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Andrea Yates Case Reexamined as Docuseries Probes Preacher’s Influence; Rusty Yates Speaks

The new series questions whether Michael Woroniecki’s teachings intensified Yates’s psychosis, featuring former followers alongside Rusty Yates.

Overview

  • The Cult Behind the Killer: The Andrea Yates Story premiered Jan. 6 on Investigation Discovery and is available on HBO Max.
  • Former followers describe Michael Woroniecki’s apocalyptic, controlling doctrine, with letters, tapes, and recordings presented in the series.
  • Woroniecki denies culpability and has not been charged, maintaining he merely shared religious messages as he continues to preach.
  • Andrea Yates was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 2006 after a 2005 reversal tied to false expert testimony; she remains at Kerrville State Hospital and has repeatedly waived annual release reviews.
  • Rusty Yates appears on camera reflecting on his ex-wife’s delusions and reiterates his view that severe postpartum psychosis, not malice, led to the killings.