Belle was a serial killer who killed between 25 and 40 people from 1884 to 1908 before disappearing without a trace In the world of serial killers, Belle was unique. She is responsible for so many deaths that detectives have ceased counting the number of bodies discovered on her premises. [2] She killed most of her suitors and boyfriends, and her two daughters, Myrtle and Lucy. Triflers need not apply.. Andrew Helgelien found her ad in the Minneapolis Tidende, a Norwegian-language newspaper. Lamphere would not be enough for Belle. She changed her name to Bella Petersen and worked for a time as a servant girl before getting . An older sister, likely named Nellie, emigrated to the United States in the early 1880s. A few weeks later, a reverend came forward with Lampheres confession before he died. Her victims were primarily men that Gunness convinced to come to her property with the promise of marriage. [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. At first, Belle told the police that Peter had been reaching for his slippers in the kitchen when he was scalded near the stove. On July 30, 1900, Albert Sorenson died on the one day his two life insurance policies overlapped. All told, the remains of more than forty men and children were exhumed. Another victim of the widow . These are famous words by the convicted serial killer Aileen Wuornos who was put to death by lethal injection on October 9, 2002. At the time, Gunness did not mention that she was pregnant, despite the possibility that it might have inspired sympathy, and in May 1903, Gunness gave birth to a son she named Phillip. Belle Gunness BrynhildPaulsdatterStrseth, later known as Belle Gunness, was born on November 11, 1859, in Selbu, Norway and died April 28, 1908 in La Porte, Indiana. Lamphere ended up in prison because of his connection to Gunness and the fire on her farm. He quickly jumped out of bed and threw on his clothes. Triflers need not apply. When authorities dug around the hog pens and other places on the farm, they found the mutilated remains of several more men and children. 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. She was a giant of a woman, with a bloodthirst so strong it led her to kill upwards of 25 people. With so much going well for the Sorenson family, Mads even convinced Belle to foster a fifth child named Jennie Olsen. [15][16] Described as worried as to the peace of the families of the victims, Schell offered the confession to Bechly, which was later published. 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. Can you conceive of anything nicer? Ay like music at home, she supposedly said, by way of explanation. Concurrently, Gunness had begun to develop problems with a farmhand named Ray Lamphere. Belle Gunness: How Many Victims Did The Serial Killer Actually Have. Eerily, in 1931, a woman named Esther Carlson was arrested in Los Angeles for poisoning a Norwegian-American man and attempting to steal his money. In the smoldering ruins workmen discovered four skeletons. And, worse, according to Lamphere, if she was overly tired, she would chop up the remains and feed them to the hogs. (Eerily, the symptoms of this disease were quite similar to poisoning.). He moved to La Porte, Indiana on January 3, 1908 to be with Belle Gunness. [30] It was published in the UK with the title Triflers need not apply [31]. Ted Bundy's reason for killing. Lamphere was to wait for her at a designated place on the road after the fire was set. Because of the crude recovery methods, the exact number of individuals unearthed on the Gunness farm is unknown, but 14 of Belles victims were pieced together, with several teeth, bones, and watches left over. the ground. 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. Hells Belle Gunness was Americas most degenerate female serial killer in history, who likely killed both her husbands and all of her children. At the same time, several farmers who had traveled past the farm at night reported having seen Belle digging with a shovel in the hog pen. 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. However, when he was introduced to Andrew Hegelian Belles new husband-to-be, he made a scene, and Belle promptly fired him on February 3, 1908. Curiously, the corpse itself seemed to be much too small to be hers. As they began turning the earth, they found four bodies- skillfully sliced apart and wrapped in oilcloth. Belle Gunness, one of the most successful murderers in Illinois. There, Gunness met her first known victim: her husband, Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson, whom she married in 1884. Female Serial Killer Belle Gunness . Belle Gunness was born as Brynhild Paulsdatter Strseth in Selbu, Sr-Trndelag, Norway on November 11, 1859. It was claimed that her head was decapitated and her home set on fire. [7], Peter died eight months later due to a skull injury. Belle Sorenson Gunness, a notorious female serial killer born November 11, 1859 and declared dead April 28, 1908 was born Brynhild Paulsdatter Storseth. He disappeared from her farm within a week of his arrival. Lamphere also cleared up the mysterious question of the headless female corpse found in the smoking ruins of Gunness home. After they had corresponded for several months, Moe travelled to La Porte and withdrew a large amount of cash. 