“Supposedly, at Turnbull Canyon between Whittier and Hacienda Heights, there’s a satanic cult that do rituals and sacrifice people and animals. I think there’s some history to the land going back from when the Spanish came and occupied the land from the indigenous people. There was also a plane crash that happened there in which every one died. Some church and religious groups are supposed to go up to the hill to pray and try to rid of the evil around the area. I think there were several reports of mysterious murders that happened around there. Supposedly some bodies were found, some mangled, some hanging by trees, all in very creepy situations. Also, I think authorities believe a lot of it is purely from the place being ideal to leave dead bodies of murder victims at or to cause mischief at rather than evil or cultist activity. Some ritualistic items or animal burnings have been found, or I’ve heard from some friends that their friends had accounts of seeing dead bodies or strange people show up on the side of the road while they were driving through. There’s also an area called the Gates of Hell in which there’s supposed to be an abandoned building or an abandoned asylum of sorts. Some say there’s other group activity like the KKK or some other groups.
I drove 4 friends through there not necessarily to go check out the myths of the land or get in trouble but just to see the city lights from the hill and road. We got out and explored around some. All of the myth stuff I hadn’t heard before until we began exploring and my friends began to talk more about it. Since it was dark we never really strayed too far from the road but not too close to the road either because crazy drivers are always speeding through. I think we went to an area where there was a gate, where I parked my car and we got out and walked along the road close to the ravine. Nothing major happened and we couldn’t see much into the canyon because most of the area was dark except for the homes on the side. The air and feeling was definitely pretty creepy and I probably wouldn’t go back there again. I’ve had some friends who walked through the area when it was daylight and said they never saw anything, no reported building, or remains of sacrifices. There are just a lot of contrasting accounts of what happens or what people see there that it’s hard to know what actually happened.”

My informant stated that he visited this area his junior year of high school, and that he really felt strange during his whole visit. Just being there in person made him believe in the possibility of satanic cults practicing rituals there. Even if he never really saw anything in person, he believes these kinds of things happen in other places in the US other than Turnball Canyon. The experience just made him realize that there really are some things and people out there that are evil or being influenced by something evil, so people should always be constantly watchful. He is not suggesting that people necessarily live in total fear of these areas or possible groups, but to take caution and not do foolish things.

I am not quite sue if I would wholly believe all the rumors surrounding this Turnbull Canyon, as it seems like something you would hear from a friend of a friend of a friend. The legends of human sacrifices and murders seem a bit far-fetched, but I can see how you would come to believe in these rumors if you visited the actual site, especially at night. The setting of the area itself could and the atmosphere of telling scary stories of the place. Also, in this world, I believe that there are people with strange beliefs or even possible mental illnesses that can be committing frightening deeds, as there are always horrific stories popping up in the news. However, if there was a real danger of the area, I think law enforcement would have investigated the area, so this legend may come from the eerie atmosphere surrounding the area.