Does Shelly Miscavige know it's Christmas 2023?

Five years ago we decided that on Christmas Day it would be a good time to review what we knew about the disappearance of Shelly Miscavige, wife to Scientology’s leader David Miscavige, who vanished from Scientology’s Gold Base in summer 2005. We wondered if Shelly, kept hidden in a remote mountain compound, even knew it was Christmas. For the sixth Christmas in a row, we’re posting that story, since it still represents what we know about Shelly’s whereabouts.

We understand that Shelly Miscavige may be resigned to her fate.

But there’s a reason that “Where’s Shelly” is the number one question we get from the public — and it’s the same for Leah Remini. (We checked.)

For non-Scientologists, it’s simply incredible to think that David Miscavige, the leader of a worldwide “religious” organization, could get away with banishing his wife to a small mountain compound, never to be heard from again. On a day like today we can only wonder, does Shelly Miscavige really feel no desire to be with her family, or even just to see a few faces besides the dozen other people she has seen day in and day out for 16 years?

The question “Where’s Shelly” reached a whole new audience in December 2018 thanks to Leah’s television show, which provided a lot of background for viewers about Shelly’s upbringing. But the episode was light on details about Shelly’s current whereabouts and what we’ve learned about it in recent years. It was obvious from the huge number of questions we got on social media that week that viewers were left with a lot of questions. So on this meaningful day, let’s revisit some facts.

It was late August or early September in 2005 when Shelly vanished. We know that you heard Valerie Haney, in her Aftermath episode, say it was 2006, and a lot of media tends to say that. But when we talked with Valerie directly for our follow-up interview and compared notes with her, she agreed with our other eyewitnesses that it was late summer 2005 when Shelly disappeared, not 2006.

As we pointed out in a video we put out recently, the last public footage we have of Shelly was from September 2004, when Shelly was with Dave and with Tom Cruise at the Ideal Org opening in Madrid. It was at that event when Tom admitted to Dave that after breaking up with Penelope Cruz he was looking for a new girlfriend. Shelly was then put in charge of the effort to audition actresses to find a new mate for Tom, resulting that November in recruiting Nazanin Boniadi for the role. After that relationship broke up in January 2005, Tom found Katie Holmes on his own and their relationship became public in April.

As 2005 progressed, Valerie Haney and Mike Rinder and others have told us, the relationship between Dave and Shelly became more and more strained as they lived at Int Base (also known as “Gold Base”), Scientology’s secretive 500-acre international management compound near Hemet, California, where, the year before, an increasingly unhinged Miscavige had created “The Hole,” a literal prison for some of his closest lieutenants. Concerned with how Dave’s erratic behavior and epic tantrums were affecting other people, Shelly took it upon herself to make a few changes when Dave spent some time in Los Angeles without her that summer. First, she rearranged some job positions (filled in an “org board”). It was Valerie who explained to us that Shelly did so in part to assign some people to positions where they would be less likely to be in contact with her husband. Shelly was trying to lessen their exposure to his volcanic temper, in other words. And she also had Dave’s belongings crated up so that a long-planned renovation to their quarters could finally get going.

When Dave returned and saw that she had taken the initiative, he blew his stack and returned to Los Angeles. A week later, Shelly vanished. A new detail that was finally confirmed for us by Valerie was that during that week between Dave’s freakout and Shelly’s disappearance, she grabbed a car at the base and drove to Los Angeles in a last-ditch effort to save her marriage. But she soon returned after that mission failed. She was then taken away. This is an important detail, we believe, because it counters the suggestion that Shelly, by taking the initiative while Dave was gone, purposely sabotaged herself so she could be sent away. Would Shelly have made the dramatic gesture of driving to LA to appeal to her husband if that was the case?

So, sixteen years ago at the age of 44, Shelly was escorted from Int Base (where “The Hole” was) about 60 miles to the much smaller compound in the mountains near Lake Arrowhead, the headquarters of the Church of Spiritual Technology, where super-secret CST operates its project to archive the words of L. Ron Hubbard to store in vaults for thousands of years. (We are constantly asked, could Shelly be in “the Hole”? No, the Hole is located at the base where Shelly was taken away from. And we have eyewitnesses to the poor wretches held in the Hole continuously from 2005 to 2016, and Shelly is not among them.)

