House where the murders occurred
Victims
Joseph Moore, 43 years old
Sarah Montgomery-Moore, 39 years old
Herman Moore, 11 years old
Catherine Moore, 9 years old
Boyd Moore, 7 years old
Paul Moore, 6 years old
Miss Edith Spillinger, 20 years old
Miss Blanche Spillinger, 18 years old.
The Villisca Axe Murders
Villisca movie
” Villisca 1912: A Gothic Tale of Murder “
Villisca Axe Murder House History
The 1912 Villisca Axe Murders Blog
Villisca Axe Murders, 1912
Also to be mentioned here is an excellent documentary about the 1912 Villisca, Iowa axe murder case called “Villisca: Living with a Mystery”. It was captivating and is what got me hooked on the story. The film not only focuses on the murders of the six-member Moore family and their two visiting guests, Lena and Ina Stillinger, but also on the impact of the murders on the small town where they had lived. Robert K. Ressler provides a riveting profile of the likely killer of this nearly 100-year-old usolved murder. The filmmakers managed to interview people who were actually alive at the time the murders occurred. The murder house is open for tours (I think mostly “ghost-hunters” visit, as the website seems to focus mostly on drawing in believers of haunted houses–sadly, much like the Lizzie Borden B&B). The movie points out that what is really haunting Villisca is this tragedy, and how the town still has to deal with curious tourists, and I’m sure have to cope with whether it is appropriate to turn a crime scene where 8 people lost their lives, into a money-making “haunted house”–$275 to stay the night there. The movie website is pretty in-depth, http://www.villiscamovie.com.
By: clewtime on October 6, 2006
at 6:12 pm
this is sooooo sad i cried when I heard about this =(
By: robby on February 7, 2008
at 2:42 pm
This is really gay and i know most of the evp is fake.
By: Benjamin on April 2, 2008
at 9:07 am
I am trying to research a killing that occurred in East Liverpool, Ohio in 1912. The slain man, Richard Burrows, was killed by his wife and another man, John Cobourne, as Mr Burrows tried to kill his wife. Any information you might give or have is much appreciated. Thank you Tammy
By: tammy on April 4, 2008
at 10:31 am
A horrifying ,but fascinating, unsolved crime. The haunting of the murder scene is also very interesting.
By: Tony Meads on January 3, 2009
at 4:42 pm
I think this is fascinating! I’m looking forward to coming to do a overnight stay. Maybe we can find out who really was the murderer! Its very sad what happened here so long ago but, maybe the family wants to be heard so they can move on!
we shall find out soon!
By: Cyndee on January 22, 2009
at 12:05 pm
wow!! i just seen this story on the travel channel.. im always very interested in hauntings.. and this one got my eye..i was crying when they were telling the story..i cant beleave how something like this can happen.. and how can someone do such a thing!! it also shows how hard it was back then to charge someone for murder… i looked it up right after the show and look at all the info it had on the murder.. its crazy !! and so sad!! this is one of the worst storys that i ahve ever heard..
By: Amy on February 6, 2009
at 11:21 pm
The Stillinger girls who were killed at the Moore house in 1912 were actually Lena Gertrude age 12 and Ina May age 8.
By: Brenda Merryfield on April 22, 2009
at 7:11 am
..when i saw this kind of incident in television,particularly in Foxcrime,i was a bit scared yet I got interested about what really happened to the certain family who were murdered then. It was really a sad story!! I can’t believe someone can actually do such thing as this! After i watched the story ’bout them, i got interested on what really happen and research for it in the internet…it is,indeed, the worst story i ever heard or watched!!
By: -jaNe- on May 27, 2009
at 6:50 am
i am from east liverpool but never heard of this case. if u can find how to contact joan witt, she is a historian and knows all about elo. last i knew she was still a guidance counselor at westgate school.
By: aleta on August 26, 2009
at 12:12 pm
who ever posted this about the villisca axe murders you dont no what your talking bout all this posted is 50 percent wrong
By: kellie on October 19, 2009
at 10:33 am
unfortunately forensic evidence was not as it is today what a horrible tragic shame whomever are responsible shall dance w the devil
By: MRS BLAKE on December 6, 2009
at 10:50 pm
I have every reasom to beleve that Henry Lee Moore was the Murderer because he had committed murders before in the same fashion and just by looking in his eyes in his photograph he just looks too evil
By: Sheila Jeffery on July 13, 2010
at 11:21 am
I recently found a newspaper from the 1917 Des Moines Register and Tribune with the headline “Kelly Confesses Ax Murders.” The newspaper is in poor condition, but we could still get the gist of the story. That’s what made me google Villisca Ax Murders. I found it fascinating.
By: Robin on July 27, 2010
at 5:58 pm
I believe the above listing of victims of the Villisca murders in 1912 is incorrect in that it lists among them “Miss Edith Spillinger, 20 years old” and “Miss Blanche Spillinger, 18 years old.”
It was two of the younger Spillinger sisters who were, in fact, murdered with the members of the Moore family, and not those sisters who are listed above. The Spillinger sisters murdered were Lena, then 12-years-old, and Ina, then 8-years-old.
I hope the above can be confirmed and corrected in the interest of having this tragic but historical event recorded correctly.
By: Donnie Davison on April 4, 2011
at 6:20 pm