Ralph Muller

Ralph Muller’s detailed personal history prior to December 1958 is not broadly documented in public sources. He was a former member of Krishna Venta’s Fountain of the World cult, and at some point developed severe grievances toward Venta, including believing that the leader had misused cult funds and engaged in improper relationships.

On December 10, 1958, Ralph Muller joined Peter Duma Kamenoff in a suicide bombing at the Simi Valley headquarters of the Fountain of the World. The pair detonated an explosive device intended to kill their former leader, Krishna Venta, whom they accused of fraud and betrayal.

The blast killed both men and seven others, including Venta himself. The explosion’s force destroyed part of a nearby children’s dormitory and sparked a brush fire that spread across more than 150 acres of hillside. Several bystanders, including children and adults, were seriously burned as a result.

Taped recordings found after the explosion revealed the intent behind the act: Kamenoff and Muller had vowed “to bring Krishna to justice.”