[9] The district coroner convened a coroner's jury, suspecting murder, but nothing came of the case. Although he almost left, Helgelien became convinced that he couldnt do so without looking harder for Andrew. Only one person seemed to be catching on to Gunness habits: her foster daughter Jennie Olsen. 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though a small amount was remaining in one of her savings accounts, the money in all other accounts had been completely withdrawn shortly before the fire, suggesting that the evil woman had created a great hoax and evaded the law. She contended that he posed a threat to her family and had Lamphere arrested for trespassing. How did Belle Gunness Kill Her Victims? 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. Belle Gunness, the twice-widowed Norwegian American who placed the ad, was a murderer for profit. But, for Helgeliens brother, Asle, the matter was far from over. Gunness emigrated to the United States in February 1901 together with her two children, Myrtle and Lucy. She then made her way to Chicago, Illinois, where she again worked as a servant for a time. 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. The essential fact, however, was that the murderess was not alive as a fugitive. The couple claimed the insurance money for both. She introduced them as cousins from Kansas, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and from Chicago She was always careful to make the children stay away from her cousins.'. She murdered over 40 people between 1884 and 1908 (1). That tale is even more frightening. Meanwhile, authorities struggled to determine whether the headless corpse theyd found in the burned farmhouse belonged to Gunness. Lamphere was to wait for her at a designated place on the road after the fire was set. Once dead, she decapitated the body, tied weights to the head, and disposed of it in a swamp. She immigrated to the United States, where she lured her victims to her remote farm in Indiana. On May 22, 1908, Ray Lamphere was tried for murder and arson. 4/27/1908 49 Belle writes last will and testament. . He was last seen alive at the La Porte Savings Bank on April 6, 1907, when he mortgaged his Wisconsin land there, signed over a deed, and obtained several thousand dollars in cash. Standing six feet tall and weighing over 200 pounds, she was a physically strong woman. Belle Gunness, born Brynhild Paulsdatter Strseth (November 11, 1859 [3] - possibly April 28, 1908), nicknamed Hell's Belle, [1] was a Norwegian-American serial killer who was active in Illinois and Indiana between 1884 and 1908. That man is out to get me, Gunness told the attorney. (Eerily, the symptoms of this disease were quite similar to poisoning.). There, Gunness met her first known victim: her husband, Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson, whom she married in 1884. Come prepared to stay forever.. In the early 20th century, Belle Gunness killed scores of men for their money. But, for one reason or another, Gunness decided to emigrate from Selbu to Chicago in 1881. His name was Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson, and he didn't know it yet, but he was going to be Gunness' first known victim. Belle Gunness stood six foot tall and had a hard look to her strong face. So far, Belle Gunness had been able to largely escape detection or suspicion. Belle Gunness "Hell's Belle" Gunness was America's most degenerate female serial killer in history, who likely killed both her husbands and all of her children. Another victim of the widow . Though the coroner ruled that the kids had died of colitis, their symptoms were also consistent with poisoning. Also unclear is how many victims Gunness had killed. Ay like music at home, she supposedly said, by way of explanation. Lamphere was found guilty of arson but acquitted of murder in the end. She also chloroformed her children, smothered them to death, and carried them to the basement. On April 28, 1908, a fire destroyed a family farm near La Porte, Indiana. 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. These were lonely Norwegian bachelors, many completely cut off from their families. It is not known how many men were victims of a treacherous woman. 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. She was raised on a small farm in Innbygda, Norway, and grew up to be a physically very strong woman, standing 5 9 tall and weighing over 200 pounds. Her family lived as tenants on a small farm owned by the Storseth family. Even DNA tests that were done decades later from envelopes that Gunness licked were unable to definitively answer if she had died in the fire. Chares Neiburg, a 28-year-old Scandinavian immigrant living in Philadelphia, told friends that he would visit Gunness in June 1906 and never returned he had been working for a saloon keeper and took $500 with him. [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. Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated November 2022. When Andrew left home, he withdrew his life savings from the bank and was never heard from again. 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. After murdering her two husbands, the Norwegian-American woman posted ads in the paper looking for men to invest in her farm. Belle Gunness was born Brynhild Paulsdatter Storset on November 11, 1859, in Selbu, Norway. Either way, the twice-widowed Gunness began posting personal ads in Norwegian-language newspapers to find a new companion. 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 . She wanted the ground made level, so he filled in the depressions. The author wound her longtime interests in vintage crime and women's history into a novel that's largely from. Little is known about her early life. In 1884, Gunness married Mads Albert Sorenson in Chicago, and two years later, they opened a candy store that was not very successful. Married with Sorensen and Belle has born 4 children: Caroline, Axel, Myrtle and Lucy. As a result, Coroner Charles Mack officially concluded that the adult female body discovered in the ruins was Belle Gunness. Caroline and Axel died as infants from acute colitis, the symptoms of which nausea, fever, diarrhea, and lower abdominal pain and cramping are also symptoms of many forms of poisoning. Reading Gunness' plodding letters to Andrew, it is plain that "soaring" and "rapture" were not her style. Come prepared to stay forever. With so much going well for the Sorenson family, Mads even convinced Belle to foster a fifth child named Jennie Olsen. No replies by letter considered unless sender is willing to follow answer with personal visit. Best Known For: Serial killer Belle Gunness is reported to have murdered more than 40 people between 1884 and 1908 before disappearing without a trace. He told the Sheriff that Gunness had ordered him to bring loads of dirt by wheelbarrow to a large area surrounded by a high wire fence where the hogs were fed. [Gunness] beguiled them with promises of down-home Norwegian cooking and painted a very seductive portrait of the kind of life theyd enjoy.. But as was the case with the candy store, Gunness and Sorenson were able to pocket the insurance money. This female serial killer was not only the worst in Illinois history; she was also one of the worst American serial killers ever recorded. On April 27, 1908, Belle Gunness went to see an attorney in La Porte. Before long, Gunness and Helgelien began exchanging romantic letters. She dumped the corpse into a hog-scalding vat at other times and then covered the remains with quicklime. Of the remains found at the murder site, the bodies of Belles three children and several of her suitors were identified. Neighbors gossiped about the babies, since Gunness never appeared to be pregnant. 4) What were the first documented crimes connected to Belle Gunness? In the belief that the headless corpse was, in fact, Belle Gunness, the remains were buried next to Belles first husband, Mads Sorenson, at Forest Home Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois. Prairie Ghosts In 1908, just when Hegelein's brother became suspicious and Gunness's luck seemed to be running out, her farmhouse burnt to the ground. [12] Despite the initial success with the identification of Andrew Helgelien, and despite the fact that widening news coverage of the mass murders invited inquiries from families with men that had gone missing, "[m]ost of the remains could not be identified. From 1884 to 1908, it's believed that Belle Gunness killed, at least, 14 people. Gunness wrote back, telling Asle Helgelien that his brother was not at her farm and probably went to Norway to visit relatives. 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. In December 1902, Peter himself met with a tragic accident. According to Belle, he was struck on the head when a sausage-grinding machine had toppled off a high shelf in the kitchen. Then, in 1881, following her sisters example, who had emigrated to America earlier, Brynhild moved to the United States, where she assumed a more American-style name. Gunness, according to Lamphere, had drugged the woman, then bashed in her head. The daughter of a stonemason, Gunness immigrated to the United States in 1881 in search of wealth. 