[In this map, you can see the location of Scientology’s Los Angeles headquarters, “Big Blue,” and about 90 miles east the location of its international management base, Int Base, near Hemet. “The Hole” is located at Int Base, the place where Shelly was living until 2005 when she vanished. Shelly was then moved to the CST headquarters near Lake Arrowhead, a tiny compound about 60 miles northwest of Int Base and marked on the map. That’s where Shelly has been for the last 18 years.]

Almost two years after Shelly was sent away, on June 25, 2007, her father, Maurice Elliott “Barney” Barnett, died at the age of 77. When his funeral was held that summer, Shelly was allowed to attend, but in the presence of a Scientology handler, Anne Joasem, the ex-wife of the defector Marty Rathbun. According to Marc Headley, when someone who knew Shelly approached her with a request, she told them, “Listen to me. I fucked up, and I’m not going to be able to help you.”

(Another indication that Shelly is aware of her fate and its punitive nature: In 2013, just before Leah filed her missing-person report, we revealed that Shelly had told a family member “there’s only one way” she would ever again leave the CST base, referring to the prospect of a family funeral.)

In the 16 years since that sighting — 18 total since she first was escorted from Int Base — various lines of evidence tell us Shelly has been confined to the CST headquarters compound in the San Bernardino Mountains. The place goes by several names, depending on who you’re talking to: Twin Peaks, Rim of the World, Rimforest, or also Crestline, for the nearest hamlet.

In July 2013 news of Leah Remini’s defection broke. On Monday August 5 she filed a missing-person report with the Los Angeles Police Department. Why the LAPD? For years Leah exchanged cards and gifts with Shelly, whose official address was 6331 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, and which is to this day David Miscavige’s official address. That location is the Hollywood Guaranty Building, an office structure that on its ground floor contains the “L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition.” The 11th floor is where Miscavige and his most trusted aides run Scientology when he’s in L.A. We’re told that there’s a place there where he can crash for the night, but it’s not the location of his apartment, which was actually a few blocks away.

Anyway, 6331 Hollywood Blvd in Los Angeles was the address Leah had from the years she was corresponding with Shelly, and that’s why she submitted her report to the LAPD on Monday August 5, 2013.

Two nights later, on Wednesday, we got word that the report had been filed. The next morning, Thursday August 8, we broke the news that Leah had filed the report. Later that day, reporters who were calling the LAPD for comment were told that Shelly had been contacted and that the idea she was missing was “unfounded.”

Leah was hammered by the press, which for some reason thought her report had been dealt with in less than a day, because our story had come out that morning and by the afternoon the LAPD was saying there was nothing to it. But that’s not what happened.

After Leah filed her report on Monday August 5, and before the LAPD said it was unfounded on the afternoon of Thursday August 8, the LAPD claims that it visited Shelly and talked with her.

When we called to ask about it, we were forwarded to Lt. Andre Dawson, who told us two of his detectives had met with Shelly. He wouldn’t tell us where that meeting had occurred, and when we asked him if the conversation had happened in the presence of other church officials, he quickly said “That’s classified.”

Meanwhile, Leah herself never got any response at all from the LAPD, even though she had filed the missing-person report to begin with.

Did Lt. Dawson’s detectives go up to the CST headquarters, which is in another jurisdiction, San Bernardino County, to check on Shelly? Was Shelly instead brought down to Los Angeles to meet the detectives? Or was the LAPD merely lying to us?

In 2016, Leah still wanted answers about that. Through an attorney, she filed an official records request with the LAPD for documentation on what they had actually done when she filed her missing-person request. But the LAPD told her it was going to give her no documentation at all.

Around that same time, in 2016, we heard from a branch of Shelly’s family that is not involved in Scientology. They asked us for some advice about what to do, saying that they at least wanted to make sure that Shelly was all right. We pointed out to them that the CST compound is in San Bernardino County. So they approached the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, asking that a welfare check be done on her.

They were told that the Sheriff’s Department would require evidence that Shelly was at that location, and the department did nothing.

Surprised by that response, we sent our own letter to the Sheriff’s Department, explaining the evidence that Shelly was located at the compound, as well as a recent possible sighting of her in the town of Crestline itself. We received this response…

Hello Tony,

Concerning the welfare of someone within the jurisdiction of the Sheriff’s department, any call for service we receive will be appropriately addressed and handled accordingly.

