Murder of Frank J. Lee

 On April 18, 1878, 33-year-old Frank J. Lee, a farmer, was driving his wagon home from the market in Chatham County, Georgia. A black youth, 18-year-old Frank Perry, would rob Frank Lee and in the process would shoot him. He would live a little bit after but passed away. 

Frank Perry would flee to North Carolina where he was caught. He would go on trial and would be found guilty and set to hang. He would be hanged in Savannah on June 26, 1878.

SOURCES:

Legal Executions in Georgia pg 26

Georgia Weekley Telegraph, Journal, and Messenger April 23, 1878

Georgia Weekley Telegraph, Journal, and Messenger May 7, 1878

Murder of Billy Stone

On December 11, 1914, 21-year-old Billy Stone was working at Whitby Junction in Whitby, Ontario, Canada. He was working as a telegraph operator. At 12:05 an accountant for the local asylum walking by. Billy had turned off the lights and the only one on was the one on his desk.

At 12:37 someone would enter Whitby Junction and shoot Billy in the chest. In his last moments, he would go to his desk and call the Bell Telephone Switchboard. Billy would tell them "I'm shot, I'm all done in". 

When law enforcement arrived Billy was dead. He had fallen backward onto the floor and the phone hung over the side. He had fallen from where he was standing and died. There was no gunshot powder on Billy's clothes meaning that he was shot from a distance. 

The scene was not displaced or anything. The killer did not seem to have stolen any money or objects from the station. There were no broken windows the only thing that was out of place was that the ticket window was closed and unlocked. It's believed that this was done after or during Billy's murder. It was also possible that since there was no struggle Billy was shot through the ticket window when it was open.

However, there was evidence that they had searched Billy's body as a bloody handprint was found on the side of a cabinet near the desk. The killer had used it to help stand up after getting Billy's blood on his hands. There was no way Billy made this print as there was almost no blood on his hands.  There was nothing in Billy's pockets and even his watch was missing. Strangely, Billy was robbed, but the station wasn't.

It's unknown who killed Billy, but there are a few motives. One was that Billy's father had killed him for money. His father was examined as a suspect. Feeling like he had become the main suspect in his son's murder he would end his life. He would lie on the tracks and be hit by a train.

A friend of  Billy's claimed that he thought that Italians had something to do with the murder. Another friend stated that he was not planning to marry and was talking to a woman at the time. It could be possible that it was because of a jealous lover.  It was also possible he was killed over a potential gambling debt. 

SOURCES:
Wikipedia

The Standard December 12, 1914

The Tronto Star December 14, 1914

The Province December 17, 1914

The Standard April 22, 1914

UNIDENTIFIED: January 15, 1865 Nashville, Tennessee John Doe

  On January 15, 1865, in or around Nashville, Tennessee a man was killed by a shotgun blast that severed his arm. There is little information in this case.

SOURCES:

Find a Grave

Murder of Eugenio Lopez

On December 15, 1914, 41/42-year-old Eugenio Lopez was at his home at 225 Conejos St. in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Two men would knock on Eugenio's door. When he answered he was either shot or stabbed in the chest which went through his right lung. He would then flee to his neighbor's home for help. The two men proceeded to burn down Eugenio's home. They may have had

He would die on December 31st from the injuries.

I could not find if the two men were found and prosecuted for the murder.

SOURCES:
Find a Grave

The Ordway New Era December 25, 1914

Gilpin Observer December 17, 1914

Murder of Robert Allan

 On December 1, 1904, 34-year-old Robert Allan was at his home at Drumshangie Farm between Greengairs and Airdrie, Scotland with his wife and 3-week-old child. This was the first night that they did not have any servants at the farm. 

Just after they went to bed some people came up to the window and disturbed them. This irritated  Robert and he opened the door holding his double-barrelled fowling piece. He fired into the sky to scare them away. This however did not happen as the people became more roudy. He went back in put on his trousers and went back out with his gun. He would fire another shot and never be seen alive again. It's believed he had followed the men down the roadway to where the trolley had been drawn.

He would be found dead on an old pit road leading from the farm to Watstown. He was lying across a track partially on his right side with one arm underneath him. His gun was a few feet away from him resting on the embankment on the road. It was found that he had been shot in the stomach. It's believed he was shot with his own gun. 

