Waco, Texas. April 19, 1995. By the time the fire fighters went into the compound, only ashes and bones were left, and questions. When it was all over, the questions belonged to everyone, every pundit and prophet and armchair analyst. Did it have to end this way? Did the feds just get restless and vengeful at the crazy people who had killed four of their colleagues? Were the Davidians in fact intending to come out in a matter of days? Above all, did the cult members really set out to burn themselves and their children alive?
This story is part of the TIME Classic Coverage Collection from Time Inc. It is a reproduction of the story that appeared in TIME magazine on May 3, 1993.
Time Inc. is one of the world’s most influential media companies – home to 90 iconic brands like People, Sports Illustrated, Time, InStyle, Real Simple, Food & Wine, and Fortune. The Spotlight Stories in this collection aim to provide you with a quick read on a single subject, highlighting our readers’ most popular stories and featuring great reporting from our Time Inc. journalists.