VILLISCA AXE MURDER HOUSE

THE FAMILY

• Josiah & Sara Moore
• Paul Vernon Moore
• Herman Montgomery Moore
• Mary Katherine Moore
• Arthur Boyd Moore

MOORE FAMILY HOUSEGUEST

• Lena Gertrude Stillinger & Ina May Stillinger
• Lena was the only one said to be awake during the murder
• Lena was also found with no undergarments on and her dress pulled down to her waist
• She was believed to be sexually molested
• Lena also had a bruise on her inside arm and leg revealing she tried to fight back against her killer

THE CRIME

• The murder occurred sometime between midnight & 5:00 A.M.
• Josiah was blundegenoned so bad that his eyes were missing
• The killers snuck into the house while the family was at a bible study
• All the victims had there skulls beat 20 to 30 times with the blunt end an axe
• Estimated time of death was shortly after midnight. Doors were all locked

THE CRIME

• Bloodhounds were brought in from Beatrice, Nebraska in hope to follow the sent of the killer
• Bloodhounds were giving the sent of the bloody axe after over 100 ppl touched it
• an estimated over a thousand people followed the trail of the bloodhounds in hope to find the killer

SUSPECTS

• Main- Rev. George Kelly
• Arrived Sunday morning before the murders & went to the bible study w/the Moore kids
• He left early sunday morning right after the murder. He soon became obessed w/case
• Kelly was the only one tried for the murder
• He signed a confession letter saying god whispered to him to "suffer the children unto me"

SUSPECT

• Kelly left the town he told fellow travelers there were 8 dead souls back in Villisca
• He even said they were butchered in there bed while they slept before the bodies were even discovered
• He returned to Villisca two weeks later posing as a dectective w/ a group of investigators
• Rev. kelly also spent time in a mental hospital
• for being convicted of sending obscene materials through the mail

TOURS

• The house now serves as a present day touristic spot
• The house offers an overnight stay for $429 for a group of 1 to 6 people
• they also do routine day tours from 1 to 4 pm
• you are not allowed to sleep on any beds or touch any items in the house
• overnight stay also comes W/ a visit to the Moore's Cementary

STRANGE FACTS

• They were a few bizarre touches to the murder scene
• 1st- there was a four pound slab of bacon leaning against the wall near the axe
• 2nd- the killer used pieces of cothing to cover all mirrors in the house and the glass in the entry doors.
• 3rd- on the kitchen table was a plate of uneaten food and a bowl of bloody water
• A kerosene lamp was found near the bed of Josiah and sarah & also near Lena & Ina both wick were off

HAUNTED

• One visitor was trapped in a closet during a tour, & no one heard him scream
• Also there was said to be a ball rolling back in fourth between rooms
• One man named Pat Bussen, said the ghosts of children would speak to him
• cold and warm spots in the house