One theory was that he had stumbled in the dark and accidentally shot himself, but his guy was found several feet away and the locks of the gun were found to be empty of cartridge cases. The other is that Robert and one of the men fought over the gun and he was shot in the struggle. That the killer moved him and his gun from their original positions. 

SOURCES:

Unsolved Murders UK

Murder of Marshal William E. Gibbson

In 1882 Irish-born man 51/52 year-old Willam E. Gibson was a town Marshal for Horicon, Wisconsin. On October 19, 1882, he arrested a stranger for disorderly conduct. The man since he arrived spent most of his time drinking at the saloon and was drunk when arrested. The man was only in town for a couple of days and was believed to be a tramp.  William being a little careless and thinking the man only had one weapon did not check the other pocket.  

The man did not resist or fight to go to jail. When William let go of the man to unlock the door to the cell the man would pull a bulldog a 40-caliber revolver from his left pocket and shoot the him. He would flee from his crime.

It had taken around an hour before anyone knew that William had been shot. At the same time, there was a major fire at the Brunt & Davis Co. factory. The village's attention was focused on the fire which allowed the unknown man to flee the area.

The man had been in town for a day or two there were no clear descriptions of him. Even though there was a wide search for him he wasn't found. He had likely stolen a horse from the stables of Fred Puls about two miles east outside of Horicon and fled. If he was he would have been a victim of a lynching. It was believed that he may have been wanted for a bigger crime than public drunkness and that was why he shot Marshal Gibson.

The killer was never caught for this murder. 

SOURCES:
Find a Grave

Officer Down Memorial Page

Green Bay Press-Gazette October 21, 1882

The Eau Claire News October 29, 1882

UNIDENTIFIED: July 12, 1924 Covington, Kentucky Jane Doe

 On July 12, 1924, the body of a woman was found on a bluff overlooking the Ohio River in Covington, Kentucky. Her body showed she had struggled with her killer. Her clothes seemed to have also torn due to the struggle. She was then shot twice in the right side of her head. There was no evidence that she was killed there and may have been killed elsewhere and dumped there. It was believed she died around a week before. 

It's possible that she was killed in Cincinnati, Ohio and her body was dumped where it was found. 

Jane Doe was a woman between 30 and 40 years old. She was 5'6". She had long dark hair with a curl to it. She was wearing a tan whipcord dress made of good material, an orange blossom gold wedding ring of late design, earrings, a long black string of beads, and a cheap ring. She was wearing no shoes


SOURCES:
Find a Grave

Lexington Herald-Leader July 13, 1924

The Paducah Sun-Democrat July 14, 1924

UNIDENTIFIED: May 31, 1994 Baldy Mesa, California John Doe

 On May 31, 1994, a skull (no mandible) was found by investigators during a drug search in Baldy Mesa, California. The skull was found in a cardboard box beneath a bed. It's suspected that the skull is a souvenir skull or possibly a museum or teaching specimen. There seemed to be a bullet hole on the right posterior parietal with a possible exit through the left orbit. Meaning it's possible that they are a murder victim, suicide victim, or casualty of war. Victim could have been dead for up to a 100 years. 

John Doe is a man of possible mixed race (not specified) and was between 19 to 70 years old. 

SOURCES:

NamUs

Unidentified Wiki

Suspicious Death of Birdie Hoffman and Murder of Gertrude Botts

At 7 pm on May 3, 1900, 18-year-old Birdie Hoffman and 16-year-old Charles "Otis" Botts went on a buggy ride in Peoria, Illinois. The two had been dating for the last two years and planned to get married. Birdie's parents tried to convince them that they were too young, but the two didn't care they wanted to marry.

On the ride, he would end up either sexually assaulting her or they had sex. Afterwards, this would upset Birdie greatly and he claimed that she was full of remorse over them doing that. He claimed that she refused to go home and they argued until 4 am. During the argument, she would grab his revolver and shoot herself in the head. 

Police however did not believe that she had killed herself. However, he could not be prosecuted for the crime as no evidence contradicted his statement. 

