A criminal and cult investigator gained insight into secret hiding spots after being permitted access to cult leader Warren Jeffs’ residence in Arizona.

“We’d heard rumors, but they (the caves) were said not to exist,” Mike King shared with ‘s Brian Entin at CrimeCon2025. “I spoke with former church leaders who insisted, ‘No, it doesn’t exist.'”

However, in fact, they did exist. King, also known for hosting the “Profiling Evil” podcast, stayed overnight in Jeffs’ home when one of Jeffs’ wives gave him a key and directions, revealing the caves.

Jeffs, a self-proclaimed prophet, spearheaded the polygamist Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which gathered more than 13,000 followers, many of whom lived under strict control in an isolated community for over a century.

“Not only were they preparing for the end of the world from a religious standpoint, but they were temporarily preparing for it,” King said.

“They had begun digging caves that I’d heard of during my investigations, but I could never confirm or find when speaking with FLDS members.”

Warren Jeffs serving life sentence for child sexual assault

Jeffs has been serving a life sentence in jail for child sexual assault following two convictions in 2011.

.

Jeffs collected more than 80 wives — also known as celestial wives — meaning that the women were married spiritually but not legally.

Two dozen of those wives were underage, also illegal, before Jeffs was hit with indictments in multiple states.