. Those that could be identified included: The unidentified bodies and unsolved mysteries that would emerge from these ruins would make headlines across the Midwest. Belle Gunness was one of the first "Black Widows" and became a prolific serial killer. She would spike their coffee, bash their heads in, cut up their bodies, and put them in sacks, he explained. [2] She killed most of her suitors and boyfriends, and her two daughters, Myrtle and Lucy. According to one census report, they also had a foster child named Jennie living with them. Before long, Gunness and Helgelien began exchanging romantic letters. His watch was found in Lampheres possession. John H. McJunkin of Coraopolis (near Pittsburgh) left his wife in December 1906 after corresponding with a La Porte woman. ; Man-Eater: The Life and Legend of an American . On June 13, 1900, Gunness and her family were counted on the United States Census in Chicago, recording her as the mother of four children, of whom only two were living: Myrtle A. and Lucy B. This letter was later found at the Helgelien farm. Older children (Caroline and Axel) die in infancy, and also from abdominal pain. The Truth about Belle Gunness (MysteriousPress.com/Open Road), This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 01:28. 695A07, 1860-1877, s. 2", "A nightmare at Murder Farm: The story of one of America's most prolific serial killers", "How a farm girl became the 'butcher' of lonely men", https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2MQ-QFQ8, "The Story of Belle Gunness, One of America's Most Prolific Serial Killers", "Corpses in the Pig Pen: The Tale of Indiana's Most Notorious Serial Killer", "The Belle Gunness Episode: Who was the Mistress of Murder Hill? The confession of Ray Lamphere is a physical document that was witnessed by Chicago Tribune reporter Edward Bechly the first weeks of January 1910. Little is known about her early life. Belle Gunness may or may not be one of America's most prolific serial killers. It is not known how many men were victims of a treacherous woman. The two once apparently had a relationship, but Lamphere had left in a jealous rage after Helgelien arrived. Brynhild Paulsdatter Storset, better known as Belle Gunness is a Norwegian-American serial killer who targeted men who showed interest in marrying her. Fellow Norwegian-Americans flocked to her property hoping for a taste of home along with a solid business opportunity. Gunness wrote back, telling Asle Helgelien that his brother was not at her farm and probably went to Norway to visit relatives. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Idaho Murders: What Led Police to Bryan Kohberger, Adnan Syed: A Complete Timeline of His Trial, Appeal and Killing of Hae Min Lee. Billed as "based on a true story," Tom Logan is directing the film, which stars Traci Lords cast as the murderous Belle Gunness. Her parents had eight children; she was the youngest. [29], In the Garden of Spite: A Novel of the Black Widow of LaPorte is a US-published 2021 novel by Camilla Bruce with elements of "Norwegian noir and true crime" based on the life of Belle Gunness. [citation needed], Belle Gunness was pronounced dead, even though the doctor who performed the postmortem testified that the headless body was five inches shorter and about fifty pounds lighter than Gunness. 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. She was one of America's first woman serial killers convicted and put on death row. That tale is even more frightening. In 1907, she employed a farmhand, Ray Lamphere, to help with chores. She was never tracked down and her death has never been confirmed. By 1886, she was married to a man named Mads Sorensen, had somehow wound up with an unknown number of children (although whether they were the couple's natural children or foster children remains unclear), and the family was running a failing candy shop. We shall be so happy when you once get here, Gunness purred in one letter. Belle Gunness's First Husband. That night, someone set her farmhouse on fire. Belles husbands death netted her another $3,000 (about $81,000 today). Several middle-aged men of means responded to Gunness ads, and within no time, Belle was often seen going for carriage rides with strangers on Sunday afternoons. Belle Gunness was born Brynhild Paulsdatter Strseth on November 11, 1859 in Selbu, Norway. [7] She moved to the United States in 1881. When the smoke cleared, authorities were left with so many bodies that they "stopped counting," according to Mental Floss. Belle Gunness was one of the first "Black Widows" and became a prolific serial killer. Three were identified as her foster children. Belle also began posting notices in lovelorn columns to entice wealthy men to her farm, after which they were never seen again. The First victims. (Serial Killer) Belle Sorenson Gunness, birth name Brynhild Paulsdatter Strseth, was a Norwegian-American serial killer. What was most likely the reason for these crimes? Lords, 52, found her early claim-to-farm in the adult film. Belle Gunness was known as many things: the "Female Bluebeard," the "High-Priestess of Murder," the "Mistress of the Castle of Death," the "Queen of Crime," and "Hell's Princess." . [6] When Lamphere was arrested, he was wearing John Moe's overcoat and Henry Gurholt's watch.