We encourage anyone with information regarding a crime, or potential crime, to contact Sheriff’s Dispatch or their local Sheriffs station to report it so the matter can be investigated and resolved.

Thank you,

Adam Cervantes, Deputy Sheriff

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Dept.
Public Affairs Division

So, the LAPD claims it checked on Shelly in 2013 but won’t provide any details about it, and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department says it doesn’t have enough evidence that she’s at the CST compound to go check on her.

Is Shelly even alive? We see this suggestion a lot on social media, that Shelly is already dead or has been killed, and there’s a good reason why we tell people it’s probably not true.

Scientology may be very effective at keeping Shelly out of sight, but covering up a death is another matter entirely. Consider the case of Anne Tidman, for example. Also known as Annie Broeker, Tidman was one of the last people to see L. Ron Hubbard alive, and she was also kept out of sight at a Scientology compound for years. When she developed cancer and then became very ill, she was moved to an apartment in Hollywood, where she died in 2011. Scientology was able to keep news of her death quiet for several months, but eventually her family was told about it, and that’s how we became aware of it. If Shelly died, we think the news would get out even more quickly.

Also, Scientology’s attorneys, in reaction to Leah Remini’s episode, made claims to the media that they had either personally seen Shelly or communicated with her. Scientology attorneys may be unpleasant human beings, but they aren’t going to risk their law licenses and claim that a dead woman is alive and well.

Shelly is alive.

She is at the CST compound near Crestline, California, the same place she’s been for 17 years. (We have amazing drone footage of the place, and a former employee there even pinpointed where he thinks Shelly is living and working there.)

She is now 62 years old, and if claims of a recent sighting in the town of Crestline is correct, she may be in ill health.

And yes, we will say again, she may be resigned to her fate.

But on this day, of all days, why can’t her family spend time with Shelly Miscavige? Why can’t she speak for herself? Why can’t we ask her to explain, in her own words, why she is shut up in a tiny mountain compound and can never leave?

 

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Continuing our year in review: The stories of May 2023

May was all about the Danny Masterson retrial, of course. And as the month began, Jane Doe 1 was on the witness stand. She had issues with Scientology attorney Vicki Podberesky being in the courtroom, and a flip of her hair that she said was an intimidation attempt. Her cross-examination by defense attorney Philip Cohen began later that day.

Meanwhile, the plaintiffs in the Tampa labor trafficking lawsuit asked for permission to make an interlocutory appeal to try and overturn the court’s decision to force the case into “religious arbitration.”

After a second full day of cross-examination of Jane Doe 1, attorney Philip Cohen is warned by Judge Olmedo that she’s not going to let him go on forever, and then she does cut him off. Cohen will later move for a mistrial over this, and is denied. Expect it to come up on appeal.

On May 3, Claire Headley got to testify about how everything the victims were saying about Scientology was true. Shawn Holley’s cross of Claire got into humorous territory when she implied that Claire hadn’t reached high enough in the OTs to be considered an expert.

Jane Doe 2 began her testimony the next day. Her account is so harrowing, and once again she provided a vivid account.

Tory Christman attended the trial, which we asked her about in our podcast.

Another big story outside the trial: A former Scientology PI, Alanna Warren, came forward to describe stalking Mike Rinder and Christie Collbran, as well as Mat Pesch and Amy Scobee. And she had photos and records. Wow.

“Apostate Alex” Barnes-Ross made his first appearance at the Underground Bunker.

On May 10, the mini-bombshell rocks the Masterson trial: For the first time, we hear in court about the DA’s office anger that much of their evidence in the case had somehow ended up in the hand of Scientology’s attorneys. Which of Masterson’s attorneys was responsible for the leak?

The next day, a huge moment in the trial: For months now, the defense has been using Det. Esther Reyes as its star witness, claiming that she had warned the victims about contaminating the case. But when prosecutors put her on the stand, Reyes testifies that in her opinion, the case wasn’t actually contaminated. Cohen is livid.

But he then got to subpoena us, so that might have been fun for him. (We ended up no testifying.)

On May 16, Ariel Anson knocks us out with her closing statement, which starts with the words, “It all starts with a drink.” She’s amazing. The jury had the case the next day.

