Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 13, 1993 TAG: 9303130225
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WACO, TEXAS LENGTH: Medium
2 MEMBERS LEAVE CULT COMPLEX
Two Branch Davidian cult members, including a woman whose husband was killed in a shootout with federal agents, left the sect's heavily armed compound Friday. They were the first cult members to leave in a week.Kathy Schroeder, 34, left after telling authorities she wanted to see her children. Her four children were released last week in the days following the Feb. 28 gun battles between cult members and federal agents.
More than seven hours later, a man believed to be Oliver Gyarfas, an Australian citizen, left, authorities said.
Gyarfas is one of three men who have been saying for two days that they wanted to leave the compound.
Earlier in the day, FBI special agent Dick Swensen said cult members had said "it wasn't time" to release Gyarfas, 19; Kevin Whitecliff, 32; and Brad Branch, 34.
Schroeder and Gyarfas were the first people to leave the complex since March 5.
Meanwhile, telephone discussions with the cult continued and cult leader David Koresh talked with negotiators for a little more than an hour Thursday night, his first session since Tuesday, Swensen said.
Swensen said negotiators were told Schroeder wanted "to be reunited with her children."
Schroeder's children were among 21 youths released in intervals last week. Two elderly women also have left the compound. Koresh claims there are 88 adults and 17 children still inside.
The four children lived with Schroeder and her husband, Michael, at the compound outside Waco, according to court documents. Three of the children were from her previous marriage to Air Force Sgt. William Mabb, while a 3-year-old boy was from her marriage to Michael Schroeder, according to the documents. Schroeder, 29, was killed Feb. 28 and his body was found in woods 350 yards behind the compound, the FBI said. At least one other sect member and four federal agents also were killed.
Mabb, who is stationed at Ellsworth Air Force base in South Dakota, came from Guam this week to claim custody of his children under an emergency order.
"She's aware that her husband has the three children," Swensen said. "There is a fourth child not of that husband that she is anxious to come out and take care of."