Villisca Axe Murder House, Villisca, Iowa, USE
In June of 1912, the Moore family, Josiah and his wife Sarah, their children Herman (11), Katherine (9), Boyd (7) and Paul (5), returned home from a church program around 9:30 pm. They invited friends Lena Stillinger (12) and her sister Ina (8) to stay overnight. Neighbor Mary Peckham noticed the Moore’s chores weren’t started the next morning. She called Josiah’s brother to come investigate.
He discovered all eight victims with massive axe wounds. The killer covered windows and mirrors with the victim’s clothes. Oddly, a slab of bacon lay next to an axe in the Stillinger’s bedroom. The case remains unsolved, although there are many theories about the crime. Today, visitors can rent the Villisca Axe Murder House for tours or an overnight stay. The house is eerily decorated to recreate the terrible night in 1912 when the Moores and Stillinger girls died.