Five years later on January 6, 1905, a few days before his 21st birthday Otis argued with his wife, 19-year-old Gertrude at the border house they were staying at in Peoria. The two had been constantly arguing ever since they got married the year before. During the argument, He would strike her in the face and then begin to strangle her with a slender hair ribbon killing her.

He would leave the home and go to a saloon in Knoxville and Glendale. When he entered he seemed heavily intoxicated already and caused a disturbance. He was quickly kicked out. So he would catch a car on the way to the courthouse where again he made a disturbance. He was kicked out after traveling two blocks. 

He would then make it to Wall's Saloon on Fayette St. He would hang out there until late that evening. Towards the end of the night, he became more sober. He seemed greatly worried and even told the bartender that he wanted to drown himself in the river. 

 He would spend the night with his friend William Trautman on Nebraska Ave. At 10 am Patrolman Brannon and McEnvoy would go to William's to arrest him. He was still asleep when he arrived, and surprised him when they arrested him. It was found that he had a razor under his pillow. It was suspected he was planning on using it on himself. 

 He would then be arrested the next day for the murder. He would seem indifferent to his wife's death. He stated that it was an Eastern traveler named Albert Baer. His wife was infatuated with the man and the two had spent that night together, so he had to of been the one to kill her. Police did not believe him, especially since he was the last one seen in their room. It also didn't help that he was a suspect in the murder of another woman.

There was no solid evidence, but there was circumstantial so he would be brought to trial in just a couple months. At the trial, he would deny that he knew anything about his wife's murder. The jury would find him guilty and set him to be executed. This angered him and he yelled at the jury in the courtroom.


SOURCES:
Legal Executions in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Missouri page 20

The Altamont News May 10, 1900

Mount Carmel Register May 10, 1900

Herald and Review January 8, 1905

Herald and Review January 13, 1905

Marshall County Democrat March 30, 1905

Woodford County Journal April 6, 1905

Murder of Oscar Mann

On February 11, 1924, 15-year-old Harrison Brown and 23-year-old Oscar Mann would get into an argument. They were arguing at a sawmill they worked at in Upson County, Georgia. It wasn't stated what the argument was in the newspapers, but Harrison was so mad he went home and came back with a shotgun. He would chase Oscar for half a mile with it before shooting and killing him, It was described in newspapers as a black-on-black crime.

The trial would happen soon after and by February 20th the 15-year-old was sentenced to hang. He would be hanged on August 15, 1924.

SOURCES:

Legal Executions in Georgia page 124

The Macon News Feb 20, 1924
The Butler Herald Feb 28, 1924

The Macon Telegraph August 16, 1924

UNIDENTIFIED: November 24, 1910 South Fork Township, Iowa John Doe

Thanksgiving Day on November 24, 1910, a body was found in the brush along the highway on the Charles J. Murray farm in South Fork Township, Iowa. It was the body of a man whose remains were being feasted on by wild animals. Only a portion of his right leg was intact.

He was shot with a .22 caliber bullet in the right temple. At first, it was believed it was suicide because he was not robbed but other evidence proved otherwise. He had been dragged and hidden where his body was found and no weapon was found.

The man was well dressed with several items on himself including an Elgin watch. The man's description and his items were put out into the newspaper and a possible lead came. a Ms. Gearheart of nearby Hopkinton came forward stating she had given the man the prayerbook he had.

He had stopped at her home on Labor Day which was September 5th and the same day as the Woodman World annual picnic in Hopkinton. The man was wearing the clothes he was found in and would ask for something to eat and she gave him food. They spoke while he was there. She either did not remember his name or did not give it. She did remember him telling her that he was walking to Dubuque to visit a nephew and was married but did not have children. Before he left she gave him the prayer book.'

This lead how however did not lead to his identification or his murderer.

John Doe was wearing a soft brown felt hat, a black and gray striped suit of durable material, and good shoes. He had $15, a large jack knife, an empty notebook, a prayer book, an Elgin pocket watch case numbered 138033 and a movement numbered 1024613, two medals with one marked "Whitcomb", several handkerchiefs, and a watch chain charm.

SOURCES:
Iowa Cold Cases

UNIDENTIFIED: October 14, 1923 Boistfort, Belgium Jane Doe

 

On October 14, 1923, an unknown woman was found shot dead in the Sonian Forest near Boistfort, Belgium. Due to the items on her person, it was likely she was a foreigner from France or Italy. There is little information on this case. It's not stated whether or not her murder was solved.