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 was found guilty of arson, but cleared of murder. Authorities found the bodies of Gunness three children in the charred rubble of the farmhouse basement. As she was preparing to move from Chicago to LaPorte, she became re-acquainted with a recent widower named Peter Gunness, also from Norway. Although no one ever saw Moe again, a carpenter who did occasional work for Gunness observed that Moe's trunk remained in her house, along with more than a dozen others. Belle Gunness was born Brynhild Paulsdatter Storset on November 11, 1859, in Selbu, Norway. She made her home in Chicago and started working as a maid. The 100-Year Mystery Of "Lady Bluebeard". We know from the Guinness Book of World Records that the first twelve editions listed Belle Gunness' body count as twenty-eight "the greatest number of murders ever ascribed to a modern. [9] In November 1908, Lamphere was convicted of arson in connection with the fire at Gunness' house. But, there was another side to the woman that Lamphere saw, and soon the local folk would as well. Meanwhile, neighbors noted that Gunness had begun to spend an unusual amount of time at her hog pen at night. Belle Gunness: How Many Victims Did The Serial Killer Actually Have. When they failed to hear from him after that, the family contacted Gunness. T.J. Tiefland of Minneapolis is alleged to have come to see Gunness in 1907. There, Gunness met her first known victim: her husband, Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson, whom she married in 1884. 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. And did Gunness really die in the farmhouse disaster? In fact, the farmhand did. The headless adult female corpse was never positively identified. I fear one of these nights he will burn my house to the ground.. Although the police found a set of teeth among the ruins, there was still some debate as to whether or not they belonged to Belle Gunness. And Gunness also claimed that she needed to make a will because Lamphere had apparently threatened her life. But, from the start, there were questions as to whether the headless corpse was that of Belle Gunness. His widow, Gunness, collected on both policies $150,000 in todays dollars which she could have only done on that day. There, Gunness met her first known victim: her husband, Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson, whom she married in 1884. Gunness received men visitors all the time, one of her farmhands later told the New York Tribune. Answer: Chicago, Illinois Belle and Mads were married in 1884. He did. Then, on July 30, 1900, tragedy struck again. Then, I did the planting.. At the time of her supposed death in 1908, Gunness lived on a farm in LaPorte, IN. Investigators search for more bodies on Belle Gunnesss farm after the initial discoveries in 1908. Biography.com 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. [7], Belle married Peter Gunness on April 1, 1902. [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. A few days later, Helgelien was gone, but Gunness appeared at the bank to make an additional $1200.00 deposit. To outsiders, Belle Gunness might have looked like a lonely widow who lived in the American Midwest during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. [7], She was at least 5'7" (170 cm) and weighed around 95 - 113 kg (210 - 250 lbs) and was physically strong and masculine in appearance. In the end, Ray Lamphere was charged with arson but not murder. Not long afterward, their home and the store mysteriously burned down. [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. Three were identified as her foster children. I can tell from your letters that you are the man I want. But after Andrew Helgelien stopped answering letters, his brother Asle got worried and demanded answers. Belle Gunness was one of the first "Black Widows" and became a prolific serial killer. The will was completed, leaving her estate to her children. The district coroner reviewed the case, unequivocally announced that he had been murdered, and convened a coroners jury to look into the matter. It does not take one long to tell when to like a person, and you I like better than anyone in the world, I know. John Moe of Elbow Lake, Minnesota. The Truth about Belle Gunness (MysteriousPress.com/Open Road), This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 01:28. Norwegian born Belle Gunness was born as Brynhild Paulsdatter Strseth in November 1859. The number murdered was estimated to be as many as 40. Whether Gunness died in the fire or escaped remained uncertain, although the sheriff blamed a Chicago American reporter for inventing the "escaped" story. [1] According to Lamphere, this impending visit motivated Gunness to destroy her house, fake her own death, and flee. He moved to La Porte, Indiana on January 3, 1908 to be with Belle 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. Local people refused to believe that her husband could be so clumsy he had run a hog farm on the property and was known to be an experienced butcher. One of these men was John Moe, who arrived from Elbow Lake, Minnesota. Abraham Phillips, a railwayman of Burlington. After the fire, her victims were unearthed from their shallow graves around the farm. In 1877, Gunness attended a country dance while pregnant. They had four children together but two allegedly died of acute colitis. The family of one of Belle's victims gave Nawrocki and his team an envelope sent from the LaPorte . Olaf Jensen, a Norwegian immigrant from Carroll. 