Another Body on the General’s Land
—by Carla J. Dechant Behr
In 2010, when my mother was dying, she had my father call me with one final request. Could I get in touch with my brother Chris? I told him I’d try. We determined to skip a step and make our plea directly to the New Mexico governor’s office who in turn directed the local sheriff’s office to get a message to my brother. He was living on the backside of some dried out piece of land in BFE New Mexico with god’s army – General’s Jim and Deborah Green. He refused our request as he had refused many times since the early 80s – you see, god’s army doesn’t believe in acknowledging “flesh” families.
Christopher John Dechant was born in February 16, 1957 to John and Cyrilla Dechant. John and Sallie, as she was known, fell in love at first sight and remained deeply in love until her death in 2010. Fifty-six years produced 10 children – Chris was the second son. He was raised in a large, safe home by two parents who provided for him and siblings who loved him. He spent summer vacations on his grandparent’s farm, went to a private grade school and wore braces to straighten his teeth. In high school, he ran track and wrestled. He attended college and then the Air Force where he rose to the rank of sergeant. He was smart, athletic and a friend to children. He loved music and nature, and he wrote in a journal that he called his “log” after his favorite TV show Star Trek. He was an all American boy.
The Greens got their talons in Chris in Sacramento California in the early 80s. He was sick (mentally and physically) and was under the care of doctors. Being away from home and struggling was the perfect opportunity for the Greens to start bombing him with their love. Chris gave up his wife, his children, his family, his money, his military status and eventually his name. He refused all contact with his family.
My mother went to her grave grieving for the loss of her beloved Chris. She waited until 9 of her 10 children where home in the house where she had diapered and raised them and then she passed quietly away – her husband whispering words of reassurance in her ear.
I’d been following this group and my brother for years (Sacramento, Gridley, Klamath Falls, Berino and Fence Lake). Using local police, I’d try to reach out to him, but each time, under the Greens leadership, he rejected us. Chris would never behaved like this on his own. He would have never rejected me – his baby sister who he affectionately called “Dimples”. He was, most unfortunately, brainwashed.
On the night of February 20, four days after Chris would have turned 59, I had finished preparations for my daughter’s baby shower when I received news that took my feet out from under me – Chris was dead.
I only found out that Chris was dead because of an investigation into another ACTMC member’s death. The body of a 12 year old boy was exhumed on the Green’s land. I went on a search to find out what happened to my brother and through police and autopsy reports, I was able to piece together that he passed almost three years ago on May 18, 2013 of colon cancer that had metastasized to his liver. The autopsy report issued 10 days after his death, read, and “The body is received clad in one shirt, one pair of pants, one sweatshirt and two socks. Accompanying personal effects include a driver’s license.”
Further on in the report, it states, “According to note left by Mr. Evans… [he] chose not to receive standard allopathic treatment for his condition…” At the time of death, Chris weighed 57.4 kilograms – 126.5 lbs. He was a little over 5 foot 9 inches tall.
Now here comes the hard part. Do you know what it would be like to die of cancer without proper palliative care? It is likely as the cancer progressed, Chris became tired. His fatigue would have been more than just physical, it would have been emotional. He might have been cold, which could describe why the autopsy report noted he was wearing a sweat shirt. He obviously lost weight as nausea set in and he was unable to eat. The autopsy notes that Chris’ small bowel contained some partially digested food – perhaps his last effort at life. Finally, when he was no longer able to get out of bed his breathing slowed, his mouth and lips were dry and he may have lost all control of his bladder and bowels.
The pain, without opioids would have been unbearable. He would have been restless and uncomfortable drifting in and out of consciousness. The comforting touch and words of family is crucial during this time as his breathing would have become labored as he struggled to survive. According to the Police Incident Report, John Green who shared a trailer with him spent time with him around 11:30 the night before and Chris was found dead around 5 or 6 the next morning by Deborah. It does not state that John was present with him, only that he had been there the night before. For all we know, he died alone. Deborah stated that Chris may have taken Ibuprofen and vitamins and was not on any prescription medications. He needed opioids! I can only surmise that his death was painful and lonely.
And here’s the worst part – because he is an adult, because the autopsy reads that the manner of death was natural, because the Green’s where smart (or sly) enough to call the local sheriff’s office and report his death and because they probably prompted Chris to write a note saying he chose not to receive treatment – nothing will probably ever come of my brother’s death. So he’s buried there on their god-forsaken unholy, unhinged ground. He has been there for almost three years because Deborah Green falsely told law enforcement that she didn’t know of any family.
As the hour is late and I have already shed more than just a few tears writing about my brother’s death, I can only hope that he has not died in vain. I can only hope that telling this story will somehow in some way make a difference. I have lost my hope of ever seeing my brother alive on this earth. He is gone – buried on the General’s land, and I can only pray that his soul is somewhere safe and quiet in my mother’s arms.