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. Simmons is a forensic anthropologist who investigated the Belle Gunness case. Fellow Norwegian-Americans flocked to her property hoping for a taste of home along with a solid business opportunity. There, Gunness met her first known victim her husband, Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson, whom she married in 1884. Soon enough, Gunness was depositing checks brought by her suitors, while the lovelorn men were never heard from again. Sorenson died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage. Lamphere was found guilty of arson but acquitted of murder in the end. Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated November 2022. When he was just 18, Robinson went on a violent killing spree, during which he killed three young women and seriously injured two. A few days later, Helgelien was gone, but Gunness appeared at the bank to make an additional $1200.00 deposit. She changed her name to Belle in 1881 when she came to the United States. In 1884, Gunness married Mads Albert Sorenson in Chicago, and two years later, they opened a candy store that was not very successful. The First victims. Lamphere was later linked to the fire at Gunness farm. [23], Gunness has also been the subject of at least two American musical ballads. Biography.com Then, in December 1907, Andrew Helgelien, a bachelor farmer from Aberdeen, South Dakota, wrote to her and was warmly received. 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. Although her farmhouse burned down in April 1908, seemingly with her inside, some believe that Gunness slipped away perhaps to kill again. He showed up in hopes of finding his brother. She killed most of her suitors Bell Gunness killed more than ___ people over several decades. Newly flush with cash, Gunness bought a 48-acre farm in La Porte, Indiana. . However, he had helped Belle bury many of her victims. They arrived with thousands of dollars and then disappeared. [12] Lucas Reilly, quoting The Chicago Inter Ocean in Mental Floss, noted that, The bones had been crushed on the ends, as though they had been struck with hammers after they were dismembered [and that] Quicklime had been scattered over the faces and stuffed in the ears. Wikipedia, Byways & Historic Trails Great Drives in America, Soldiers and Officers in American History, Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas Declaring Independence, Stanley, Ks Extinct but Still Here (LOK), Black Bob Reservation in Johnson County (LOK), Make History Come Alive With These Online Tools and Resources. A few days after Helgelien arrived, he and Gunness appeared at the Savings Bank in La Porte and deposited the check. She wanted the ground made level, so he filled in the depressions. Four bodies were found at the Gunness farm. A hired man named George Bradley of Tuscola, Illinois is alleged to have gone to La Porte to meet a widow and three children in October 1907. Gunness had insured both of the children and collected a large insurance check after each death. Bert Chase of Mishawaka, Indiana, sold his butcher shop and told friends of a wealthy widow and that he was going to look her up; his brother received a telegram supposedly from Aberdeen, South Dakota, claiming Bert had been killed in a train wreck; his brother investigated and found the telegram was fictitious. The essential fact, however, was that the murderess was not alive as a fugitive. These filled-in holes, Gunness had told Maxson, contained rubbish. But no one at the time chalked it up to anything but a tragic coincidence. 4/28/1908 49 Fire set that kills children and where Belle's body was "supposedly" found headless. In her reply, Belle offered true love and a life of wedded bliss but also mentioned a quick $1,000 that she needed to pay off a mortgage. In fact, the farmhand did. 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. Like most of the men before him, Andrew had sold most of what he owned and transferred his money into Belle's account. However, by the time anyone suspected Gunness in their deaths, they'd been dead for decades and their suspected murderer had vanished. [9] With the insurance money, she moved to La Porte, Indiana, and bought a pig farm. Female Indiana serial killer, the 'comely' Belle Gunness, loved her suitors to death. Belle Gunness was one of the first "Black Widows" and became a prolific serial killer. Astrological Sign: Sagittarius, Death Year: 1930, Article Title: Belle Gunness Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/belle-gunness, Publisher: A&E Television Networks, Last Updated: March 18, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. His widow, Gunness, collected on both policies $150,000 in todays dollars which she could have only done on that day. The investigators had previously checked her bank accounts, and though a small amount was remaining in one of her savings accounts, the money in all other accounts had been completely withdrawn shortly before the fire, suggesting that the evil woman had created a great hoax and evaded the law. Director Duncan Roy Writers Katie L. Fetting (screenplay) Duncan Roy (story) Stars Elizabeth Hurley Jeremy Sisto Oliver Tobias Belle Gunness was one of the first "Black Widows" and became a prolific serial killer. She then went to work as a servant on a wealthy farm for the next several years. After travelling to La Porte, Gurholt wrote his family, saying that he liked the farm, was in good health, and requesting that they send him seed potatoes. 