The Story

You've heard the ghost stories, right?

Kay's Cross is haunted. It was built by a polygamist man named William Kay. He got angry one night and killed all of his wives in the late 1800s. Instead of of burying them at the cemetery near by and making tombstones for every one, he just buried them in his back yard. He erected a huge 17 foot cross as a memorial to his deceased. He even cut out his favorite wife's heart and put it in the hollowed out center right behind the "K." His wives haunt to Cross to this day.

Does that story sound familiar? If not, you can now say you've heard the basic backbone to the legend. It's the story I heard over and over again growing up in the Kaysville area.

My name is Matthew. I was born in 1992, the same year the Cross was blown up, and the stories survived all these years. My dad grew up in Ogden. He heard the ghost stories growing up too. As a teenager he ventured out to see Kay's Cross. At that time it was still standing.

Would you believe me if I told you that the actual facts are stranger than the stories?


In order to create the YouTube series that you can watch on our home page, we had to do a lot of research. The page you're reading now is an attempt to combine everything we've learned about Kay's Cross. From here on out, I'll give you the facts only (as far as I know them).

I started my research at UtahGothic.com This website had a lot of helpful information. It got me thinking. I quickly realized that there probably wasn't a lot of truth to the myths I had always heard.

My friend Jake decided to help me with this project. We discovered that William Kay really had nothing to do with Kay's Cross. William Kay was a good man. He helped settle Kaysville. He was the first LDS Bishop here back in Brigham Young's day. He was so great that they named the town after him. I want the world to know he never killed any of his family!

Bishop Kay's picture hangs in the Heritage Museum in Layton next to one of my ancestors. My great, great, great, great grandpa, another settler of Kaysville was one of Bishop Kay's close friends,  his name is John Green. Knowing this gave me even more of a personal incentive to figure out this mystery. This isn't just local history. To me it's family history too!

"I first saw the Cross in 1947 so it's at least that old." The director of this local museum, Mr. Bill Sanders, explained. Mr. Sanders actually has an entire binder full of information on Kay's Cross, including newspaper articles, reports by students, and many pictures.

He told us a little bit about the destruction of this landmark. Kay's Cross was blown up in 1992. But, who blew it up? That's one of the strangest mysteries yet.




Why would someone blow it up? Were they hiding something? Some say that the cops or the property owners just got tired of it. Teenagers were known to go to the Cross and try to freak each other out. Teenagers coming to the Cross were also known to be involved in underage drinking and other illegal activities there. The area was very difficult to monitor. However, there is no hard evidence convicting the police, the property owners, or any neighbors of blowing it up.

This piece of the mystery has the least light shed on it. I called the police department. They told me to go to the Sheriff's Office. Strangely enough, Kay's Cross is at a part of town that's not technically in Kaysville. Although right in the middle of Kaysville, it's technically considered just a part of Davis County. I found this particularly strange because the surrounding areas are in Kaysville.

For the city police this means they don't have jurisdiction. It falls to the county sheriff.

It's easy to uncover that the Sherif's Office sent a "bomb expert" out to the Cross the day it of the explosion. I wonder how they found a "bomb expert" hanging around that very day. Either way, no one was ever arrested. The case just seemed to fade away after awhile.

I asked for and filed for the original police report, but no one ever got back to me.

We even went to Kaysville City and asked to look at the city council meeting minutes the week it was blown up. "There's nothing there," the lady at the desk quickly responded. "I've looked through all the records myself. There's nothing on Kay's Cross or the family that owns the property." She seemed to dismiss us rather quickly. It should be our right to look at those minutes, but I didn't push it too hard.

We went to the Davis County Courthouse and eventually ended up in the Recorder's Office. "Is this the place where we go to look up who owns property in the county?" I asked the lady at the desk.

"Yes it is!" She pulled down a map and I pointed to the property only to discover that it was owned by a mysterious cooperation named "LPM." Then the computers went down. No more documents were available. Although the lady did quietly admit that she believed polygamists owned that property.

Mr. Sanders suggested that we go to Boynton Road. He said it was the closest street to Kay's Cross. He wanted us to just start knocking on doors to see if any of the neighbors knew who built it. I didn't want to go that far just yet.

We went back to the Recorder's Office a few days later to find a tax document that LPM Cooperation filed regarding the property. They filed this new tax information  earlier that year on May 16, my birthday. This was getting strange.

We also heard rumors that Kay's Cross was built by a man named Krishna Venta. We looked him up and found a blog all about him.


Francis Pencovic was his real name. This Californian lived around the same time the Cross was supposed to be built, but was he really ever in Utah? He was a cult leader and told people he was the Messiah, yes, Jesus Christ. He even changed his name to Krishna. At the end of his life he ended being bombed by own of his "followers." He was killed the same way to Cross was, in an explosion. However, he died in California.

We weren't convinced. Could this guy really be the builder of Kay's Cross? It just didn't seem to make sense. Maybe it was a cover up story.

