 In October 1996 , the group rented a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe , California . That year , they recorded two video messages in which they offered their viewers a " last chance to evacuate Earth " . Around the same time , they learned of the approach of Comet Hale – Bopp . Applewhite now believed that Nettles was aboard a spaceship trailing the comet , and that she planned to rendezvous with them . He told his followers that the vessel would transport them to an empyrean destination , and that there was a government conspiracy to suppress word of the craft . In addition , he stated that his deceased followers would be taken by the vessel as well , a belief that resembled the Christian pretribulation rapture doctrine . It is not known how he learned of the comet or why he believed that it was accompanied by extraterrestrials or why he should have believed the dead Nettles would be with them . 
 In October 1996 , the group rented a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe , California . That year , they<a href='been_done' title='1'><mark></mark></a> recorded two video messages in which they offered their viewers a " last chance to evacuate Earth " . Around the same time , they learned of the approach of Comet Hale – Bopp . Applewhite now believed that Nettles was aboard a spaceship trailing the comet , and that she planned to rendezvous with them . He told his followers that the vessel would transport them to an empyrean destination , and that <a href='dey_it' title='2'><mark>there</mark></a> was a government conspiracy to suppress word of the craft . In addition , he stated that his deceased followers would be taken by the vessel as well , a belief <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>that</mark></a>resembled the Christian pretribulation rapture doctrine . It is not known how he learned of the comet or why he believed that it was accompanied by extraterrestrials or why he should <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>have</mark></a> believed the dead Nettles would be with them . 
In October 1996 , the group rented a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe , cali . That year , they done recorded 2 video messages in which they offered their viewers a " last chance to evacuate Earth " . Around da same time , they learned of the approach of Comet Hale – Bopp . Applewhite now believed that Nettles was aboard a spaceship trailing the comet , and that she planned to rendezvous w them . He told his followers that the vessel would transport em to an empyrean destination , and that it was a government conspiracy to suppress word of tdacraft . In addition , he stated that his deceased followers would be taken by thdaessel as well , a belief resembled the Christian pretribulation rapture doctrine . It ain't known how he learned of the comet or y he believed dat it was accompanied by extraterrestrials or why he should done believed thedaad Nettles would b witwittem