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. Andrew Helgelien and discovery of multiple graves, "Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1871-1998," database, FamilySearch (. The night he visited Belle's farm was the last he would have. Gunness, the youngest of 8 children, grew up on a cotter's farm in Innbygda, Selbu. I fear one of these nights he will burn my house to the ground.. 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. [22][pageneeded] Spectators came from across the country to see the mass graves, and concessions and souvenirs were sold. Whether Gunness died in that fire remains unclear. 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. She would spike their coffee, bash their heads in, cut up their bodies, and put them in sacks, he explained. Belle Gunness was born Brynhild Paulsdatter Storset on November 11, 1859, in Selbu, Norway. Wikimedia CommonsBelle Gunness with her children: Lucy Sorenson, Myrtle Sorenson, and Philip Gunness. This is what is known, and what is suspected, about the number of victims serial killer Belle Gunness had. Though her husbands family demanded an inquiry, claiming Belle had poisoned her husband to collect on the insurance, no charges were filed. At this time, Belle started to have problems with her farmhand, Ray Lamphere. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,.css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}contact us! He tried to rouse the lady of the house, the towering Belle Poulsdatter Sorenson Gunness, and he called the names of her . Little is known about her early life. She wanted something more and soon began to look for new suitors by inserting the following advertisement in the lovelorn column of newspapers in large midwestern cities: 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. On April 28, 1908, a fire destroyed a family farm near La Porte, Indiana. She also chloroformed her children, smothered them to death, and carried them to the basement. In 1881, when she was 21 years old, Belle Gunness moved to Chicago. The number murdered was estimated to be as many as 40. Gunness married her first husband shortly after moving to America, but he died under suspicious circumstances, leaving behind a sizable life insurance policy. On November 26, 1908, he was sentenced to two to 21 years in the State Prison in Michigan City, Indiana. She murdered over 40 people between 1884 and 1908 (1). But, from the start, there were questions as to whether the headless corpse was that of Belle Gunness. Or perhaps she simply wanted to be free to kill again. Gunness left her attorneys office. 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. 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. Belle with daughters Lucy and Myrtle. It is not known how many men were victims of a treacherous woman. Furthermore, several neighbors and friends viewed the corpse, including two neighboring farmers and several friends who said it was not Belle. I know nothing about the house of crime, as they call it, he said, when asked about Gunness murders. Strangely, that date represented the last day of Sorensons life insurance policy as well as the first day of his new policy. The following week, while Peter was out of the house, his infant daughter died of unknown causes in Belle's care. 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. Over the next several decades, Gunness was allegedly sighted in various cities nationwide. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In response to her letter, Helgelien rushed to her side in January 1908. He never returned for his belongings, nor did he ever speak to Gunness again. Before long, news of the gruesome discovery spread throughout the nation. We shall be so happy when you once get here, Gunness purred in one letter. What's more, Gunness simply vanished off the face of the earth at the same time her crimes came to light. BLACK WIDOW: Belle Gunness, from Selbu, Norway, is infamous as America's first woman serial killer. [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. 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. In 1881, at the age of 21, she moved to the United States in search of wealth and gave herself the Americanized name of Bella (Belle) Petersen. 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. [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. Sorenson died of cerebral hemorrhage that day. In the pantheon of serial killers, Belle Gunness stands alone. The First Victim In 1884, Gunness married MadsDitlev Anton Sorenson in Chicago who soon owned an . In the meantime, she began ordering large trunks to be delivered, kept the shutters of her home closed day and night, and mainly kept to herself. Her parents had eight children; she was the youngest. [12] Blunt trauma and gashes characterized the skulls that were found that had been separated from the bodies. Belle Sorenson Gunness (November 11, 1859 declared dead April 28, 1908) born Brynhild Paulsdatter Strseth was a NorwegianAmerican serial killer. However, a neighborhood boy said he had seen Lamphere running down the road from the Gunness house just before the structure erupted in flames. The only known child to have survived living with Belle Gunness was Peter's daughter . The idea that the decapitated body belonged to Gunness was called into question, and a farmhand/accomplice claimed that the alleged murderer had taken the money she'd fleeced from her victims and vanished. La Porte County Historical Society Museum. 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