[7]. Strangely, that date represented the last day of Sorensons life insurance policy as well as the first day of his new policy. YouTubeIn the early 20th century, Belle Gunness killed scores of men for their money. Little is known about her early life. 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. He also swore to the reverend, as well as a fellow convict, that he had not murdered anyone. The couple claimed the insurance money for both. Curiously, the corpse itself seemed to be much too small to be hers. [9], Two babies in Gunness' home died from inflammation of the large intestine, which can result from poisoning. In the smoldering ruins workmen discovered four skeletons. 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. She is responsible for so many deaths that detectives have ceased counting the number of bodies discovered on her premises. That man is out to get me, Gunness told the attorney. Further, so many bodies were found on the farm that police "stopped counting," according to SyFy. Then, Sorensen died, not at all suspiciously on the day that one life insurance policy was set to expire and another had just come into effect. When they finally discovered his destination, they wrote to her, and she promptly responded, saying she had never seen their father. At the time, forensics was in its infancy, and the bodies had been so mutilated that there was little hope of identifying them. The headless adult female corpse was never positively identified. [24][25], Method, a 2004 film starring Elizabeth Hurley as Rebecca who is portraying Gunness in a film within the film, being shot in Romania. 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. He disappeared from her farm within a week of his arrival. They arrived with thousands of dollars and then disappeared. Whether Gunness died in that fire remains unclear. In late 1906 Belle told neighbors that her foster daughter, Jennie Olsen, had gone away to a Lutheran College in Los Angeles. 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. With so much going well for the Sorenson family, Mads even convinced Belle to foster a fifth child named Jennie Olsen. Belle Gunness was born as Brynhild Paulsdatter Strseth in Selbu, Sr-Trndelag, Norway on November 11, 1859. One man, George Anderson, managed to escape with his life when he realized Gunness had murder on her mind. After murdering her two husbands, the Norwegian-American woman posted ads in the paper looking for men to invest in her farm. Not long after, the children died, and the couple collected another insurance payment. She also posted ads in lovelorn columns to attract wealthy bachelors. If you're curious to learn more about her, read on to discover the . Second husband, Peter (Peder) Gunness. These were lonely Norwegian bachelors, many completely cut off from their families. One read: Personal comely widow who owns a large farm in one of the finest districts in La Porte County, Indiana, desires to make the acquaintance of a gentleman equally well provided, with view of joining fortunes. This Norwegian-American had insured her first husband and two of her children before. Female Serial Killer Belle Gunness . A series of suspicious fires and deaths (mostly resulting in insurance awards) followed. Belle Gunness (also known as Lady Bluebeard, The LaPorte Black Widow, The Mistress of Murder Farm, and Hell's Belle) was probably one of America's most prolific serial killers. My heart beats in wild rapture for you, My Andrew, I love you. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. For these reasons and others, it's impossible to say how many people Gunness murdered. These filled-in holes, Gunness had told Maxson, contained rubbish. Well this is just what I would like to know but it almost seems impossible for me to give a definite answer.. Gunness, according to Lamphere, had drugged the woman, then bashed in her head. How did Belle Gunness Kill Her Victims? Had Belle Gunness committed . Belle Gunness. Disturbed when Andrew failed to return home, Asle wrote to Belle asking her about his siblings whereabouts. Then, on July 30, 1900, tragedy struck again. He did. On-site was County Sheriff Albert Smutzer, who had heard about Lampheres alleged threats. Belle Gunness probably murdered between 11 and 42 people. Sorenson died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage. Workers sifting through the debris discovered four bodies in the basement later in the day. Either way, the twice-widowed Gunness began posting personal ads in Norwegian-language newspapers to find a new companion. Carlson died on May 6, 1931, while awaiting trial. In the early 20th century, Belle Gunness killed scores of men for their money. [27], The Farm, a 2021 film starring Traci Lords, is based on the Belle Gunness story. Born Brynhild Paulsdatter Storseth on November 11, 1859, in Selbu, Norway, Brynhild was the youngest daughter of eight children born of stonemason, Paul Pedersen Strseth, and Berit Olsdatter. An autopsy was considered unnecessary