The shootout, siege, and fire at Mount Carmel, better known as the Branch Davidian compound, is one of the most debated and misunderstood sagas in modern history. Thirty years later, most people still do not know what really happened even though there have been numerous books, articles, movies, and videos written/produced about the tragedy. Unfortunately, many depictions of the Waco Branch Davidian story lack the comprehensive research needed to sort through the various myths and misconceptions surrounding the actual events. Others are sensationalized accounts representing a single viewpoint that either defends the Branch Davidians or blindly supports the law enforcement actions that occurred. These distorted and confusing narratives leave many wondering what to believe. In reality, the events surrounding Mount Carmel aren't a mystery at all. Ranch Apocalypse is an objective account that has been carefully researched and documented. It begins with a history of the Branch Davidian Church and Vernon Wayne Howell's (aka David Koresh) troubled childhood. The book tells how a high school dropout from a dysfunctional family mesmerized a large group of devoted followers. It continues with the origin of the ATF investigation, the steps of the investigation (including undercover operations), and discusses the factors considered regarding the arrest of David Koresh. Never before heard first-hand accounts from agents that were there (including the author) will put you into the investigation as well in the action of the shootout. Various sources, including hundreds of pages of FBI transcripts and logs, were analyzed to provide a detailed summary of conversations and events that occurred during the siege. The origin and horrors of the deadly fire and the subsequent trial and verdicts are also discussed. These chapters include accounts from one of the first firefighters who arrived on the scene to extinguish the flames and a federal prosecutor who was involved in the investigation and trial. Later chapters address the fallout and aftermath of the events and examine the mistakes and miscalculations made by the government as the crisis unfolded. The last chapters conclude with a discussion of common misconceptions about the tragedy and answer the most-asked questions. Learn the reasoning behind the decisions to serve the search warrant and later to insert CS gas into the compound. Find out who the Davidians were, why they resisted the service of the search warrant, an