Billy the Axeman

Rainier The Coble family murders happened on the night of July 9 to 10, 1911, in Rainier, Washington. The victims were Archie Coble, 28, and his wife Nettie Coble, 18. They lived in a small house somewhat outside the town. Mr. Coble worked as a clerk at a store in Rainier and used the nearby railroad tracks to walk to work.

They were murdered in their beds with blows to their heads with the blunt side of an axe. The killer had covered the face of Archie Coble after the murders. Nettie Coble had been pulled down toward the end of the bed and assaulted after death. Blood was found on the chimney of the oil lamp, suggesting the killer had handled it. However, it had not been removed. Due to the similarities, the press did connect the two murders at the time. Several suspects were investigated. One was a Swedish immigrant who worked on the nearby railroad. Another one was his foreman at work, a man named George Wilson. Both implicated themselves during interrogation. Eventually, Wilson was convicted for the crime but doubts about his guilt remain.

Main Midwestern murder series The main series of crimes happened in the American Midwest and lasted from September 1911 to June 1912. It started in Colorado Springs, Colorado with two families, the Burnham and Wayne families, murdered in the same night. It continued a few weeks later with the killing of the Dawson family in Monmouth, Illinois. Only a few weeks later, the Showman family was killed in Ellsworth, Kansas. After this, the series stopped during the winter. It resumed in the summer of 1912 with two family murders. In June, 1912, the Hudson family was slain in Paola, Kansas. A few days later, the Moore family and two visiting girls (sisters) were murdered in Villisca, Iowa.

With the exception of Colorado Springs, which had just under 30,000 inhabitants in 1911, all the towns were smaller but well connected to the railway network of the time. They were all located on major railway lines or at the intersection of at least two lines. In Colorado Springs, Ellsworth and Paola, the crime scene was directly next to the railway, whereas in Monmouth and Villisca, it was a couple of blocks away.

Colorado Springs

The murders were only discovered on the morning of September 20. In both cases, all the victims had their skulls smashed in with the blunt side of an axe and their faces were covered with bed sheets. The murder weapon itself was taken from one of the houses and left at the crime scene. Both houses had their windows covered and they had been jammed shut by the murderer before leaving. The killer had stayed at the crime scenes, washed his hands and cleaned the murder weapon of fingerprints. Both houses were right next to each other and only a few houses away from the railway line.

A robbery could be ruled out as a motive, as nothing valuable had been taken from either house. A personal motive could not be established either, as neither family had any known enemies in the town, where they had come to visit the local sanatorium only a few weeks earlier. Initial suspicion fell on Mr. Burnham, the only surviving member of the Burnham family. However, it was quickly established that he had spent the night in the sanatorium and could not have committed the crimes as he was seriously ill with tuberculosis. Authorities focused on revenge as a possible motive. Bloodhounds followed a trail to a nearby intersection of two railway lines.

In addition to these murders, there was an attempted break-in into the home of the city marshal Morris Merritt. In the morning, he discovered that someone had removed the screen from his window and tried to pry it open. His house was directly next to the railroad and only two houses away from the house of the Showman family.

This murder was the first time the press began to connect the different crimes and labeled the suspected killer as Billy the Axman. Police, however, focused again on local suspects. One was Charles Marzyck, the former brother in law of Pauline Showman, who had made threats against the family. Police were able to apprehend Marzyck, but let him go after checking his alibi. Another suspect was a man named John Smith or John Smitherton, who had stayed at a local hotel during the night after the murders and left behind a bundle of clothes. Police were able to find him as well. He was, however, let go after providing a lengthy interview to the police. In the interview, he said that he found the bundle of clothes near the rail lines when he got off the train on the evening of the murders. Bill James and Rachel McCarthy James speculate whether he had found the escape clothes of the actual murderer.

Paola The Hudson murders happened on the night of June 5 to 6, 1912, in Paola, Kansas. The victims were Rollin Hudson, 21, and his wife Anna, 22. The couple had only moved to Paola in spring 1912 and reports state that the couple had marital problems due to Anna Hudson's perceived infidelity. They had initially lived with another family but soon moved into a house of their own.