Jury deliberations go on for eight days, including a break for Memorial Day weekend, but then on May 31, we hear there are verdicts. Verdicts! And we’re in the courtroom to hear that Masterson has been convicted on two counts of forcible rape. The third count is a hung jury, but two guilty counts is enough to send Masterson to prison under the “One Strike” statute that he’s being prosecuted under. Amazing. We feel relief for these victims, who have been through so much over so many years.

A LOOK BACK AT MAY 2022: Video evidence that Balance of Nature is tight with Scientology. Geoff Levin wanted us to know about some things he told New Yorker about Elisabeth Moss. Luke Y. Thompson gives us the only review of Tom Cruise’s new movie Top Gun: Maverick that you really need. Chris Shelton interviewed Kate Olson, who had just recently left the Sea Org. Danny Masterson fires famous defense attorney Tom Mesereau as his attempts to dismiss one of the rape charges and sever the others were denied.

A LOOK BACK AT MAY 2021: Jane Doe 1’s letter ripping the LAPD for its early mishandling of the Danny Masterson investigation. Hollis Jane Andrews reveals the insane nanny instructions from a Scientologist couple. Ian Rafalko bursts on the scene with a viral TikTok about his dad, Scientology donor Dr. Eric Berg. The Danny Masterson preliminary hearing unfolds in Los Angeles: Day One, Day Two, Day Three, Day Four. The California Supreme Court grants review of Scientology’s ‘religious arbitration’ gambit. At the Daily Beast we reveal what really happened between L. Ron Hubbard and Leni Riefenstahl.

A LOOK BACK AT MAY 2020: Reasons why NASA should send Tom Cruise into space. Dianetics turns 70. Leaked audio from Freewinds commanding officer Sharron Weber. Jane Doe in Miami dropped her lawsuit against Scientology. Phil Jones records a Scientology recruiter about wrecking families. Scientologist antivaxx star Leigh Dundas debuts at the Bunker.

A LOOK BACK AT MAY 2019: The Freewinds became world famous for a case of measles. Joey Chait told us his Freewinds horror story. Family awarded $11 million in Narconon lawsuit. Chris Owen has startling new info about L. Ron Hubbard’s biggest WW2 blunder. John Travolta’s daughter Ella Bleu makes her Scientology debut.

A LOOK BACK AT MAY 2018: Geoff Levin came forward to tell his story about finally reuniting with his brother Robbie and getting their band People! back together. Joy Villa took down her ‘testing the waters’ for Congress page. Some new L. Ron Hubbard letters up for auction included him talking about how Dianetics helped him “unfrigidize” women. Erika Christensen got a new trophy. And Luke Ayers gave us some Aussie-flavored Scientology hip-hop.

A LOOK BACK AT MAY 2017: We talked to the families involved in the Tennessee house of horrors operated by Scientologists and shut down by local authorities. We got our first drone footage of the compound where Shelly Miscavige is being held. A random photo revealed the location of a Scientology dad, disconnected for seven years. Leah Remini tided us over between seasons with a 2-hour special.

A LOOK BACK AT MAY 2016: One of Ron Miscavige’s fellow musicians sticks up for him. L. Ron Hubbard admitted he was mostly kidding. Kate Bornstein and Caitlyn Jenner raided the Los Angeles org. And Tommy Davis got a new job working for James Packer.

A LOOK BACK AT MAY 2015: Our book about Paulette Cooper, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely goes on sale and it’s featured on the front page of the Daily Beast. Paulette joins us for a talk on our book just two blocks from Scientology’s Los Angeles headquarters. At Spanky Taylor’s house we witnessed the meeting of Paulette and Leah Remini. Jamie DeWolf threw a twisted party for Paulette and your proprietor in San Francisco. And for once, Greta Van Susteren gets called out for her Scientology affiliation.

A LOOK BACK AT MAY 2014: Florida horse doctor Lee Shewmaker told us about what drove him away from Scientology. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden asked the IRS to review its policies on Scientology. We obtained the Clearwater Police report on the strange death of Russian Scientologist Evgeny Zharkin. And the National Association of Forensic Counselors files a massive lawsuit.

A LOOK BACK AT MAY 2013: Lori Hodgson makes a surprise visit to see her son in Austin, Ron Miscavige Sr. resurfaces by selling gym equipment, Wise Beard Man reports from Portland, and we review Marty Rathbun’s book Memoirs of a Scientology Warrior.

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