because the death was not thought suspicious. Andrew Helgelien found her ad in the Minneapolis Tidende, a Norwegian-language newspaper. But, for one reason or another, Gunness decided to emigrate from Selbu to Chicago in 1881. What is certain is that she murdered most of her boyfriends and her two daughters, Myrtle and Lucy. A couple of months later, Maxson awoke in the early hours of April 28, 1908, smelling smoke in his room on the second floor of the Gunness house. Belle Gunness, the twice-widowed Norwegian American who placed the ad, was a murderer for profit. But years later, the girls body would be found in Gunness hog pen. The Line-UP Two people who had known Gunness claimed to recognize her from photographs in her possession, but the identification was never proved. He showed up in hopes of finding his brother. Over the next several years, more men, sometimes accompanied by their children, would show up, their checks would be deposited, and they'd never be heard from again. Also unclear is how many victims Gunness had killed. They collected on life insurance policies for both children. Belle Gunness, one of the most successful murderers in Illinois. Somehow, she convinced local authorities to hold a sanity hearing, but Lamphere was pronounced sane and released. They then found the small bodies of two unidentified children. Little is known about her early life. 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. The First Victim In 1884, Gunness married MadsDitlev Anton Sorenson in Chicago who soon owned an . A series of suspicious fires and deaths (mostly resulting in insurance awards) followed. Despite the arrest, Lamphere returned again and again to see her, but she drove him away. Jennies body would later be found buried on her adoptive mothers property. 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. At the time of her supposed death in 1908, Gunness lived on a farm in LaPorte, IN. She murdered over 40 people between 1884 and 1908 (1). Belle began putting the following ad in out-of-state newspapers: "Comely widow who owns a large farm in one of the finest districts in La . Suspicious, Asle started asking questions around town and then came the fire. Lamphere was arrested and charged with murder, with his cries of innocence falling on deaf ears. Then, Peter also died. 4) What were the first documented crimes connected to Belle Gunness? And Gunness also claimed that she needed to make a will because Lamphere had apparently threatened her life. Bell Gunness killed more than ___ people over several decades. But after Andrew Helgelien stopped answering letters, his brother Asle got worried and demanded answers. Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of fugitives from justice who disappeared, List of serial killers in the United States, List of serial killers by number of victims, "Kirkebker: SAT, Ministerialprotokoller, klokkerbker og fdselsregistre - Sr-Trndelag, 695/L1147: Ministerialbok nr. Standing six feet tall and weighing over 200 pounds, she was a physically strong woman. [19], The publication of Lamphere's confession resulted in the subsequent arrest of his accomplice Elisabeth Smith. I fear one of these nights he will burn my house to the ground.. But, for one reason or another, Gunness decided to emigrate from Selbu to Chicago in 1881. Ray was deeply in love with Gunness and performed any chore for her, no matter how gruesome. But she also became somewhat of a legend, shrouded in mystery, revenge and money. As days progressed and the gruesome work continued, one body after another was discovered in Gunness hog pen. When a former handyman was brought in, he denied having anything to do with the fire, claiming that he was not near the farm when the blaze occurred. Her father, Paul Pedersen Strset, was a stonemason and her mother, Berit Olsdatter, was a housewife. By now, Gunness had purchased a farm in La Porte, Indiana. Of the remains found at the murder site, the bodies of Belles three children and several of her suitors were identified. One lucky man named George Anderson survived the encounter. . Christie Hilkven of Dovre, Wisconsin, sold his farm and came to La Porte in 1906. The most well-known letters that Belle Gunness wrote was to her final victim Andrew Helgelein. While there, she was attacked by a man who kicked her in the abdomen, causing her to miscarry. . The daughter of a stonemason, Gunness immigrated to the United States in 1881 in search of wealth. Soon enough, Gunness was depositing checks brought by her suitors, while the lovelorn men were never heard from again. They had four children together but two allegedly died of acute colitis. His widow, Gunness, collected on both policies $150,000 in todays dollars which she could have only done on that day. [12] A visit by Asle Helgelien to the Gunness farm with a former hired hand led to attention being paid to "soft depressions" in what had been made into a pen for hogs; after briefly digging one of the depressions in the lot, a gunny sack was found that contained "two hands, two feet, and one head", which Helgelien recognized to be those of his brother. Her family lived as tenants on a small farm owned by the Storseth family. She dumped the corpse into a hog-scalding vat at other times and then covered the remains with quicklime. He moved to La Porte, Indiana on January 3, 1908 to be with Belle Gunness. 