Sumith Prasad
FX on Hulu’s crime series ‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ follows detectives Jeb Pyre and Bill Taba, who investigate the double murder of Brenda and her daughter Erica Lafferty. As the investigation progresses, the two detectives suspect the involvement of Brenda’s husband, Allen, and his family in the murders.
In the third episode, Pyre and Bill take Allen’s brother Sam Lafferty into custody, who tells them about a holy list made by God for his angels to kill the ones who are named in it. When Pyre realizes that Brenda and Erica are the first two names on the list, he considers the possibility of more murders happening, which leads him and Bill to Low and Stowe. So, who are they? What happens to them? Let’s find out! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Who are Low and Stowe?
When Sam reveals to Pyre and Bill that Brenda and Erica were killed as per the command of God, the Mormon detective doubts whether there will be more victims. He rushes to Robin Lafferty, Sam and Allen’s brother, to find out who can be on the list. Robin reveals the possibility of Low and Stowe, two LDS Church members, being the potential victims since Sam was angry at them. According to Robin, they tried to intervene in his brother’s research into original LDS teachings, documents, and the history of the faith. The two detectives rush to find the duo to make sure that they are safe and alive.
In real life, Chloe Low was a former LDS Relief Society President, and Richard Stowe was a Highland LDS Stake President. They were two influential presences in the lives of the Laffertys. According to the eponymous book by Jon Krakauer, the source material of the show, Low counseled and helped Ron Lafferty’s wife Dianna to attain divorce from him. Low’s house was a haven for Dianna, who used to stay at the place with her children when life with her husband became unbearable. When she obtained the divorce, Low helped Dianna and her kids to move from Utah to Florida, further infuriating Ron.
As per the book, Ron believed that Stowe offered financial help through the church to Dianna, which enabled her to survive the hardships she faced amid the divorce procedures. Furthermore, Stowe played a pivotal part in excommunicating Ron from LDS Church on the grounds of extreme religious views and the acceptance of polygamy. Soon, the rage Ron had towards the two seemingly became visible in his “removal revelation,” a note he wrote in the belief that God asked him to kill Low and Stowe after killing Brenda and Erica.
Are Low and Stowe Dead or Alive?
As Pyre and Bill try their best to ensure Low and Stowe’s safety, let us share the answer based on reality. After killing Brenda and Erica, Ron and his brother Dan failed to kill Low and Stowe. As per the testimony of Charles Carnes, who reportedly waited outside Brenda’s house for the brothers, Ron and Dan arrived at Low’s house after the double murder, only to know that she wasn’t home.
In Low’s absence, the brothers, Carnes, and another drifter named Richard Knapp burglarized her residence. They left for Stowe’s house but reportedly missed the turnoff to his home. The group believed that God did not want them to murder Stowe after considering the missed turnoff a sign of God’s intervention. “I would’ve killed them [Low and Stowe] the same way. But once the next step didn’t happen, I knew it wasn’t meant to be. There wasn’t much enthusiasm for it,”
Dan told Deseret News concerning his initial intentions to kill Low and Stowe. Thus, Low and Stowe weren’t killed by Ron and Dan. Stowe reportedly died of natural causes in September 2015 at his home in Highland, Utah, aged 78. At the time of his demise, Stowe was with his wife of about 57 years, Lucille, and other family members. On the other hand, Chloe Low passed away at the age of 84 on December 25, 2015, surrounded by her family. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of over four decades, David Stewart Low.
Read More: Is Sam Lafferty Based on a Real Mormon? Where is He Now?
