Events
So many events happened on that dark night of 1912, and many of us don't know them all. These events still remain dark and mysterious. Exactly how did the murderer get in? How did he manage to murder eight people in their sleep?
Over a 100 years ago, in the small town of Villisca Iowa on June 9th-10th, 1912, eight people unknowingly were going to get murdered that night. Six children, ages 5-12, and two adults. The children of a neighbor (Neighbor being: Joe Stillinger and Sarah Stillinger) had set off from their house Sunday morning for a Children's Day church service. Those children being Ina and Lena. Their plans consisted of having dinner, spending time with, and then staying with their grandmother after the service was over.
However, their plans changed with Katherine Moore asked the sisters to come stay at the Moore household for the night. Of course, Mr. Josiah Moore had to call their parents first to "okay" it with them. Their older sister Blanche answered, told the elder Moore that her parents were outside, but she would pass the message onto them for him.
The Children's Day service at the Presbyterian Church began at 8 o'clock PM on June 9th and concluded at 9:30 PM. According to a fairly reliable source, Sarah Moore conducted the service. All of the children who were murdered-- Herman, Katherine, Boyd, & Paul Moore, plus the Stillinger girls, Ina & Lena-- participated. Josiah talked with the other men who were in the congregation. The family of six plus their two guests left the church at exactly 9:30 and probably arrived at their home at 9:45 or 10 o'clock PM.
Some where in between midnight and 3 o'clock, the murderer entered the house. (Marshall 45)
Over a 100 years ago, in the small town of Villisca Iowa on June 9th-10th, 1912, eight people unknowingly were going to get murdered that night. Six children, ages 5-12, and two adults. The children of a neighbor (Neighbor being: Joe Stillinger and Sarah Stillinger) had set off from their house Sunday morning for a Children's Day church service. Those children being Ina and Lena. Their plans consisted of having dinner, spending time with, and then staying with their grandmother after the service was over.
However, their plans changed with Katherine Moore asked the sisters to come stay at the Moore household for the night. Of course, Mr. Josiah Moore had to call their parents first to "okay" it with them. Their older sister Blanche answered, told the elder Moore that her parents were outside, but she would pass the message onto them for him.
The Children's Day service at the Presbyterian Church began at 8 o'clock PM on June 9th and concluded at 9:30 PM. According to a fairly reliable source, Sarah Moore conducted the service. All of the children who were murdered-- Herman, Katherine, Boyd, & Paul Moore, plus the Stillinger girls, Ina & Lena-- participated. Josiah talked with the other men who were in the congregation. The family of six plus their two guests left the church at exactly 9:30 and probably arrived at their home at 9:45 or 10 o'clock PM.
Some where in between midnight and 3 o'clock, the murderer entered the house. (Marshall 45)
theories
theory oneIt's between midnight and 5 o'clock AM. The murderer, has entered the house, wearing gloves. The reason for people believing this is because there were no signs of bloody fingerprints on the ax or anywhere else in the house. No one knows how he got in, but, sadly he did. With him, his weapon of choice-- an ax. He probably picked up the murder weapon from the barn, since this particular ax belonged to Josiah Moore. This ax is old, rusty, but still sharp as ever.
He heads into the guest room; the room where the Stillinger girls slept. He found an old skirt of Sarah Moore's and ripped it into two pieces. He then proceeded to drape on over the window, and the other over the dresser mirror. He stalked towards the bed like a predator, and raised the ax, the blunt side down, and strikes it across the head of Ina Stillinger, the one closest to the wall. Ina did not stir, as the murderer continued to beat her head with the blunt side of the ax. He continued to do that until she was dead, or unconscious. Then, he moved to Lena. He hit her in the head hard with the blunt side of the ax. Sources say that Lena seemed to have to wiggled down deeper into the bed to try to get away from it. He raised it again, and hit her in the head again. She opened her eyes, and was believed to be the only one to be awake during the murder. The murderer hit her in the head again, this time knocking her unconscious. He continued to hit her in the head with an ax, until he knew she was dead, or at least unconscious. Then, he raised the ax once again, this side with the sharp end of the blade down. He brought the axe down on either Ina's skull, or Lena's skull first, and hit one of them in the head 20-30 times, before moving to the other. Some say that he then proceeded too.... molest Lena Stillinger. After that, he headed upstairs to preform the beating of the skulls with the blunt side of the ax, then bashing them in with the sharp end, like he did to the Stillinger sisters. (Villisca Axe Murders) |
Theory twoIt's between midnight and five o'clock. The murderer, has entered the house, starched naked, wearing gloves. The reason for people to believing this, was because there were no signs of bloody clothing or bloody fingerprints left on the ax.