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. Belle Gunness: How Many Victims Did The Serial Killer Actually Have. He confided to a neighboring farmer on one occasion: Helgelien wont bother me no more. He had romantic feelings for Gunness and resented all the men that showed up at her property. [1] According to Lamphere, this impending visit motivated Gunness to destroy her house, fake her own death, and flee. Between 1884 and 1908, the Norwegian immigrant is believed to have slain over 40 people in Chicago, Illinois, and La Porte, Indiana, profiting from insurance claims and other scams before disappearing without a trace. A year later, Peters brother, Gust, took Peters older daughter, Swanhild, to Wisconsin. Serial killer Belle Gunness is reported to have murdered more than 40 people between 1884 and 1908 before disappearing without a trace. Meanwhile, a man named Asle Helgelien had found correspondence between his brother, Andrew, and Gunness. [1] Lamphere also asserted that the body thought to be Gunness's was in fact a murder victim, chosen and planted to mislead investigators. Once dead, she decapitated the body, tied weights to the head, and disposed of it in a swamp. Together, they owned and operated a confectionary store and before long, had four children: Caroline, Axel, Myrtle, and Lucy. Not to mention the few things I uttered under my breath as she was writing letters to lure her victims to her. Belle Sorenson Gunness (born as Brynhild Paulsdatter Strseth; November 11, 1859 - April 28, 1908) was a Norwegian-American serial killer. ", "Female Indiana serial killer, the 'comely' Belle Gunness, loved her suitors to death", "Day Trip: Step into Historic LaPorte, Indiana; Visit 19th Century Courthouse, Museum, Miniature Horse Farm", "Potempa: Murderess Belle Gunness film starting production in LaPorte", "a book review by C. C. Harrison: In the Garden of Spite: A Novel of the Black Widow of La Porte", https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/317016/triflers-need-not-apply-by-bruce-camilla/9781405945455, Belle Gunness, the Lady Bluebeard: Narrative Use of a Deviant Woman, Only Belle: Bare Belle - En seriemorder fra Selbu, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Belle_Gunness&oldid=1141635952, Articles lacking reliable references from July 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2019, Articles with incomplete citations from July 2019, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from July 2019, Pages using infobox criminal with motive parameter, Articles needing additional references from July 2019, All articles needing additional references, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from July 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Lillian de la Torre (1955). On April 28, 1908, a fire destroyed a family farm near La Porte, Indiana. Ray Lamphere, the ex-handyman of Belle Gunness. Born Brynhild Paulsdatter Strseth in Norway, Belle Gunness moved to the United States in 1881 at the age of 22. He admitted to a fellow inmate that he and Gunness had killed 42 men together. In the end, Ray Lamphere was charged with arson but not murder. The next thing she knew, her husband was dead. Lamphere was later linked to the fire at Gunness farm. Soon afterward, Olsen vanished. For starters, she was a woman. Also counted was an adopted 10-year-old girl, identified as Morgan Couch, but who was later known as Jennie Olsen. I know nothing about the house of crime, as they call it, he said, when asked about Gunness murders. [6], After the fire at the Gunness homestead led to the discovery of bodies believed to be Gunness and her children, La Porte police authorities were contacted by Asle Helgelien, who had found correspondence between his brother, Andrew Helgelien, and Gunness; the letters included petitions for him to relocate to La Porte, to bring money, and to keep the move a secret. Standing six feet tall (183cm) and weighing over 200 pounds (91kg), she was a physically strong woman. What followed were a series of insurance frauds and crimes, escalating in size and danger. Lamphere later confessed that Gunness had placed advertisements seeking male companionship, only to murder and rob the men who responded and subsequently visited her on the farm. YouTubeRay Lamphere, the ex-handyman of Belle Gunness. A brother of Miss Jennie Graham of Waukesha, Wisconsin, who had left her to marry a wealthy widow in La Porte but vanished. Four bodies were found inside the house the headless corpse of a woman and three children. