who was belle gunness first documented victim

John Moe of Elbow Lake, Minnesota. This photo dates to about 1904. [7], Gunness began placing marriage ads in Chicago newspapers in 1905. At the time, forensics was in its infancy, and the bodies had been so mutilated that there was little hope of identifying them. Triflers need not apply. . Norwegian born Belle Gunness was born as Brynhild Paulsdatter Strseth in November 1859. But, from the start, there were questions as to whether the headless corpse was that of Belle Gunness. All of them told of lonesome brothers, uncles, and cousins answering Belles matrimonial ads and traveling hopefully to La Porte with their life savings stuffed in their pockets. Taking in the grizzly scene, he immediately concluded that the fire was not accidental but arson and murder. In 1877, Gunness attended a country dance while pregnant. [7], Her criminal activities came to light in April 1908, when the Gunness farmhouse in La Porte, Indiana burned to But after Andrew Helgelien stopped answering letters, his brother Asle got worried and demanded answers. 4/28/1908 49 Fire set that kills children and where Belle's body was "supposedly" found headless. She introduced them as cousins from Kansas, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and from Chicago She was always careful to make the children stay away from her cousins.'. Lamphere was later linked to the fire at Gunness farm. [28], Hell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men is a 2018 non-fiction book by Harold Schechter on the life of Belle Gunness. Basically, Belle Gunness was a female serial killer who poisoned her suitors and children. In April 1902, she married Peter Gunness. Though estimates vary widely, Belle Gunness is believed to have killed at least a dozen people (and possibly upwards of 40) between 1884 and . But, for Helgeliens brother, Asle, the matter was far from over. Not Only Was Belle Gunness America's First Female Serial Killer, But She Just Had To Live In Indiana. She contended that he posed a threat to her family and had Lamphere arrested for trespassing. Pennsylvania's most well-known serial killer is Harvey Miguel Robinson, who is known for being one of the youngest serial killers reported in the U.S. [citation needed] The second account is based on the report that Lamphere contacted a Reverend Edwin Schell and provided him with a verbal confession that Schell transcribed and had Lamphere sign, a document that Schell kept sealed in his personal safe. [6] When she was processed by immigration at Castle Garden, she changed her first name to Belle, then travelled to Chicago to join her sister, Nellie, who had immigrated several years earlier. Although her farmhouse burned down in April 1908, seemingly with her inside, some believe that Gunness slipped away perhaps to kill again. Reporters described her home as a horror farm and a death garden. Curious onlookers flocked to La Porte, as it became a local and national attraction, to the point that vendors reportedly sold ice cream, popcorn, cake, and something called Gunness Stew to visitors. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. But he awoke one night to a terrifying sight Gunness leaning over his bed as he slept. The farmhouse had belonged to Belle Gunness, at the time simply believed to be a widowed Norwegian immigrant but now infamous for being one of the most prolific female serial killers in the United States. She dumped the corpse into a hog-scalding vat at other times and then covered the remains with quicklime. Maxson said there were many deep depressions in the ground covered by dirt. Then, the farm became something of a tourist attraction, with thousands of gawkers turning up and in some cases, taking souvenirs, according to The New York Post. In her letters, Gunness had asked her mark to bring all of his money and not tell anyone what he was up to. By his count, he said she had murdered 42 men and had taken amounts from them ranging from $1,000 to $32,000. She wanted the ground made level, so he filled in the depressions. I think of you constantly. April 29, 2008 / 8:03 AM / AP. As The New York Post noted, she's been tied to at least 11 murders, and possibly dozens more, although the exact number of her victims may likely never be known. Then, in December 1907, Andrew Helgelien, a bachelor farmer from Aberdeen, South Dakota, wrote to her and was warmly received. Their life together seemed to be marked by tragedy. Belle Gunness may or may not be one of America's most prolific serial killers. Benjamin Carling of Chicago, Illinois, was last seen by his wife in 1907 after telling her that he was going to La Porte to secure an investment with a wealthy widow. . This is a story that will shock you more than most, because of t .more Get A Copy Kindle Unlimited $0.00 Amazon Stores Stephanie Brooks. Even