Sister Wives star Christine Brown’s new husband’s niece and her 2 children tragically murdered in Mexico
David’s relatives died when cartel gangs violently attacked nine Americans
SISTER Wives star Christine Brown’s new husband David Woolley’s niece and her two children were tragically murdered in Mexico, The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal.
Christine, 51, and David, 60, tied the knot in a wedding special that aired earlier this month, giving viewers a glimpse into the Sister Wives star’s new family.
While David’s children were part of the bridal party, the construction exec’s mother, Evelyn, gave a heartfelt speech at the reception.
At one point, he also mentioned that he had two sisters in Mexico who were in polygamous marriages.
David’s seven siblings are Karen, Shanna, Roy, Tamara, Harold, Christine, and Katricia.
Karen, who is now 70 years old, lives in Utah, but once lived in Mexico.
Her daughter, Dawna Ray Langford, along with Dawna’s two children, Trevor Harvey Langford and Rogan Jay Langford, tragically died in November 2019.
They were three of the victims of the widely-covered Mexico massacre that left three American mothers and six children dead.
The nine victims were part of a Mormon community living in northern Mexico that were traveling back to the US in three separate SUVs when they were ambushed.
The Mormon group – having dual citizenship – was reportedly headed to a wedding in Chihuahua, about 100 miles south of the Arizona border.
Mexican authorities reported that the family drove into an area where there had been a shootout between rival cartel gangs – who had an ongoing battle over territory – earlier that day and were mistakenly attacked by one of the cartels.
The drug cartel gunmen shot at the vehicles on a highway, murdering the victims on November 4.
Dawna was 43 years old and her two sons, Trevor and Rogan, were 11 and 2, respectively.
Other victims included Rhonita Miller, 30; Christina Langford Johnson, 29; Howard Miller Jr., 12; Krystal Miller, 10; and 8-month-old twins Titus Miller and Tiana Miller.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to David Woolley and TLC for comment.
‘HERO’ SPEAKS OUT
David’s niece’s son, Devin Langford, survived the deadly attack.
He was described as a “hero” after hiding his injured siblings in the bushes and walking 14 miles to seek help.
His sister, Kylie, was shot in the foot and his baby brother, Brixon, was hit in the chest.
Speaking with ABC with his father, David Langford, at the the time, Devin described Dawna as “a nice person” and “brave woman that tried to save her kids.”
David shared, “Every one of my children that survived that are living miracles.
“How many bullet holes were fired into that vehicle… at that horrific scene and how many children were involved.
“It’s amazing… It’s beyond amazing that they survived.”
Meanwhile, Dawna’s mother – also David Woolley’s sister – spoke to Reuters about the loss of her daughter, one of her seven children.
Karen said, “I can still hear her talking, saying ‘Hi Mom, good morning!’ You know? She will truly be missed, missed, missed.”
ARRESTS MADE
The following month of the attack, the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic made an announcement in a press release that stated several individuals connected to the “indescribable violence and homicides” were arrested.
By February 2021, Mexican prosecutors said about 20 suspects were arrested in the case and more warrants remain outstanding.
In September 2023, it was reported that US Marshals Service took a man named Ivan Gustavo Hernandez-Cabral, 24, into custody after the agency acted on a tip.
Hernandez-Cabral was being held pending extradition to Mexico in connection with the ambush, according to CBS News.
The family members of the victims filed a lawsuit accusing the Juarez cartel of carrying out the Mexico ambush as retribution for their public criticism and protests against the cartel.
In July 2022, a federal judge from North Dakota ordered that the Juarez cartel must pay $1.5 billion to the victims’ families.
It was then reported that the U.S. Magistrate Judge Clare Hochhalter’s award was automatically tripled under federal Anti-Terrorism Act, increasing the amount to $4.6 billion.
POLYGAMY FAMILIES
The victims who were killed were members of the LeBaron family, who broke away from The Church of Latter-day Saints decades ago.
There is no indication that David was ever a member of the group.
However, he was formerly married to his late wife before she died in 2012.
The Mormon fundamentalists started to move to Mexico around 1890 primarily over the question of polygamy.
The mainstream church, based in Utah, prohibited plural marriage to comply with US law at the time.
The families that separated from the church continued to practice polygamy after settling in offshoots elsewhere.
According to a scholar of Mormon fundamentalism based in Salt Lake City, polygamy was illegal in Mexico, but there was an understanding that the authorities would “look the other way about their marriage practices.”
Dr. Cristina Rosetti told BBC, “The families who went there were not ‘fringe families’ or ‘bad Mormons.’
“These were leaders of the church; they weren’t peripheral people. Big names went down there.”
The LeBarón group’s patriarch, Alma “Dayer” LeBarón, established Colonia LeBarón in Chihuahua in the 1920s.
Christine Brown, for her part, broke away from polygamy in November 2021 after announcing her split from Kody Brown.
The couple separated after 25 years of a spiritual marriage, along with sister wives Janelle and Meri Brown.
Kody remains married to his youngest wife Robyn.
