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Omaha Steve

(99,072 posts)
Sun Jun 10, 2012, 12:51 PM Jun 2012

100 years of mystery: The Villisca ax murders (8 dead)


http://www.omaha.com/article/20120610/NEWS01/120609881#100-years-of-mystery-the-villisca-ax-murders

Published Sunday June 10, 2012

By Christopher Burbach and Andrew J. Nelson

One hundred years ago in Villisca, Iowa, a family of six and two little farm girls on a sleepover were bludgeoned to death in their beds. The crime became known by the name of the town that it would forever stain, and by the weapon that the mysterious assailant used to work his evil: The Villisca ax murders.

It was ­— and remains — Iowa's largest mass murder.

Who killed eight people on that moonless Iowa night? Even now, no one knows.

Part One: The Murders

By Christopher Burbach / WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

VILLISCA, Iowa — On June 10, 1912, neighbors of Josiah and Sarah Moore began to wonder what was wrong next door when the curtains were still closed and nobody was stirring by 7:30 a.m. It was too warm to leave the windows down.

Josiah Moore should have been heading downtown to his hardware and implement store. And Sarah Moore and the children should have been among the other early risers of Villisca, even though they had been up late the night before for a special Sunday children's program at the church.

Something was beyond wrong in the Moore house. Read more/Read less

FULL story and photos at link.

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100 years of mystery: The Villisca ax murders (8 dead) (Original Post) Omaha Steve Jun 2012 OP
Is this where I insert the John Wayne Gacy - Michele Bachmann joke? Brother Buzz Jun 2012 #1
It was so easy to be a serial killer back then. aquart Jun 2012 #2
Plus forensic science was hardly even a thing XemaSab Jun 2012 #4
Is there any evidence there were more serial killers back in the day? Comrade Grumpy Jun 2012 #5
Not at all recent. Just no way to gather the evidence or record the pattern. aquart Jun 2012 #9
Interesting case Sherman A1 Jun 2012 #3
Rmoney was just pulling a prank. HopeHoops Jun 2012 #6
Very interesting Boxcar Willie Jun 2012 #7
Spooky. byronius Jun 2012 #8
Not remotely. aquart Jun 2012 #10
IMO, Dyatlov Pass blows this out of the water but I know what you mean. Poll_Blind Jun 2012 #11

XemaSab

(60,212 posts)
4. Plus forensic science was hardly even a thing
Sun Jun 10, 2012, 02:47 PM
Jun 2012

and you could show up in a town 30 miles down the road, introduce yourself as Joe Blow, wreak havoc right and left, and then return to your house with no-one the wiser.

 

Comrade Grumpy

(13,184 posts)
5. Is there any evidence there were more serial killers back in the day?
Sun Jun 10, 2012, 04:24 PM
Jun 2012

It seems like a relatively recent phenomenon, but what do I know?

aquart

(69,014 posts)
9. Not at all recent. Just no way to gather the evidence or record the pattern.
Mon Jun 11, 2012, 08:52 AM
Jun 2012

There was a killer doing in landladies throughout the west. I remember somebody noticed that sufficiently to keep records.

There's an encyclopedia of American crime. Fascinating.

aquart

(69,014 posts)
10. Not remotely.
Mon Jun 11, 2012, 08:56 AM
Jun 2012

The American murders had a distinct serial signature. The problem was no one understood that type of crime.

Poll_Blind

(23,864 posts)
11. IMO, Dyatlov Pass blows this out of the water but I know what you mean.
Mon Jun 11, 2012, 08:58 AM
Jun 2012

I was reading about the Villisca murders just the night before last and...hell, I'm not going to bullshit- I was terrified. But the Dyatlov Pass...I read quite a bit about it over the last year or so (I think I learned about it from a Cracked.com article!)...I just get chills and goosebumps thinking about it.

PB

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