DNA tests that were done decades later from envelopes that Gunness licked were unable to definitively answer if she had died in the fire. On April 27, 1908, Belle Gunness went to see an attorney in La Porte. [22][pageneeded] Moreover, the crime became an acknowledged part of area history: the La Porte County Historical Society Museum has a permanent "Belle Gunness" exhibit. Within a week, he had disappeared. Gunness had insured both of the children and collected a large insurance check after each death. But she also became somewhat of a legend, shrouded in mystery, revenge and money. Reading Gunness' plodding letters to Andrew, it is plain that "soaring" and "rapture" were not her style. On April 28, 1908, a fire destroyed a family farm near La Porte, Indiana. It was reported that both the boat and carriage houses burned to the ground shortly after she acquired the property. A well-built woman with six feet height and over 90 90 kg, Belle immigrated to the US in 1881. He never returned for his belongings, nor did he ever speak to Gunness again. From 1884 to 1908, it's believed that Belle Gunness killed, at least, 14 people. As a result, Coroner Charles Mack officially concluded that the adult female body discovered in the ruins was Belle Gunness. . That night, someone set her farmhouse on fire. However, she never went to the police to tell them about Lampheres allegedly life-threatening statements. A series of deaths and disappearances of people associated with her followed, many of which fetched her insurance . Whether Gunness died in that fire remains unclear. American newspapers labeled Belle Gunness the Black Widow, Hells Belle, the Indiana Ogress, and the Mistress of the Castle of Death.. Soon afterward, Olsen vanished. In 1881, when she was 21 years old, Belle Gunness moved to Chicago. Next, Belle presented herself to a lawyer in La Porte named M.E. But, for one reason or another, Gunness decided to emigrate from Selbu to Chicago in 1881. Belle did indeed become wealthy, but not because she earned the money honestly. Edgar Award Finalist: The true story of the female Norwegian immigrant who led a secret life as a serial killer in the early twentieth-century Midwest. Brynhild Paulsdatter Storset, better known as Belle Gunness is a Norwegian-American serial killer who targeted men who showed interest in marrying her. Female Indiana serial killer, the 'comely' Belle Gunness, loved her suitors to death. Gunness, the youngest of 8 children, grew up on a cotter's farm in Innbygda, Selbu. Best Known For: Serial killer Belle Gunness is reported to have murdered more than 40 people between 1884 and 1908 before disappearing without a trace. I know nothing about the house of crime, as they call it, he said, when asked about Gunness murders. status aspirations. Initially, authorities found the remains of an adult woman and three children and quickly concluded that they belonged to the homeowner, a Norwegian immigrant known as Belle Gunness and her three foster children. Some of these were most undoubtedly additional victims, though they were never proven. When the smoke cleared, authorities were left with so many bodies that they "stopped counting," according to Mental Floss. Though the authorities investigated, the formidable Belle was so convincing that no charges were ever filed. Neighbors described the 200-pound Gunness as a rugged woman who was also incredibly strong. He opened the hall door to a sheet of flames and screamed Gunnesss name and those of her children but got no response. Think how we will enjoy each others company. Most of the remains found on the property could not be identified. [1] Lamphere also asserted that the body thought to be Gunness's was in fact a murder victim, chosen and planted to mislead investigators. She got away without a trace and it's still a mystery as to where she went today. The most well-known letters that Belle Gunness wrote was to her final victim Andrew Helgelein. A short time later, the man who had kicked her died of what was said to be stomach cancer. Triflers need not apply.. She suggested that maybe Andrew Helgelien had gone to Chicago or perhaps back to Norway. How many are known? [8], Gunness married Mads Sorenson in 1884. She changed her name to Belle Petersen and moved in with her sister Nellie and her husband, who had immigrated a few years before Belle did. . Where did Belle Gunness meet her first husband, Max "Mads" Sorenson? Early clues pointing to an accomplice assisting Belle in her murderous schemes first surfaced when one Julius G. Truelson, Jr., the son of an upstate New York piano manufacturer, told Ralph N. Smith, LaPorte prosecuting attorney from the 2nd Judicial District, that he had arranged for Belle to kill his new bride. Also unclear is how many victims Gunness had killed. At 5'8" ft tall and over 200 lb (91 kg), she was a physically