Thursday 12 May 2022 05:26 AM Breakthrough in cold case murder of 2-year-old girl rural cult 35 years ago trends now
An alleged cult follower who left Australia 35 years ago when her two-year-old daughter vanished has been charged with murder and extradited back from New Zealand to Sydney.
Ellen Craig, 60, arrived under police guard on Thursday morning after being arrested in Palmerston North, north of Wellington, over the death of her daughter Tillie in 1987.
Police will allege Ms Craig was a follower of the Ministry of God cult, which was run at the time by Alfio Nicolosi, also known as Alexander Wilon. Nicolosi/Wilon has been charged with accessory after the fact to murder and misconduct with regard to a corpse.
Back then, Nicolosi/Wilon claimed to possess divine powers and said his followers should obey the word of God or be punished.
Wilon, who his followers knew as 'Papa', would preach the word of God and claim to pass on divine messages from an oracle known as 'Monet'.
Ellen Craig (above with baby Tillie) left Australia in 1987 but has now been extradited back to Sydney and charged with her two-year-old's alleged murder in 1987
Tillie Craig went to live in the Ministry of God cult near Oberon NSW with her mother, a cult follower of leader known as 'Papa' who