I decided to search for Pencovic on FamilySearch.org a website for doing Genealogy put out by the LDS Church. I indeed found a military record of Pencovic in Utah in 1946. My skepticism immediately started to change.

We also finally decided to go to the neighbors of Kay's Cross down on Boynton Road. No one answered the first door. We went to the house across the street. Still no answer. Just as we were about to go to the next house the door creaked open. The lady there told us that for the first time ever the people that owned the property that Kay's Cross was on were doing a spook alley. She agreed to pass along our contact information.

Could this be true? All these coincidences were too strange.

A man named Jared was in charge of the Spook Alley. Although he admitted he was not the property owner. He had wanted to do a spook alley there for year and this was the first year the property owners finally approved. Jared also told us that he believed Krishna Venta was heavily involved in the construction of Kay's Cross. He heard stories from his grandfather who was boy at the time the Cross was being built.

We never officially met the property owners, but had to sign a document from them to gain permission to film some scenes at the Cross.

Here's the website to the Spook Alley.  They also have some pretty crazy stories about people venturing off to the Cross in the past. They are fun to read.

We knew KSL had some news stories about the Cross too. We got permission from the local new station to use their footage for our YouTube series. A paralegal, Mr. Aaron Thompson, was especially helpful in getting us the information we needed.

We still don't know all the answers. It honestly is clouded in mystery. Maybe you can find out more. Was Krishna Venta really involved? Did the police department blow it up? What's the real story? Post your comments on this blog, or e-mail us. We want to know what you think.

Here are some helpful websites on Kay's Cross:



The rights to our series is now officially owned by the Heritage Museum. If you have any questions you can e-mail: KaysCross@gmail.com

20 comments:

  1. LPM cooperation is owned by the Kingston Clan.

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    1. OK right there makes me wonder is the story Kirishna Venta is a cover story as well as the devil worshipping as away to try to keep people away On Ghost Adventures the one guy mentioned that he had gone hiking around and when he got back his car was covered in some type animals blood. Is it hard to believe it was not Satan Worshipers, instead it was polygamists trying to tell him to stay away?

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  2. https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ut-court-of-appeals/1140716.html

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  3. I'm doing some random research on cult history for some free writing, and I came across this. According to Ventas history his group had the cross erected for him but his group wasn't put together until 1948 which would make the claims of Venta being responsible for the cross impossible being it was seen before this time. But it is still possible he had the group secret before this I guess. It could still be a cover up. AGH WELL NEVER KNOW!!!! lol

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  4. I also don't understand how the two attract such evil people. It was a cross, and venta wasn't a Satan worshipper so if he did have the cross built and even if he didn't, why do Satan worshippers flock here??? It makes no sense???

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  5. Devil worshippers have always flocked to Christian symbals and relics. What better way to thumb your nose at God himself than by desiccating anything symbolizing him?

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  6. Is there anymore info about Kay's Hollow? i wanted to ask because i love history and these types of things and to to prove to my friends that Kay's Hollow is a dangerous place to visit.

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    1. Well, I live in the Kaysville area, and I've done extensive research on the cross and its hauntings. The possibilities for the builder of the cross are The Kingstons (Unlikely due to the time they owned it being during WW2, and thus making concrete and steel expensive), William Kay (Unlikely due to him owning the land before it would've been practical to build the cross), and Kirishna Venta (Unlikely because his cult really kicked off later than the cross was presumed to be built). Obviously, it was one of these people/groups. My bet almost always falls upon my relatives, The Kingston's. They had power and influence due to being LDS and polygamist, with this, they could have been able to make the cross, even if it was during an inconvenient time. Second, the Kingston's were polygamist, and still are in some areas, this would entertain the possibility that wives were killed and buried around and inside the cross. Also, during one of my visits to the cross, I did find bones in a rectangular hole near the cross, we determined that they were likely deer bones, but bones nonetheless.

      If there was a person behind the cross, it would be Charles W. Kingston, he fits every bill, even to starting the FLDS, and getting excommunicated from the church. Also, Kay's Cross is part of an equilateral triangle between Hod's Hollow and The Layton Hills Mall, two other haunted places, one being an American Indian burial ground, and the other being the source of multiple drownings. During a visit to the Hollow, multiple people in my group began to pass out and lay down, and during one trip to Kay's cross, we heard a loud howl, before we all felt a chill run down our spine, a different time going to the cross, we experienced the temperature drop about 20 degrees Fahrenheit. During another trip, we smelt sulfur, saw cacti (symbols of bad luck, death, etc.), and the first time we went, we were guided towards the cross by deer who blocked our path, forcing us down towards the cross.

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  7. I loved reading this blog. I really hope you continue your research and update us on your progress. I love reading stories about the paranormal, ghostly encounters and unsolved mysteries. Thanks for your contribution and keep up the good work, and please keep us posted!

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  8. Everyone asks why satanists flock to the christian symbols I can inform you why. This is coming from a satanist

    I have been to Kay's cross multiple times.
    I used to live in Kaysville til my family moved to georgia.