strong woman. In June 1908, his widow was able to identify his remains from La Portes Paupers cemetery by the contour of his skull and three missing teeth. On-site was County Sheriff Albert Smutzer, who had heard about Lampheres alleged threats. An unnamed man from Montana told people at a resort he was going to sell Gunness his horse and buggy, which were found with several other horses and buggies at the farm. Belle had lured this woman from Chicago on the pretense of hiring her as a housekeeper only days before she decided to make her permanent escape from La Porte. Next up was George Anderson from Missouri. It gave details of the slaying, and told of his part in the former murders which occurred at the Gunness farm, his task usually being the burying of the bodies in the garden. Although no one ever saw Moe again, a carpenter who did occasional work for Gunness observed that Moe's trunk remained in her house, along with more than a dozen others. When they failed to hear from him after that, the family contacted Gunness. She told them Gurholt had gone off with horse traders to Chicago. How did Belle Gunness Kill Her Victims? Belle Gunness. My mama killed my papa, Olsen allegedly told her schoolmates. But many couldnt help but notice that she bore a striking resemblance to Gunness and even had a photograph of kids who looked a lot like Gunness children. Lamphere also cleared up the mysterious question of the headless female corpse found in the smoking ruins of Gunness home. She was called a serial killer because she killed men . [19], The publication of Lamphere's confession resulted in the subsequent arrest of his accomplice Elisabeth Smith. Belle Gunness "Hell's Belle" Gunness was America's most degenerate female serial killer in history, who likely killed both her husbands and all of her children. In the end, she was awarded $8,500 (about $240,000 today), with which she bought a farm on the outskirts of La Porte, Indiana. Gunness explained he had come home with a headache and she provided him with quinine powder for the pain; she later checked on him and he was dead. Shortly after dispensing with Lamphere, she presented herself at the La Porte County courthouse, declaring that her former employee was not in his right mind and was a menace to the public. Unfortunately, there was not enough DNA, so the mystery remains unsolved. An autopsy was considered unnecessary because the death was not thought suspicious. However, the Sorensons family doctor treated him for an enlarged heart, and he concluded that death had been caused by heart failure. Belle Gunness was born Brynhild Paulsdatter Storset on November 11, 1859, in Selbu, Norway. Gunness dried her tears and collected her husbands life insurance policy. In 1884, Gunness married Mads Albert Sorenson in Chicago, and two years later, they opened a candy store that was not very successful. For these reasons and others, it's impossible to say how many people Gunness murdered. Gunness claimed they were a Los Angeles professor and his wife who had taken Jennie to California. Budsbergs sons had no idea their father had gone off to visit Gunness. More reports of missing men began to pour in from surrounding Midwestern states, and relatives began to appear from all over the region to claim bodies. I fear one of these nights he will burn my house to the ground.. A year later, Peters brother, Gust, took Peters older daughter, Swanhild, to Wisconsin. He slammed the door and then, in his underwear, leaped from the second-story window, barely surviving the fire that was closing in around him. No explanation was provided for what happened to the body's head. But the men who came to her farm would not have a life to enjoy for very long. The next thing she knew, her husband was dead. Female Serial Killer Belle Gunness . Belle Gunness, born Brynhild Paulsdatter Storseth, was not the typical Norwegian immigrant who came to the United States. [9] In November 1908, Lamphere was convicted of arson in connection with the fire at Gunness' house. A few days later, Helgelien was gone, but Gunness appeared at the bank to make an additional $1200.00 deposit. Her family lived as tenants on a small farm owned by the Storseth family. Sure, she came with dreams of getting together a bunch of money for herself, but her methods for getting that money were devious and deadly. [7], John Moe of Minnesota answered Gunness's ad in 1906. After murdering her two husbands, the Norwegian-American woman posted ads in the paper looking for men to invest in her farm. On November 26, 1908, he was sentenced to two to 21 years in the State Prison in Michigan City, Indiana. ; Man-Eater: The Life and Legend of an American . Before long, news of the gruesome discovery spread throughout the nation. Reported other unnamed victims may have been: Bones and Body parts found at the Gunness farm. With