assault people who owed drug debts, the warrant states. "He admitted to several assaults in the Utah County area and one in Cedar City. He stated that he has represented himself as a hit man named Chris from California to help secure debts that are owed to local drug dealers. He stated that he has threatened and intimidated numerous people."
During the interview with Henderson, she also said Baum took the ancient religion of Odinism, where worshipers embrace Norse and Viking figures like Thor and Odin, seriously, and that he had been teaching her about it.
According to officials, some of Baum's known tattoos include:
* A swastika to the side of his right eye.
* Runes on his back stretching from his left shoulder to his right shoulder.
* An "unknown demon" in the center of his back.
* A Viking or Nordic scene with an iron cross on the lower left side of his back.
* A swastika in the center of his chest.
* Documented patch member of Aryan Republic Militia, plus unknown writings underneath the patch.
* The word "RAHOWA" written across the front of his stomach. RAHOWA is an acronym for "Racial Holy War" and has been used as a rallying cry for the white supremacist cause.
* A swastika with two lightning bolts inside, plus a Viking and hammer on his left torso.
* "What looks like headstones and lettering" on his left forearm. Investigators noted in the warrant that "there is probable cause to collect better photographs of the headstones on Mr. Baum's left forearm as it will corroborate testimony of Morgan. Additionally, clearer photographs of these tattoos will offer a richer picture of the lettering on the headstones leading to evidence of additional crimes Mr. Baum has committed."
* An iron cross and a circle and undecipherable writing around the cross on his right shin. Investigators noted in the warrant, "Quite simply the wearer of this tattoo has been 'brave in battle with an enemy race.'"
* Thor or a man with a hammer on his left thigh.
* World of the Church of the Creator patch on it with "14/88" and runes on his left shin. World Church of the Creator is a radical white supremacist organization, the warrant states. 14/88 is a hate symbol, according to security groups. The "14" stands for the 14-word slogan of white supremacists. The number 8 stands for the eighth letter of alphabet, H, and 88 stands or HH or Heil Hitler.
The warrant also notes that while in prison, Baum has been disciplined in the past for possession of contraband, "specifically possessing a tattoo gun and ink," according to the warrant. In 2001, while Baum was being housed in a Missouri prison, "a jar of black ink, a homemade tattoo gun complete with motor and two AA batteries" was found during a routine search of his cell.
"Mr. Baum treats and speaks of his tattoos as being records of past acts of violence. An updated record of tattoos newer than January of 2018 would support recent violent behavior and produce additional evidence of the murders of Riley Powell and Brelynne Otteson," the warrant says.