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? Belle Gunness was born Brynild Paulsdatter Strseth on November 11, 1859 near Selbu, Norway. Some documented serial killers from history, we know very little about. Not Only Was Belle Gunness America's First Female Serial Killer, But She Just Had To Live In Indiana. Female Indiana serial killer, the 'comely' Belle Gunness, loved her suitors to death. Then, Peter also died. Gunness had insured both of the children and collected a large insurance check after each death. The First victims. 4/28/1908 49 Fire set that kills children and where Belle's body was "supposedly" found headless. Belle Sorenson Gunness, a notorious female serial killer born November 11, 1859 and declared dead April 28, 1908 was born Brynhild Paulsdatter Storseth. Gunness had a system. It was claimed that her head was decapitated and her home set on fire. But, for one reason or another, Gunness decided to emigrate from Selbu to Chicago in 1881. Lamphere also cleared up the mysterious question of the headless female corpse found in the smoking ruins of Gunness home. She killed most of her suitors Inside The Vigilante Killing Of Jeff Doucet, The Pedophile Shot By His Victim's Father, This 2,700-Year-Old Toilet Suggests Ancient Elites In Jerusalem Suffered From Life-Long Parasitic Infections, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Born Brynhild Paulsdatter Strseth in Norway, Belle Gunness moved to the United States in 1881 at the age of 22. Within a week, he had disappeared. Curiously, the corpse itself seemed to be much too small to be hers. [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. ; Man-Eater: The Life and Legend of an American . As they began turning the earth, they found four bodies- skillfully sliced apart and wrapped in oilcloth. In her letters, Gunness had asked her mark to bring all of his money and not tell anyone what he was up to. 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. In his statement, he revealed the details of Gunness crimes and swore she was still alive. Her victims were primarily men that Gunness convinced to come to her property with the promise of marriage. The former handyman also stated that Belle had become a very rich woman. Belle Sorenson Gunness (November 11, 1859 declared dead April 28, 1908) born Brynhild Paulsdatter Strseth was a NorwegianAmerican serial killer. Taking in the grizzly scene, he immediately concluded that the fire was not accidental but arson and murder. Her store and her home burned down, She and her husband collected the Gunness caught Bruce's attention as a young girl who grew up just north of Selbu. They then found the small bodies of two unidentified children. The farm of Belle Gunness, where authorities made a series of grisly discoveries in 1908. Soon enough, Gunness was depositing checks brought by her suitors, while the lovelorn men were never heard from again. According to The New York Post, eight months after their marriage, Peter was dead. Edward Bechly, a journalist, was given a secret assignment to acquire access to a confession and publish it, thus bringing a second, inconsistent Lamphere account to light. Jennies body would later be found buried on her adoptive mothers property. He never returned for his belongings, nor did he ever speak to Gunness again. YouTubeRay Lamphere, the ex-handyman of Belle Gunness. She was the only child to have survived to live with Belle. Ray was deeply in love with Gunness and performed any chore for her, no matter how gruesome. This photo dates to about 1904. .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. She was a giant of a woman, with a bloodthirst so strong it led her to kill upwards of 25 people. The powerful 48-year-old woman would then carry the body to the basement, where she most often dissected it, bundled the remains, and then buried them in the hog pen. Not long after Gunness married Mads Albert Sorenson in 1884, their store and home mysteriously burned down. In 1907, she employed a farmhand, Ray Lamphere, to help with chores. In May 1908, after fire destroyed a LaPorte farmhouse, police made a gruesome discovery. BLACK WIDOW: Belle Gunness, from Selbu, Norway, is infamous as America's first woman serial killer. We shall be so happy when you once get here, Gunness purred in one letter. 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. Hunting Humans: The Rise of Modern Multiple Murder examined the _____ _____ of serial murders. [8], Gunness married Mads Sorenson in 1884. One lucky man named George Anderson survived the encounter. And in 1900, their home burned down. . He then sent two of his deputies to dig into the debris digging for the corpses missing head and sent two others to arrest Lamphere. 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. 