Benjamin Cyrus is inspired by, if not loosely based on, an amalgamation of Peoples Temple cult leader Jim Jones, Randy Weaver, the U.S. Marshals' primary person of interest in the 1992 Ruby Ridge standoff, and David Koresh, the leader of the Branch Davidians, the target of the 1993 Waco siege.
According to FBI and ATF accounts, the Waco massacre began with the ATF attacking the ranch under the guise of serving a warrant for weapons violations. Agents from 3 different states were called in for the supposedly peaceful warrant serving, which resulted in a two and a half hour gunfight in which both sides took casualties, although the Branch Davidians took more than the Agents.
During a ceasefire Koresh sent 24 members (mostly children) out of harms way.
The accounts differ on the exact terms of the agreement, but both agencies agree that David Koresh, agreed to surrender. Either when he had completed his essays (his interpretation of the Bible), or after his "message" was broadcast on public radio, however this was timetable was not acceptable to the hostage rescue team who only antagonised the situation with deafening music and random destruction of property (no-one knows what they hoped to achieve).
After a 51 day siege, the ranch was stormed.
The agents used CS gas (in huge amounts), which is highly flammable. The gas coupled with weapons fire cause the compound to be engulfed in flames, killing 75 men, women and children.
Joel Murray, who makes a guest appearance in this episode, previously co-starred with Thomas Gibson in Dharma & Greg (1997).
At the beginning of the episode, Reid hands Emily two false IDs. One is a Child Protective Services badge identifying her as a "Child Victim Interview Expert," with a badge number that appears to be 28257. The other is a Colorado driver's license that gives her address as 823 Marigold St., La Plata, CO 81301. The photo on the driver's license appears to be an older picture than the one on the CPS badge, as Emily has no bangs in the driver's license photo.
Kathleen Wilhoite (Kathy Evanson) and Jenna Boyd (Jessica Evanston) also played mother and daughter on Ghost Whisperer (2005).