EDITOR'S NOTE: The information in this article was made available by Jonathan Grisham Burchfield, creator of Stop Pastoral Abuse. (https://www.facebook.com/stoppingpastoralabuse)
TRIGGER WARNING: The following article contains descriptions as of sexual, and mental abuse toward minors, and one photographic piece of evidence of child abuse and neglect.
That’s a strong statement to make, but time and again, we see shocking, tragic proof of it.
The shining example of an unrepentant, unchanging abuser is David Hyles.
In the 1970’s, David Hyles groomed 14 year old Joy Evans Ryder. He raped her at 15. This rape was covered up by the leadership at Hyles-Anderson College - under Jack Hyle’s leadership. (Source: https://www.preacherboysdoc.com/ryder-v-hyles)
In 1985, David, whose wife divorced him, later lived with Brenda Stevens and was charged in abusing her year-old son, Brent. Brent was found dead in his crib at the age of 15 months. At the coroner's inquest in 1985, Brenda was a no-show, while David Hyles pleaded the Fifth Amendment. David and Brenda Hyles later conceived a son, and named him Jack David Hyles. In March of 1999, Brenda Hyles ran him over with the family car, killing the 5-year-old boy. Brenda claimed that Jack David had fallen out of the car and she could not avoid running over him (3/25/99, St. Petersburg Times).]
Since then, David has done what abusers often do - he has rebranded himself. Now, he is something of a self-help guru for the abusive underbelly of the Independent Baptist Movement. He works to restore pastors who have “fallen.” “Fallen” seems like a strange word to describe rapists, pedophiles, and other criminals - but one would be lying if they said anything about David and his deceitful, checkered history was “normal.”
Aside from some recent posts showcasing unsavory connections with Pastors like Jack Hyles sycophants like Bob Gray, Sr. as well as some vague references to “restoration” and “forgiveness” posted from his wife’s account - there hasn’t been much breaking news about David - until now.
On Sunday, October 11, 2020, Jonathan Grisham Burchfield of Stop Pastoral Abuse received messages from a woman in her young twenties, who alleged an online relationship with the now 67 year old David Hyles.
He would contact her from a variety of accounts, using aliases like David Jaxson and David Miller.
He made claims that his wife had passed away. This information is not true.
When reading the messages, Hyles acts as you would expect - some messages referencing meetings he was preparing to speak at, while others are purely sexual in nature.
“I will shut my door and we can masturbate together… hehehehe,” David wrote.
Her response, “And there’s allowed there at your office?”
David’s personality shines through yet again, “I am the boss.” “I can do what I want.”
Among the myriad of messages that reflect a long running, deceitful and manipulative relationship are dozens of selfies from David Hyles. Pictures that she would be unlikely to possess unless truly sent by him.
It's important to recognize that, simultaneously to manipulating this young woman, he was financing himself off of the backs of churches. A true charlatan, using ministries, church members, and every other person in his life as pawns to his advantage.
Is this particular situation illegal? No. But it’s a reflection of his moral character and his uncanny ability to lie without remorse or without consideration of impact it will have on the lives he toys with.
More on this story as it develops.