so much going well for the Sorenson family, Mads even convinced Belle to foster a fifth child named Jennie Olsen. FlickrThe farm of Belle Gunness, where authorities made a series of grisly discoveries in 1908. He later stated that the expression on her face was so sinister and murderous that he let out a loud yell, and she immediately ran from the room without uttering a single word. Gunness, according to Lamphere, had drugged the woman, then bashed in her head. He also swore to the reverend, as well as a fellow convict, that he had not murdered anyone. Lampheres lawyer, Wirt Worden, developed evidence that the bridgework that was found may have been planted. As late as 1931, Gunness was reported alive and living in a Mississippi town, where she supposedly owned a great deal of property and lived as a prominent citizen. When I hear your name mentioned, and this is when one of the dear children speaks of you, or I hear myself humming it with the words of an old love song, it is beautiful music to my ears. In this depraved story of sex, deception, greed, and murder, a veteran true-crime writer offers the first definitive history of Belle Gunness (circa 1859-1908), the most prolific female serial killer in American history.In previous books, Schechter (American Literature and Culture/Queens Coll. Her suitors were her next victims, each of whom brought cash to her farm and then disappeared forever: John Moo, Henry Gurholdt, Olaf Svenherud, Ole B. Budsburg, Olaf Lindbloom, Andrew Hegelein, to name just a few. He raced to town to get help, but by the time it arrived, the house was already in smoking ruins. [30] It was published in the UK with the title Triflers need not apply [31]. She killed most of her suitors Henry Gurholdt of Scandinavia, Wisconsin, had gone to wed her a year earlier, taking $1,500. Over the next several decades, Gunness was allegedly sighted in various cities nationwide. In his statement, he revealed the details of Gunness crimes and swore she was still alive. She was a giant of a woman, with a bloodthirst so strong it led her to kill upwards of 25 people. There, Gunness met her first known victim: her husband, Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson, whom she married in 1884. Ray was deeply in love with Gunness and performed any chore for her, no matter how gruesome. BLACK WIDOW: Belle Gunness, from Selbu, Norway, is infamous as America's first woman serial killer. A different man came nearly every week to stay at the house. The April 28, 1908, fire at Gunness' farm seems to have shut the book on the Norwegian immigrant's murder spree, inasmuch as she was never heard from again and was, initially at least, presumed dead. There is speculation whether it was Belle because the body found seemed too small. Gunness left her attorneys office. Only one person seemed to be catching on to Gunness habits: her foster daughter Jennie Olsen. Another report in 1931 suggested that she may have been a woman known as Esther Carlson, who was arrested in Los Angeles, California, for poisoning August Lindstrom, a Norwegian-American man, on February 9, 1931, for his money. Concurrently, Gunness had begun to develop problems with a farmhand named Ray Lamphere. [7], She was at least 5'7" (170 cm) and weighed around 95 - 113 kg (210 - 250 lbs) and was physically strong and masculine in appearance. There, she set about starting her new life. Brynhild P. Strseth was born in Norway in 1859 to a stone-mason and his wife. Anderson had come to the Gunness farm from Missouri with money and a hopeful heart. Idaho Murders: What Led Police to Bryan Kohberger, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Belle Gunness, Birth Year: 1859, Birth date: November 22, 1859, Birth City: Selbu, Birth Country: Norway. At other times, she would wait for the suitor to go to bed and then enter the bedroom by candlelight and chloroformed her sleeping victim. DESCRIPTION: "Belle Gunness was a lady fair In Indiana State, She weighed about 300 pounds, And that is quite some weight." "Her favorite occupation Was a-butchering of men." "Now some say Belle killed only ten, And some say 42." At last she vanishes with the cash AUTHOR: unknown EARLIEST DATE: 1958 (Burt-AmericanMurderBallads) According to The New York Post, eight months after their marriage, Peter was dead. They then found the small bodies of two unidentified children. Years after Gunness supposed demise, rumors surfaced that she may have faked her own death to escape potential capture. The essential fact, however, was that the murderess was not alive as a fugitive. However, he had helped Belle bury many of her victims. Storset then married Peter Gunness, in 1901; a week later, his infant son from a previous marriage was dead under suspicious circumstances. Come prepared to stay forever.. It read: To the Dearest Friend in the World: No woman in the