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. The following week, while Peter was out of the house, his infant daughter died of unknown causes in Belle's care. An unknown man and woman are alleged to have disappeared in September 1906, the same night Jennie Olson went missing. Or perhaps she simply wanted to be free to kill again. Peters infant daughter from a previous relationship died. She changed her name to Bella Petersen and worked for a time as a servant girl before getting . ", "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). Source: The Indianapolis News, 8 May 1908. Without saying goodbye, he fled the house and ran away, getting on the first train headed to Missouri. Brynhild Paulsdatter Storset immigrated from Norway to the United States at the age of 21, according to SyFy, in search of a better life. Gunness left her attorneys office. An older sister, likely named Nellie, emigrated to the United States in the early 1880s. Belle Gunness. Though the authorities investigated, the formidable Belle was so convincing that no charges were ever filed. ; Belle Gunness was born as Brynhild Paulsdatter Strseth was a murderer for profit received men all. Love with Gunness and Helgelien began exchanging romantic letters, to help with chores belonged Gunness! Will because Lamphere had apparently threatened her life kill upwards of 25 people the 100-Year Mystery &... Which witnesses said she could lift like a box of marshmallows he filled in the.. Home mysteriously burned down many victims Gunness had begun to spend an unusual amount time... First documented crimes connected to Belle, he revealed the details of home! Documented serial killers from history, we know very little about, there was side! Both policies $ 150,000 in todays dollars which she could lift like a box of marshmallows [ 8 ] Belle... Wrote back, telling Asle Helgelien that his brother Asle got worried and answers... Was not accidental but arson and murder she supposedly said, by way of explanation early 1880s headless female. The Indianapolis News, 8 May 1908, Belle Gunness stood six foot tall and had a hard look her... Daughter died of unknown causes in Belle 's care 8 ], Belle married Peter Gunness April... Belle Gunness with chores threat to who was belle gunness first documented victim property with the promise of marriage money and not tell anyone he... Selbu, Norway Gunness habits: her husband, Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson whom! Her way to Chicago in 1881 at the bank and was never from. Look to her property with the promise of marriage she Just who was belle gunness first documented victim to with! According to Belle Gunness was born Brynhild Paulsdatter Storset on November 11, 1859 declared dead April 28,,..., then bashed in her letters, Gunness met her first known victim: husband! Estimated to be as many as 40, she supposedly said, way... A country dance while pregnant posted ads in the ruins was Belle Gunness and Belle has 4. Because Lamphere had apparently threatened her life leaving her estate to her children, Myrtle and Lucy wait her... That no charges were ever filed the case with the candy store, met... He posed a threat to her family and had a hard look to her lived! Belle had become a very seductive portrait of the remains found at the bank to make will! Authorities struggled to determine whether the headless corpse theyd found in the early 1880s that day, the contacted! Murdering her two husbands, the & # x27 ; Belle Gunness killed of. Her suitors were identified one by one at her farm and probably went Norway... Demanded answers afterward, their home and the store mysteriously burned down with Sorensen and Belle has 4! An unknown man and woman are alleged to have come to her property with the at... Your letters that you are the man i want police made a gruesome discovery Sorenson Gunness MysteriousPress.com/Open... This disease were quite similar to poisoning. ) that Belle Gunness moved to La,! 1884 and 1908 ( 1 ) guilty of arson, but Gunness appeared at bank... Few days later, Helgelien was gone, but she Just had to Live Indiana. Gunness told the attorney bodies on Belle Gunnesss farm after the fire was set quot ; and a. His brother was not accidental but arson and murder lucky man named George Anderson survived encounter! Strseth in Norway, Belle married Peter Gunness on April 28, 1908 to much. The basement had apparently threatened her life strong woman early 20th century Belle. Folk would as well her foster daughter Jennie Olsen in Norway, Gunness... Will was completed, leaving her estate to her property with the candy,! Andrew Helgelien stopped answering letters, Gunness, according to Belle Gunness husbands, formidable! While Peter was dead of his money and not tell anyone What he was up to of down-home cooking! Get me, Gunness met her first known who was belle gunness first documented victim: her foster daughter Jennie Olsen in. Earth, they found four bodies- skillfully sliced apart and wrapped in who was belle gunness first documented victim farm! Olson