They say for the most part, aside from being naked and wearing gloves, the murder went the exact way as the first theory. But, here's the other thing that is different from theory one: Before he left the house, they believe he went back into the guest room and tried to whip the blood off of the blade with the undergarments from Lena Stillinger. (Villisca Axe Murders) |
the following day
The following day, on June 10th, an elderly neighbor of theirs, named Mary Peckham, started to become concerned when she noticed the house was eerily quiet. It seemed to be deserted. So, she headed over to the house and knocked on the door, and when no answer came to avail, she knocked again. She knocked a few more times, before she headed back to her house. "She then called Joe's brother, Ross, a local druggist, who arrived at 8:00 A.M. to look around. His cautious inspection of the downstairs revealed two figures covered with a sheet in the back bedroom, and he also saw blood on the bedstead." (Iowa Cold Cases)
Ross then exited the house, looking awfully pale, and told Mary Peckham to run home, and call the county coroner and the sheriff. Mary Peckham, not knowing the extent of the situation, did as she was asked and went home to call them. Around nine o'clock, the coroner and sheriff arrived at the house. And the most crucial days after the murder had begun.
(Villisca Axe Murders)
Ross then exited the house, looking awfully pale, and told Mary Peckham to run home, and call the county coroner and the sheriff. Mary Peckham, not knowing the extent of the situation, did as she was asked and went home to call them. Around nine o'clock, the coroner and sheriff arrived at the house. And the most crucial days after the murder had begun.
(Villisca Axe Murders)
Tuesday
"Authorities by Tuesday were giving serious consideration to the possibility that the Villisca Murders may have been the work of a serial killer. The term wasn't in use at the time; one newspaper talked about a "transient butcher", but there was certainly reason for that angle to be given consideration. Just nine months earlier, a string of bloody, unsolved axe slayings began. The first was on September 17, 1911 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was on a Sunday night, at around midnight, when someone entered the house of Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Wayne, and their daughter. They were murdered as they slept. The killer then went next door to the home of Mrs. Aj Burns and murdered her and her two children in the same manner. The heads of all six victims had been crushed with an ax. Two weeks later, also on a Sunday night, someone entered the home of William Dawson in Monmouth, Illinois, and killed Dawson, his wife, and their daughter. The murder weapon was not found, but the wounds were again to the head and consistent with the blows delivered by an ax. On October 15th, 1911, is Ellsworth, Kansas, William Showman, his wife, and three children were murdered in their homes as they slept. The weapon was again an ax, used with such force that the head of one of the children was severed. The next incident took place in Paola, Kansas, during the night of June 5th, 1912." (Marshall 45)
Inquest
"On June 11th, 1912, the coroner's jury convened for the Inquest. Fourteen witnesses were called to testify. They included Mary Peckham (neighbor), Ed Selley (worker who worked for J.B. Moore and went into the house after Ross Moore left), Dr. J. Clark Cooper (town coroner), Jesse Moore (brother to J.B. Moore), Dr. F.S. Williams (physician who examined the bodies) Edward Landers (summer visitor to his mother who lives near the Moore household), Ross Moore (brother to J.B. Moore), Fenwick Moore (another brother to J.B. Moore), Marshall of the town Hank Horton, Lee Van Gilder (nephew), Harry Moore (brother), Blanche Stillinger (sister to Ina and Lena), Joseph Stillinger (father to the girls), and Charles Moore (another of Moore's brothers)." (Villisca Axe Murders)
But, in the end......
The murder has remained unsolved, and will forever be unsolved. The man who committed this crime is long gone, taking that terrible secret to his grave....
Several trials were held, most of them considering Reverend George Jacklin Kelly was the murderer, but to no avail was anyone ever convicted. They tried for four years to try to find the murderer, until in 1916, they finally laid the case to rest. New evidence has popped up, as Ghost Adventures had caught a paranormal phenomenon uttering the words "...Andy..." leading people to believe the murderer was the slightly crazy Andy Sawyer.
But, even if it was Sawyer, we wouldn't know and just because of some TV has "evidence" (that could be proved fake) does not mean it's true. It could have been any of the suspects.
Heck, it could even be someone who had no connection to the town of Villisca at all..... (Villisca Axe Murders)
Several trials were held, most of them considering Reverend George Jacklin Kelly was the murderer, but to no avail was anyone ever convicted. They tried for four years to try to find the murderer, until in 1916, they finally laid the case to rest. New evidence has popped up, as Ghost Adventures had caught a paranormal phenomenon uttering the words "...Andy..." leading people to believe the murderer was the slightly crazy Andy Sawyer.
But, even if it was Sawyer, we wouldn't know and just because of some TV has "evidence" (that could be proved fake) does not mean it's true. It could have been any of the suspects.
Heck, it could even be someone who had no connection to the town of Villisca at all..... (Villisca Axe Murders)