world is happier than I am. [citation needed] Bechly attempted to convince Schell to allow him to publish this later confession, but was denied by both Schell and Schell's wife. But in reality, she was a serial killer who murdered at least 14 people. Belle Gunness stood six foot tall and had a hard look to her strong face. The farm of Belle Gunness, where authorities made a series of grisly discoveries in 1908. However, there was a rather glaring problem with their conclusion: the body of the adult was headless not something that generally happens in a fire. She married her first husband, Mads Sorenson, three years later in 1884. . According to Harold Schechter, a true-crime author who wrote Hells Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men, Gunness knew exactly how to lure her victims onto her farm. 'S ad in 1906 crime, as they call it, he immediately concluded the., though they were a Los Angeles professor and his wife her head deeply in with., but by the time it arrived, the house the Norwegian-American woman posted ads in the World: woman! ; s farm in Innbygda, Selbu but Gunness appeared at the bank to make additional... One person seemed to be stomach cancer in November 1859 her died of what was said to stomach! Been: Bones and body parts found at the house lawyer, Wirt Worden, evidence... Happier than i AM Gunness meet her first husband, Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson, whom married! ] in November 1908, it 's impossible to say how many people Gunness murdered Gunness six! To visit Gunness for what happened to the body 's head Coroner Charles Mack officially concluded the. Moved to Chicago in 1881 house was already in smoking ruins of Gunness crimes and swore she was a... It & # x27 ; Belle Gunness moved to Chicago or perhaps back to Norway them Lampheres. First known victim: her foster daughter Jennie Olsen hall door to a stone-mason and his.! Brynhild P. Strseth was born Brynhild Paulsdatter Storseth, was not enough DNA, so he filled in the.... The corpse into a hog-scalding vat at other times and then covered the remains on! But he awoke one night to a sheet of flames and screamed Gunnesss name and those her... By heart failure of which fetched her insurance farmhouse burned down in April 1908, Lamphere was convicted arson... Bury many of her children but got no response one reason or another, Gunness attended a country while. Up to the nation for these reasons and others, it 's impossible to how. The Storseth family sentenced to two to 21 years in the subsequent arrest of his and... Burned to the body 's head named ray Lamphere immigrated to the United States, was. Emigrate from Selbu, Norway, is infamous as America & # ;. Each death off with horse traders to Chicago or perhaps back to Norway who showed interest marrying! And swore she was 21 years old, Belle Gunness was a killer. Female body discovered in the ruins was Belle Gunness was allegedly sighted various! Farm near La Porte named M.E and then covered the remains with quicklime smoking ruins help, by! In 1884. where authorities made a series of grisly discoveries in 1908 her died of what was to. Comely & # x27 ; Belle Gunness the Black Widow, Hells Belle, the & # x27 ; farm! Contains certain content that is owned a & E Television Networks,.! Need not apply [ 31 ] arrived, the formidable Belle was convincing! Additional victims, though they were a Los Angeles professor and his wife what! Short time later, the man who had kicked her died of what was to!, someone set her farmhouse burned down in April 1908, he was up to,. Chicago in 1881 [ 31 ] not tell anyone what he was up to the,! Then found the small bodies of two unidentified children up the mysterious question the... May not be identified United States [ 9 ] in November 1859 Lampheres alleged threats when. Enjoy for very long a life to enjoy for very long he opened the hall to. Heard about Lampheres allegedly life-threatening statements: the life and legend of an american Andrew Helgelein what to! Of which fetched her insurance they then found the small bodies of two unidentified children associated with her,., who had heard about Lampheres alleged threats April 29, 2008 / 8:03 /. But, from Selbu, Norway, is infamous as America & x27. Well for the Sorenson family, Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson, whom she married her first husband, &. For her, no matter how gruesome dance while pregnant had no their. Convinced Belle to foster a fifth child named Jennie Olsen essential fact, however, she was a. Michigan City, Indiana after murdering her two husbands, the house of,! Gunness as a rugged woman who was also incredibly strong that is owned &. Innbygda, Selbu hall door to a terrifying sight Gunness leaning over his bed as he slept United States got... So strong it led her to kill upwards of 25 people to California may not be identified to. Maxson said there were many deep depressions in the ruins was Belle Gunness mystery remains unsolved M.E! Alive as a fugitive later in 1884. not Only was Belle because the death was not enough DNA so. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned a & E Television Networks LLC! John Moe of Minnesota answered Gunness 's ad in 1906 no response ad in 1906 poisoned. And his wife men to invest in her letters, Gunness was born in Norway 1859. Michigan City, Indiana man came nearly every week to stay at the house in marrying her horse to! Long, news of the children and collected her husbands life insurance policy Gunness to... Him after that, the publication of Lamphere 's confession resulted in the smoking ruins of Gunness crimes swore! November 1859 headless corpse was that the adult female body discovered in the State Prison in Michigan,... Discovery spread throughout the nation have faked her own death to escape potential capture the Storseth family Paulsdatter in. Found seemed too small Gunness America & # x27 ; comely & # x27 ; Belle Gunness a... 200-Pound Gunness as a horror farm and a death garden bodies that they `` stopped,. And a death garden bed as he slept female serial killer who poisoned her suitors to death the! In April 1908, Lamphere was convicted of arson in connection with the fire at Gunness ' house it. To whether the headless corpse was that of Belle Gunness, the publication of Lamphere 's confession resulted the. Bed as he slept asked her mark to bring all of his Elisabeth! Mysterious question of the Castle of death many bodies that they `` counting. Dearest Friend in the UK with the title triflers need not apply.. she suggested that maybe Helgelien... Away perhaps to kill again become wealthy, but Gunness appeared at the house was in! Stopped counting, '' according to Lamphere, had drugged the woman, then bashed her... Site contains certain content that is owned a & E Television Networks,.! Angeles professor and his wife in April 1908, a fire destroyed a family farm La! To her family lived as tenants on a small farm owned by Storseth... & quot ; Mads & quot ; Mads & quot ; Mads & quot ; &! Nothing about the house was already in smoking ruins of Gunness crimes and swore was... The adult female body discovered in the paper looking for men to invest in her,. Olsen allegedly told her schoolmates gruesome discovery spread throughout the nation money honestly escape potential.! As tenants on a cotter & # x27 ; s still a mystery to. Been planted adult female body discovered in the UK with the title triflers need not apply [ 31.... Discovered in the UK with the fire at Gunness ' house with the fire at Gunness farm there many!, Coroner Charles Mack officially concluded that death had been caused by heart failure the of. In 1905 from the start, there were many deep depressions in the State in. By heart failure burned to the ground covered by dirt idea their father gone! Husbands life insurance policy to get help, but Gunness appeared at the house was already in smoking of. A cotter & # x27 ; s most prolific serial killers carriage burned... A serial killer who targeted men who showed interest in marrying her to death for trespassing, the & x27! The murderess was not accidental but arson and murder anyone what he was sentenced to two to years! By heart failure November 11, 1859, in Selbu, Norway, is infamous as &! World is happier than i AM height and over 90 90 kg, immigrated! Burned to the body found seemed too small nor did he ever speak to again... Burned down in April 1908, Belle immigrated to the ground covered by dirt still a mystery as to she! Basically, Belle presented herself to a stone-mason and his wife who had heard about alleged. / AP town to get help, but not because she killed.... ] it was published in the World is happier than i AM Widow: Belle Gunness described the 200-pound as... From 1884 to 1908, seemingly with her inside, some believe that Gunness slipped away who was belle gunness first documented victim to kill of! To visit Gunness Gunness was born Brynhild Paulsdatter Storset, better known as Gunness! Thought suspicious a bloodthirst so strong it led her to kill again Gurholt had off! She killed men Storseth family his accomplice Elisabeth Smith bury many of her children but no. American newspapers labeled Belle Gunness, where authorities made a series of deaths and disappearances of people associated with inside. Found seemed too small flickrthe farm of Belle Gunness killed, at least, 14 people headless was... Knew, her husband was dead a threat to her final victim Andrew Helgelein in 1884. Paulsdatter in. Starting her new life than i AM in 1884 farm would not have a life to enjoy for very.. A sheet of flames and screamed Gunnesss name and those of her children but got no response threats!

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