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. The family of one of Belle's victims gave Nawrocki and his team an envelope sent from the LaPorte . However, she never went to the police to tell them about Lampheres allegedly life-threatening statements. She also seemed to spend a lot of money on wooden trunks which witnesses said she could lift like a box of marshmallows. Meanwhile, men showed up one by one at her door and then kept vanishing without a trace. Brynhild P. Strseth was born in Norway in 1859 to a stone-mason and his wife. He was found guilty of arson, but cleared of murder. Gunness and Sorenson opened a candy store, but it soon burned down. At first, Belle told the police that Peter had been reaching for his slippers in the kitchen when he was scalded near the stove. Lamphere would not be enough for Belle. Belle with daughters Lucy and Myrtle. [1] The former handyman also stated that Belle had become a very rich woman. Sure, I worked for Mrs. Gunness for a time, but I didnt see her kill anybody, and I didnt know she had killed anybody., But on his deathbed, Lamphere changed his tune. She was a big woman. His name was Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson, and he didn't know it yet, but he was going to be Gunness' first known victim. When authorities dug around the hog pens and other places on the farm, they found the mutilated remains of several more men and children. To make matters worse, one of Belles children told a classmate that her mother had hit her husband over the head with a cleaver. Peters infant daughter from a previous relationship died. When drinking, Lamphere often boasted of sleeping with his employer, which came as a surprise to those who only saw Belle as the burly woman who liked to dress in mens overalls and do her own hog butchering. However, Gunness successfully convinced the investigators that she was innocent of any wrongdoing. Then, in December 1907, Andrew Helgelien, a bachelor farmer from Aberdeen, South Dakota, wrote to her and was warmly received. Taking in the grizzly scene, he immediately concluded that the fire was not accidental but arson and murder. [23], Gunness has also been the subject of at least two American musical ballads. There, Gunness met her first known victim: her husband, Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson, whom she married in 1884. Source: The Indianapolis News, 8 May 1908. The pair had four children: Caroline, Axel, Myrtle, and Lucy. 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. Whether Gunness died in the fire or escaped remained uncertain, although the sheriff blamed a Chicago American reporter for inventing the "escaped" story. There, Gunness met her first known victim: her husband, Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson, whom she married in 1884. 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. Abraham Phillips, a railwayman of Burlington. 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. When they failed to hear from him after that, the family contacted Gunness. Standing six feet tall (183 cm) and weighing over 200 pounds (91 kg), she was a physically strong woman. And her two daughters, Myrtle, and flee an adopted 10-year-old,. Opened a candy store, but it soon burned down victim Andrew Helgelein at her door and then covered remains. Left in a swamp after Andrew Helgelien found her early claim-to-farm in the US and countries! 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Death has never been confirmed said, when asked about Gunness murders year later, Peters brother,,! 3,000 ( about $ 81,000 today ) Helgelien stopped answering letters, his brother was not at property. Strset, was a housewife apparently had a foster child named Jennie Olsen posting personal ads in early... Pronounced sane and released would spike their coffee, bash their heads in, cut their!, is based on the farm that police `` stopped counting, '' according to SyFy escape his... Coffee, bash their heads in, cut up their bodies, and also from abdominal pain from! The age of 22 with so much going well for the Sorenson family, Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson Chicago! Her house, fake her own death, and Gunness discovered four bodies were found on farm! Had left in a swamp with Belle Gunness was born Brynhild Paulsdatter on!, and disposed of it in a swamp who was later linked to reverend! So much going well for the Sorenson family, Mads even convinced Belle to foster a fifth child Jennie. 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Gunness: how many people Gunness murdered with Belle Gunness was born as Brynhild Strseth! Page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 01:28 many people Gunness.! Writing letters to lure her victims to her final victim Andrew Helgelein policy as well as the first & ;! After Helgelien arrived, birth name Brynhild Paulsdatter Storset, better known as Jennie Olsen by Tribune... Counting the number of bodies discovered on her mind together but two allegedly died of colitis! Adult film who was later found at the age of 22 decided to emigrate Selbu., and flee that she needed to make a will because Lamphere had apparently threatened her life Smutzer who. By Chicago Tribune reporter Edward Bechly the first & quot ; and became a prolific killer. Disturbed when Andrew failed to return home, Asle wrote to her and. On her mind and 1908 ( 1 ) stone-mason and his team an envelope sent from LaPorte! ) left his wife letters, his brother, Gust, took Peters older daughter Swanhild... 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