The Villisca Axe Murders

On the morning of June 10, 1912, the small town of Villisca, Iowa woke to discover one of the most horrific crimes in American history. Eight people—six of them children—had been bludgeoned to death with an axe as they slept. The murderer was never caught, and over a century later, the house stands as a monument to an unsolved tragedy that seems to echo through time.

The Victims

The Moore Family

Josiah B. Moore (43) — Prominent local businessman and church leader. Owner of a farm implement store.

Sarah Moore (39) — Josiah’s wife. Well-respected in the community.

Herman Moore (11) — The eldest Moore child.

Katherine Moore (10) — Known as “Katie.”

Boyd Moore (7) — The younger son.

Paul Moore (5) — The youngest Moore child.

The Stillinger Sisters

Lena Stillinger (12) — Friend of Katherine Moore, staying overnight after a church program.

Ina Stillinger (8) — Lena’s younger sister.

The Night of the Murders

June 9-10, 1912

The evening of June 9, 1912, seemed unremarkable. The Moore family and the Stillinger sisters had attended the Children’s Day program at the Presbyterian church, where the children had performed.

Around 10:00 PM, the family returned home. Neighbors reported seeing the lights go out by 10:30 PM. Inside, eight people prepared for bed:

• Josiah and Sarah in the master bedroom upstairs
• Herman, Boyd, and Paul in an adjoining upstairs room
• Katherine, Lena, and Ina in the downstairs guest bedroom

What happened next was discovered only in the morning light.

The Discovery

Mary Peckham, a neighbor, noticed something was wrong when the Moore house remained silent past the usual waking hour. The chickens hadn’t been fed. No one had come out for morning chores.

When knocking produced no answer, Peckham summoned Josiah’s brother, Ross Moore, who found the door locked. Using a spare key, he opened the door and entered the guest bedroom first.

He saw the bodies of Lena and Ina Stillinger, covered in blood, bludgeoned beyond recognition.

Ross ran from the house and called out: “For God’s sake, get a doctor! Someone has been killed!”

What the Police Found

When authorities arrived, they documented a scene of systematic horror:

The Murder Weapon:

• A blood-soaked axe belonging to Josiah Moore
• Found in the downstairs guest room with the Stillinger sisters
• Used with the blade and the blunt end

The Master Bedroom:

• Josiah Moore’s skull had been crushed with repeated blows
• His face was covered with a cloth after death
• Sarah Moore had died in her sleep, her face also covered

The Children’s Room:

• All four Moore children had been killed with ceiling-striking blows
• Each face was covered with clothing
• The killer had worked in near-total darkness

The Guest Room:

• Lena showed evidence of being awake and possibly struggling
• A defensive wound on her arm suggested she saw her killer
• Ina had died in her sleep
• The axe was left here, suggesting the murders ended in this room

The Crime Scene Details:

• Every mirror in the house was covered with cloth
• All curtains and blinds were drawn
• A bowl of bloody water suggested the killer had washed
• A plate of uneaten food sat on the kitchen table
• Two cigarette butts were found in the attic
• The killer had likely hidden in the house and waited

The Investigation

Immediate Aftermath

The news spread rapidly through the small town of 2,500 people. Within hours, over 1,500 people had trampled through the crime scene—destroying potential evidence in an era before forensic science was understood.

Suspicion fell on many:

Reverend George Kelly: A traveling preacher who had organized the Children’s Day event and left town on an early morning train. He was tried twice for the murders—the first trial ended in a hung jury, the second in acquittal.

Frank F. Jones: A state senator and Josiah’s former business partner. They had a bitter falling out when Josiah started his own business. Jones was rumored to have hired a killer.

William “Blackie” Mansfield: A cocaine-addicted drifter with a history of violence. Suspected of similar axe murders in other states. Never charged with the Villisca murders.

Henry Lee Moore (no relation): A serial axe murderer convicted of similar crimes in Missouri. Some investigators believed he was responsible for multiple axe murders across the Midwest.

The Unanswered Questions

• Why were all the mirrors covered?
• Who waited in the attic while the family attended church?
• Why was Lena Stillinger the only victim who appeared to struggle?
• Did the killer know the family or choose them randomly?
• Were the cigarettes in the attic from the killer or previous visitors?

The case was never solved. It remains an open investigation to this day.

The Haunting

Reports Begin

Almost immediately after the murders, locals began avoiding the house. Those who entered reported:

• Oppressive feelings of dread
• Sounds of children crying
• Footsteps in empty rooms
• Objects moving on their own

The house changed hands repeatedly. No family could remain for long.

Modern Paranormal Investigations

The Villisca Axe Murder House is now one of the most investigated paranormal locations in America. Visitors and investigators have reported:

Visual Phenomena:

• Shadow figures in the hallways
• Apparitions of children in the upstairs windows
• A figure in the attic matching descriptions of the suspected killer
• Lights flickering and turning on/off by themselves

Auditory Phenomena:

• Children’s voices and laughter
• Heavy footsteps in the attic
• Sounds of an axe striking
• Whispered conversations in empty rooms
• A child’s voice saying “Please don’t”

Physical Phenomena:

• Cold spots throughout the house
• Objects moving or falling
• Battery drain on electronic equipment
• Being touched by unseen hands
• The smell of blood in the murder rooms

EVP Evidence:

• Recordings captured voices saying “Kill them” and “Help us”
• A child’s voice asking “Where’s my mommy?”
• The name “Kelly” spoken in the guest room

Notable Incidents

2014 Stabbing: In November 2014, a paranormal investigator stabbed himself in the chest while staying overnight in the house. Robert Laursen Jr. claimed he had no memory of the act. Some believe he was influenced by the house’s dark energy; skeptics suggest a mental health episode.

Night Visitors: Those who pay to stay overnight in the house often refuse to complete their visit. Reports include:

• Doors slamming
• Beds shaking
• Being physically pushed
• Overwhelming feelings of terror

The House Today

The Villisca Axe Murder House has been preserved as a museum and paranormal investigation site. Visitors can:

• Take daytime tours
• Book overnight stays
• Participate in organized investigations

The house has been restored to its 1912 appearance, with period-appropriate furniture and decorations. Walking through its rooms is like stepping back in time—to a night when a family went to sleep and a monster waited in the darkness.

The Victims Remembered

Eight lives ended in those dark hours. Six of them were children who had just performed in a church program, excited about summer vacation. They went to sleep in a house they thought was safe.

Their killer walked free. He (or she) was never identified, never punished, never brought to justice.

Perhaps that’s why the spirits remain. Perhaps that’s why the house refuses to let the memory fade. Perhaps that’s why, on quiet nights in Villisca, visitors still hear children crying.

Some tragedies are too terrible to forget. Some houses remember everything.

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Over 110 years later, the Villisca Axe Murder House stands as a testament to an unsolved crime and a monument to eight innocent souls. The truth of that June night died with the killer. But something—or someone—remains in the house, waiting for someone to finally tell their story.