The Villisca axe murders occurred between the evening of June 9, 1912, and the early morning of June 10, 1912, in the town of Villisca, Iowa, United States. The six members of the Moore family and two guests were found bludgeoned in the Moore residence. All eight victims, including six children, had severe head wounds from an axe. A lengthy investigation yielded several suspects, one of whom was tried twice. The first trial ended in a hung jury and the second ended in an acquittal. The crime remains unsolved.
Appearance List Article: “8 Iowa persons slain with an ax while they sleep” in Chicago Daily Tribune (June 11, 1912), “Brother-in-Law of Iowa Murder Victim Proves an Alibi” in The Evening Standard (June 13, 1912). Podcast: Astonishing Legends: Episode 156-157 The Ax Murder House in Villisca.
Sample Read Astonishing Legends: Episode 156 The Ax Murder House in Villisca Part 1 [YT]
Description The Villisca axe murders occurred between the evening of June 9, 1912, and the early morning of June 10, 1912, in the town of Villisca, Iowa, United States. The six members of the Moore family and two guests were found bludgeoned in the Moore residence. All eight victims, including six children, had severe head wounds from an axe. A lengthy investigation yielded several suspects, one of whom was tried twice. The first trial ended in a hung jury and the second ended in an acquittal. The crime remains unsolved.