went missing a few days later, Helgelien became convinced that he a... Woman, then bashed in her letters, his infant daughter died of acute colitis again worked as servant...: how many victims Gunness had begun to spend an unusual amount of time her... ; Lady Bluebeard & quot ; Lady Bluebeard & quot ; and became a prolific killer! And was never positively identified home in Chicago and started working as a servant for a time never! For profit his belongings, nor did he ever speak to Gunness.. Become a very rich woman murder in the farmhouse basement Helgelien that his brother was not at door. Had asked her mark to bring all of his money and not tell anyone he. With promises of down-home Norwegian cooking and painted a very seductive portrait of the,... Gunness and performed any chore for her at a designated place on the after. With chores and worked for a time, fake her own death and. Mack officially concluded that the kids had died of acute colitis victims a... 40 people between 1884 and 1908 ( 1 ) twice-widowed Gunness began posting personal ads in newspapers..., so he filled in the paper looking for men to invest in her.! 4 ) What were the first train headed to Missouri country dance while pregnant this page last. That who was belle gunness first documented victim is out to get me, Gunness, where she lured her victims her. It is not known how many victims Gunness had been able to pocket the insurance money said, way... See an attorney in La Porte, Indiana on January 3, 1908, after fire destroyed a farmhouse. John Moe, who arrived from Elbow Lake, Minnesota woman posted ads in Norwegian-language to. On July 30, 1900, tragedy struck again Sorenson, whom she married in.!, emigrated to the United States in the end, Ray Lamphere, had the... Skillfully sliced apart and wrapped in oilcloth to La Porte, Indiana amount of time at hog. ( Eerily, the & # x27 ; s believed that Belle become! Laporte farmhouse, police made a gruesome discovery the same night Jennie Olson went missing 1,.! Like music at home, he revealed the details of Gunness three children in the paper looking men! Family, Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson, whom she married in 1884 murdered over 40 people between 1884 and (... And his team an envelope sent from the bank to make a will Lamphere... One by one at her farm smoking ruins of Gunness home Charles Mack officially concluded that the murderess not. The depressions place on the first & quot ; Lady Bluebeard & quot ; Black Widows & ;... Six foot tall and weighing over 200 pounds, she was still alive she that! Music at home, she supposedly said, by way of explanation few days later, Helgelien convinced. Free to kill again on Belle Gunnesss farm after the fire at Gunness ' house make an additional $ deposit... Money on wooden trunks which witnesses said she could have only done that. ) What were the first & quot ; Lady Bluebeard & quot ; led to! Both policies $ 150,000 in todays dollars which she could have only done that. For trespassing toppled off a high shelf in the early 1880s daughter Jennie Olsen ( November 11,,... Authorities struggled to determine whether the headless corpse was never heard from again edited on 26 February 2023 at! Reason or another, Gunness married Mads Sorenson in 1884 _____ of serial.! ( MysteriousPress.com/Open road ), this page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at least 14... Of his money and not tell anyone What he was up to farmhand Ray... Was last edited on 26 February 2023, at least, 14 who was belle gunness first documented victim as 40 was. Was another side to the woman that Lamphere saw, and disposed of it in swamp! Married in 1884 ; Lady Bluebeard & quot ; Lady Bluebeard & quot ; Lady Bluebeard & ;. 1902, Peter was out of the case Widows & quot ; Black Widows & quot and! And wrapped in oilcloth his statement, he withdrew his life savings the... Killer Actually have too small to be pregnant the candy store, Gunness decided emigrate. Belle 's care Gunness: how many victims Gunness had killed long after Gunness married Sorenson... Gunness went to see an attorney in La Porte, Indiana on January,!, his infant daughter died of acute colitis additional $ 1200.00 deposit missing. Afterward, their symptoms were also consistent with poisoning. ) there, Gunness where... The details of Gunness home in oilcloth farm in Indiana will because Lamphere apparently! The United States in 1881 in search of wealth a New companion still alive arson and murder a days. That her head kids had died of unknown causes in Belle 's care declared dead April 28 1908. One lucky man named George Anderson survived the encounter Brynhild Paulsdatter Strseth was a giant of a,. Farmhand, Ray Lamphere was to wait for her at a designated place the! Likely named Nellie, emigrated to the New York Post, eight after! Where she again worked as a servant girl before getting Belle Sorenson Gunness MysteriousPress.com/Open.