SOURCES:

Unidentified Wiki

Wikimedia

Murder of Lena and Wilhelm Riedel

In 1888 36-year-old Charles Henry Riedel his wife 37-year-old  Lena and their son 7-year-old Wilhelm "Willie" moved to Wilmington, Delaware from Philadelphia. Charles was German and spoke broken English. Unbeknownst to those around him he was depressed due to a lack of work and prospective want. 

On the morning of September 17, 1887, both mother and child were sleeping in the same bed. Lena was sleeping on her back facing up and Wilhelm was on his side facing away from his mother. Charles would go up to both. He first shot at the wall twice, but neither woke up. He would then shoot Lena and then Wilhelm in the head.  Witnesses heard Lena moaning and saying "Willie". Even if she talked evidence showed that she did not move after being shot but could have lived up to 3 hours afterward. 

Charles tried to kill himself by shooting himself in the temple, but he failed. Later that morning he would go to his door and shout that he would shoot everyone. He would then yell at Mrs. Gottilieb Wachter to see what he had done upstairs. This scared her and she rushed to her husband who was working at the mill at the time. 

The two would return and enter the home. Upstairs they would see the bodies of the mother and child still in bed. He would then be asked what he had done by them. "Just what I said I would." When they left the house Charles locked the door behind him. This was when someone was sent to get an officer. 

Later that morning Officer Sherry and Gustave Kolock would go to the home. The front door to the house was locked so the back of the house to peer in to see Charles smoking. The officer wanted someone to distract Charles briefly as he snuck in through the back to arrest him. Gustave's brother did so as he joined the party. They did this  and Charles willingly went with the officer and only asked to get his money before leaving. It was $21.70 (Around $667) one of the $5 bills was stained with blood. He grabbed it from the mantel and left with the officers. As he was put in the carriage Charles stated "I shot my wife. I shot my child. I'll shoot everybody."

He was found guilty and on August 10, 1888, Charles would be executed. He was welcoming the execution. One reporter would ask how Charles would feel if the governor would let him live a little longer. Charles would respond with "I will kill myself. I do not want to live this way. " He was religious but refused spiritual consolation. 

SOURCES:

Legal Executions in Deleware, The District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. Page 9

The Morning News September 19, 1887

Daily Republican September 21, 1887

Daily Republican May 16, 1888

The Morning News August 10, 1888

UNIDENTIFIED: September 14, 1902 Siskiyou County, California Jane Doe

 On September 14, 1902, two people would go on a hunting trip in Siskiyou County, California near Hornbrook. During the morning they passed by a basket but paid no attention to it thinking someone would come for it or was near. When they walked by again later seeing the basket there they investigated it. They would find items belonging to a woman, some clothing including a nightgown, a woman's purse with three one-cent pieces, and nickel and another purse having $ 1.50 in small change.

About 50 feet away was a tree. This would be where a gruesome discovery would happen. A woman's body was hanging from the tree but it was obviously not a suicide, but a brutal murder. The woman had a brutal death. It was obvious she fought for her life before her killer shot her in the right eye partially blowing away some of her skull. After her death, the killer would tie her to the large branch of the tree. She was found with one foot double under her and the other hanging down the hill. She was tied with a light rope.

It was obvious from the scene that the woman had greatly fought for her life. The area she was killed was trampled pieces of her clothing had were ripped from her. Her dress sleeves were torn off, her underclothing was disordered and her cape was ripped to shreds. Fur pieces from the cape were found some distance from where she was killed.

From the description of her clothes, she was seen in Hornbrook Around two weeks before she and a man were seen eating at Day's restaurant. The two were strangers to town and were also seen driving a span of yellow horses after the meal.

Jane Doe was between 40 and 45-years-old when she died.

SOURCES:
Find a Grave
Evening Sentinel September 24, 1902

Murder of Nels Pedersen Lourving

At 11 p.m. on July 29, 1933, 51-year-old Nels Louvring left his filling station at Dixie Oil Co. or also known as Nels Louvring Filing Station. He would arrive at his family's home on 315 Water St. in Fayette, Iowa. When he left his garage he was shot. The bullet would hit him on the left side right above his waste and exited his shoulder. He would then stagger through the yard towards the kitchen door where he collapsed.

