Copycat Deaths

ENCINITAS, California: Two men, one dead and one unconscious, found in an Encitas Holiday Inn Tuesday sent videotapes detailing their intentions to CNN and 60 Minutes before attempting suicide to catch up with dead Heaven's Gate cult members, TIME's Cathy Booth reports. "CNN and 60 Minutes notified the police after they received the tapes," she said. "Then there was some problem finding the men." San Diego County deputies finally discovered Wayne Cook, who was dead, and the unconscious Chuck Humphrey at about 12:25 p.m. local time Tuesday. Booth reports that both were former Heaven's Gate members, and Cook's wife had participated in the March 26th mass suicide. "Cook said in interviews that he was sorry he had missed the voyage, and wished he had joined her," she said. "He really believed she was not really dead." Booth said Humphrey, who was in critical condition at a nearby hospital, may have attempted the suicide out of frustrated dreams of glory. "He was desperately trying to sell his story of the cult," she said, "and had been e-mailing people in and around Hollywood since the first suicide."