    Satanism is based off lots of religions and christian is our main enemy.
    However satanism is not bad!!!
    Yes as a satanist we make scarifies.
    But you can stay well away from us when this happens.
    If you do run into a ritual then you have completely demolished what we were doing and yes it is in the rules to rituals to take action.

    Also I do not recommend going to Kay's hallow at night by the cross the well with the upside pentagram or near the abondoned house.
    That is where the most rituals take place.

    If you have any questions I will be glad to answer. Honestly satanism is just misunderstood.

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    1. Hi I would love to get in touch to learn more. I just went to Kay's Cross a couple weeks ago.

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  9. Regardless of where it came from it's kind of creepy out in the woods like that. #demonssuck

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  10. Francis Pincovic was jailed all over the country. Some of his followers are still in Homer Alaska. After he was killed in California the commune continued.Charles Manson got his beginning from the group in California in 1968 ..He was in Utah when it was built it appears. They settled in cali.Check out his stories.

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  11. Thanks. 12 Principles, BUPC.ORG, BAHA'I GROUP FROM MONTANA, DR.LELAND JENSEN, THE LAMB - Zach Lightcap, Western States Rep. 50 year anniversary this Aug. 9. of His entry into Old Montana State Prison, cell 232 - Zech 3:9 'the stone with 7 eyes' - the 'secret, of the 'secret NWO'?? :) ☆£☆ Welcome!! :) -z

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  12. Got some information on this. My father was one of the builders. He wants the record set straight, so here you are:
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    "In the summer of 1946 a man came to the people of the Co-op with a plan he wanted to present to us. He called himself Dr. Pencovic, but wanted to be referred to as [Krishna Venta}, which when translated to our language meant Christ returned. He was organizing a group in California and was forming this group into a form of united order. He was trying to get more people to join his group and wanted our people to join him. The leader of the co-op was Charles Elden Kingston who wanted to be known and referred to as brother Elden and wanted to portray himself as being on an equal with all the members and our group was to be referred to as [the Order]. At the same time he was clearly the leader of our group. I went to brother Elden with my concerns because I didn't believe Mr. Pencovic was Christ, and he informed me he was of the same belief. However he welcomed Pencovic in order to give all the members the chance to follow him if they chose. This man was about 6 feet tall, very good looking, wore a long robe, went barefoot and had a full beard. After attending a few of our meetings he informed us that he wanted us to build a stone cross at the farm in Kaysville to pay tribute to the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Brother Elden agreed and organized a crew to do this. The men chosen to do this were Allen[Mac} Frandsen, Alfred Grundvig, Ammon and Ivan Nielsen, Ernie Ekstrom, Merlin Kingston, Malvern Hansen, Gerald Hansen. There may have been others, I am not sure. A place was chosen on the hillside and we began working there. It started by us digging an excavation about a foot deep, about 10 feet long and about 6 feet wide. Then we took 3 pieces of steel rails that had been used in the coal mine to form the support for the cross. 2 of these rails were about 10 feet long and the third one about 6 feet long. The 2 long rails were wired together at about 3 feet from the top end, then the cross rail wired to them. Then this structure was driven into the ground at the center of the excavation, then it was supported in the upright position and concrete filled the excavation holding it all in place. Merlin, Gerald and myself had the job of gathering the rocks to make the structure. We got these rocks along the upper road where cherry hills subdivision now is. We chose rocks of suitable size and shape to do a good job. This cross was about 9 feet tall and at the cross arm about 7 feet wide. The center of the cross about 6 feet high. At the base it was about 4 feet square and at the ends of the arms it was about 3 feet square sloping to about 2 feet where they all came together. On the south face, right in the center was a recession about 3 inches deep and 20 inches high and 14 inches wide. Formed into this recession was the letter K which represented the word Knowledge. After the foundation had hardened, Mac and Alfred laid up the rocks. I had the job of mixing the mortar which held the rocks together. Rather than regular mortar this was made of concrete without rocks in the mixture which made a very strong structure. Ernie created the form which formed the letter K. The cross was never completed as we stopped work on it when Pencovic returned to California. Now a brief review about Pencovic. He was born and named Francis Herman Pencovic march 29 1911, had his name legally changed to Krishna Venta in a California court in 1951. He openly stated he was Jesus Christ. He also claimed to have come to earth with a convoy of rocket ships from the planet Neophrates which had been destroyed for the wickedness of it's people. Soon after he left here he formed a religious cult named W.K.F.L. [Wisdom Faith Knowledge Love] at Chatsworth California. He died in a suicide bombing carried out by 2 of his followers who blew up themselves and 8 other people after he had been intimate with the wives of these men."

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    1. Thank you & your grandfather so much.
      This in my eyes, due to the level of detail, seems to make the most sense.
      I too had visited the cross in roughly 1985.
      It was in rough shape then.
      I heard the William Kay’s lore.
      I’ll make sure to perpetuate this accounting of “ Kay’s “Cross.”

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  13. This hits different in 2020 as a pagan-

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  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

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