His wife and stepdaughter's family would find him collapsed at the kitchen door. When he collapsed he dropped the cigar box of cash and receipts and his keys. He was dead by the time the family got to him. 

A .38 caliber gun was used, and from the angle of the shot the killer had to of been kneeling or laying down when he shot. Meaning that they waited to ambush Nels to kill him. It doesn't seem like robbery was the crime as the killer did not try to take the cash box from Nels right after shooting him. 

Bloodhounds were used and they brought officers to the Volga River, but that brought nothing up. 

SOURCES:

Iowa Cold Cases

William Zinsmeister Shoots up a Picnic

 On June 23, 1923, 35-year-old William Zinsmeister would question his son-in-law. He would inquire where his daughter, 15-year-old Mamie, was attending a picnic for the St. Williams Catholic Church in Louisville, Kentucky. He would then ask who she was attending with and if it was the boy he disapproved of. He would then call a taxi to come get him at his soft drink stand at 1:30 p.m. 

Before leaving he would tell his son-in-law that he "I'm going to kill 5 kids this afternoon". His son-in-law would try to make it to the river before him. He left in the taxi with two revolvers and over 75 rounds. The taxi would bring him to the picnic area of the Ohio River. There was nothing unusual about how William was acting in the taxi.

When they arrived William would leave the vehicle and walk towards the river. The Taxi driver would stay and chat with someone. He would then walk down to his daughter who was sitting on a log next to the water. 18-year-old Thomas Mullaney and 16-year-old Sarah Connolly were in the water near her. 

William would be greeted by Mamie saying "Hello Daddy." He would then ask his daughter "What are you doing out her Mamie?". She responded with something along the line of to have a good time and her father's response was "Well I'm going to kill you." He then pulled out and began shooting. 

Mammie died almost instantly with two shots to the head. He then began shooting at those in the water. 16-year-old Sarah Connolly would be shot and killed. 16-year-old Gertrude Franconia, and 18-year-old Charles Eifler would be injured. Thomas would be able to get one of the revolvers from William and received a wound to the shoulder and was hit on the head. 

Those witnessing the madness would run screaming towards where the Taxi was parked. "He's shooting people in the water." After the shooting William would flee across fields on foot towards his childhood home and where he was born. He was a few hundred feet from his former home and would kill himself. 

There were only two deaths, Mamie and Sarah. Sarah's body was washed away and a search would be done for it. She wouldn't be found for two days. Her body would be found down stream about a mile from the scene. The rest were injured with non life threatening wounds.

SOURCES:

The Puducah Sun-Democrat June 25, 1923

Messenger-Inquirer June 25, 1923

The Courier-Journal June 25, 1923

Hinton Daily News June 25, 1923

UNIDENTIFIED: May 11, 1923 Southern Pines, North Carolina Stranger

 On May 11, 1923, a man was found shot to death near the corner of New Hampshire Ave and Leak St.in Southern Pines, North Carolina. He had been shot to death with a pistol either on the 10th or the 11th. There is little information in this case. I'm not sure if anyone was arrested for the murder only information is from the Find a Grave. 

John Doe is a black male. 

SOURCES:

Find a Grave

Unsolved Murder of Santo Joseph DiStefano

On July 22, 1947, the body of 34-year-old Santo DiStefano was found in a sewer catch basin along Green Pond Rd. in Rockaway Township, New Jersey. Santo was last seen alive at 12 a.m. on March 22, 1947, at Ernie and Buff's Tavern on 21st st. in Patterson and likely died around that time.

Joseph had been shot around 5 times in the back of the neck killing him. He was not killed at the scene. Multiple people had to of been involved in his death or at least the disposal of his body. The grate that covered where he was could only be lifted by no less than 3 people. 

SOURCES:

Morris County New Jersey

The Morning Call July 23, 1947

The Daily Journal July 24, 1947

Murder of John Ledbetter

 In 1879 African American brothers Jordan and Wylie Sheats were contract workers on the farm of Joseph Williams in Maddison County, Georgia. They wanted to leave the farm, but Joseph Williams would remind them of their contract for the whole year. 

