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Heaven's Gate Mansion

Colina Norte
Rancho Santa Fe, California
Class IV - Distress Condition, Mass Suicide

Heaven's Gate Mansion

The house is the site of the largest mass-suicide in the history of the United States. On March 26, 1997, police discovered 39 bodies of former "Heaven's Gate" members within the mansion. The first police to arrive at the scene were overcome by the odor created by decaying bodies and body fluids. The cult members believed that they were discarding their "vehicles" to return to a spaceship that followed the Hale-Bopp Comet.

The property is a two-story, single-family residence that contains 9,011 sq. ft. of livable area, seven bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a two-car garage, a limousine garage, sauna, pool, spa, tennis court, and a view amenity. The site contains 3.11 acres.

The house is very private and is not visible from the public streets or from the entry gate. The Heaven's Gate members rented the house, and the lease specifically limited occupancy to seven people. The owner purchased the property on June 24, 1994 for $1,375,000. On the date of the tragedy, the property was listed for sale for $1,595,000. The house was cleared of the bodies and belongings by county authorities but significant physical damage remained. The physical damage amounted to well over $100,000, creating significant "carrying costs" of the property.

No legitimate offers have were ever been received and the back repossessed the property. A nearby property owner purchased the house and bulldozed it.