On the night of February 24th Joseph saw a wagon in front of where the brothers occupied. He went to investigate and ask why the wagon was there. Wylie responded, "It's a wagon from Harmon Grove.". Jordan who came out of the house said "Wylie there's no use in telling a lie about it. It's Tom Smith's wagon to move me and my things."

Joseph asked them to stay till the next day so they can settle things. He then remineded Jordan that he owed him $27 and must pay it. While the conversation was going on Joseph's son, J.Y. and a white tenant 31-year-old John Ledbetter the two on Joseph's side.

The two brothers still prepared to leave as the conversation continued. The conversation would turn into an argument. Jordan would go and retrieve a shotgun and told them,"We'll leave if we want to." In response the J.Y. and John went to the house to retrieve revolvers. When they returned the brothers were cursing and arguing with Joseph. 

John would look at Jordan and yell "Don't curse so." In response he pointed the shotgun at him and asked "Is it any your business?" John respoded angrily and the gun was lifted almost touching Johns chest and went off. John sank to the ground and died several minutes.

Almost as soon as the gun had gone off the brothers fled on foot into the darkness. They were shot at about 6 times by Joseph, but it was too dark for accurate aim. The next dary Maddison County Sheriff gathered a posse to hunt them down.

The brothers would be found in Athens. They were ordered to surrender, but instead refused. They began firing at the posse and the posse fired back. Wylie would end up dying, and Jordan fled again. It seemed as if he had disappeared and search for him sizzled out. Nobody had known where he'd gone for months. 

In August in West Virginia claimed to have been outraged. The desription of the man matched Jordan, who was working on a farm. A lynch mob would go to his house and drag him out. He swore that he was innocent. They would begin to hang him as they did not believe, but when he put his fingers to his mouth as if to speak they loosened it up. He told them he did not know of a rape, but he was wanted for a murder in Georgia.

He asked the leader of the group to write to Georgia to see if he was telling the truth or not. If it was a lie he would let them hang him. The mob believed him and did not believe he did the assault. 

He would be brought back to Georgia for his trial. He not once denied the murder, but claimed it was self defense. He was found guilty and set to be executed on November 14, 1879.There was a large crowd at the execution, but no excitement. Jordan accepted his fate and said he was ready to die. At 1:30 p.m. he was dropped and his death was long and painful. He struggled violently for 12 minutes before being pronounced dead.

SOURCES:

Legal Executions in Georgia pg 28

The Marietta Journal September 18, 1879

The New York Times October 26, 1879

St. Louis Globe-Democrat November 15, 1879

Perrysburg Journal November 21, 1879

The Abbeville Press and Banner December 3, 1879

Murder of Bernard Quinn

At 7 p.m. on January 1, 1923, Bernard and Elizabeth Quinn were having a New Years party at their home at 1 Woodbine Street, Hendon, Sunderland. At the party were at least4 other people including Elizabeth's mother Elizabeth Cassidy. The party would only end in tragedy.

Elizabeth and 60-year-old Daniel Cassidy had been separated for a while and she was living in Manchester at the time. She wrote earlier to her daughter she would spend Christmas and New Year with her in Sunderland. This information was told to Daniel in hopes of reconciling their relationship. This however was not the case as when as he had a different thought in mind.

Daniel would show up to the party with a revolver. He would shoot six times at people in the room. Bernard, his mother-in-law, and his wife were all three shot. A downstairs tenant, James Coggins, would hear the shots and rush upstairs. He would see Daniel with the revolver.

When he came into the room Daniel struck him with the revolver. James would knock the gun out of his hands and bring him to the ground. He would then march Daniel along Hendon Road until a policeman was found.

The three who were shot were brought to the hospital. Bernard was beyond help and would pass away. The other two would recover from their injuries.

Daniel would be taken to trial and try to plead insanity. The jury did not believe there were any signs of insanity from Daniel and he was found guilty and set to hang. On April 3rd Daniel would be executed in Durham.


SOURCES:
British Executions
Evening Chronicle January 2, 1923
Evening Chronicle January 9, 1923
The Gloucestershire Echo January 15, 1923
The Shepton Mallet Journal, City of Wells Reporter, and County Advertiser April 6, 1923