The murders were discovered the next day when, prompted by the absence of Mr. Hudson from work a number of women forced their way into the Hudson's home and discovered the bodies of Rollin and Anna Hudson. The murderer had entered the house through a rear window by first removing its screen and putting it against the house. Inside, he lit a coal lamp, removed its chimney and placed it beneath the bed. He killed both occupants by crushing their skulls and covered their bodies afterwards. The murder weapon was never found but inferred to be a blunt instrument, possibly a pick axe or hammer. Nothing of value was taken, discounting robbery as a motive.

In the same night, another attempted attack was reported in the home of the Longmeyer family, which lived a few houses up in the same street. In that case, the attacker had also entered the house through a rear window by removing its screen and placing it against the wall. Inside the house, he had likewise lit an oil lamp and removed its chimney. The attack was, however, interrupted when Mrs. Longmeyer woke up to the sound of breaking glass. This in turn caused the attacker to flee the house. The broken glass turned out to be the chimney of the lamp. Both the house of the Hudson and of the Longmeyer family were only a few minutes walk away from the intersection of two rail lines.

Despite this second attempt, the public soon focused on the alleged infidelity of Anna Hudson suspecting local suitors as responsible for the murders. The Sheriff, however, did connect the murder with the earlier killings citing the similarities in the MO and apparent sophistication of the killer. No person was ever charged with the crime.

Villisca

The last family murder in the Midwestern series occurred less than a week later on the night of June 9 to 10, 1912 in Villisca, Iowa. The victims were Josiah Moore, 43, his wife Sara, 39, and their four children Herman, 11, Katherine, 10, Boyd, 7, and Paul, 5. In addition, the killer also murdered two visiting girls, Lena Stillinger, 11, and Ina Stillinger, 8, who were friends with the Moore's children and had stayed for a sleepover.

The crimes were discovered the next morning, when one of the neighbors became concerned that nobody stirred at the house. She notified Josiah Moore's brother, who, after having made entry into the house, found that all inside had been killed by blows to the head with the blunt side of an axe. The killer may have entered through an unlocked back door. Inside the house he had lit a lamp, removed its chimney and placed it under a chair. The subsequent attacks must have been swift and determined, as all the victims died in their beds. After the murders, the killer covered the victims' faces, mirrors, windows, and a telephone. Then he lit another lamp, the chimney of which was also removed, locked all the doors and windows, and washed his hands. He pulled down the body of Lena Stillinger, staged her in a sexually explicit manner and possibly masturbated over her dead body. When he left the house, he left the axe, which was taken from the house, at the scene. No valuable items were taken from the house.

Like in Colorado Springs, Ellsworth, and Paolo, there may have been a second attempt that night. At 2:10 AM, Villisca resident Xenia Delaney was awoken by the noise of someone walking up the stairs to her floor. Next, this person would try the door, but, finding it locked, would turn around and leave the way he came.

When the murders of the Moore family and their two visitors were discovered the morning of June 10, the police deployed bloodhounds that followed a trail to a junction of two railway lines. Although the case was initially linked to the other murders in the series, the public and authorities soon focused on local suspects. One of them, an English immigrant named George J. Kelly, was tried but ultimately acquitted.

Possible subsequent murders A number of authors have speculated whether any later crimes should be considered to be part of the series. One possible crime is the Pfannschmidt murders, where on September 27, 1912, the Pfannschmidt family was murdered in their beds and their house was burned afterward. The main suspect was the only surviving member of the family, Ray Pfannschmidt, who, as his defense, blamed the murders on Billy the Axeman. Another example is the Kellar family murders, where on June 10, 1913, the Kellar family was murdered in their beds. The 1922 Hinterkaifeck murders in Germany are also speculated to have possibly been committed by the same killer.

Extended theories Mulatto Axe Murders (1911–1912)

During the years 1911–1912, the southern states of Texas and Louisiana saw a series of axe murders with a very similar MO compared to the Midwestern series. The killings also involved whole families being murdered at night with an axe. In addition, robbery was not a motive in any of the crimes and most victims lived very close to railways. While the number of crimes that are attributed to this axe murderer varies as well, thirteen family murders with a total of 49 victims are usually discussed within the context of this series.

The main difference to the northern crimes was the fact that all the killings involved families with black or mixed race members. For this reason, the press coined the term Mulatto Axe Murders for the series. At the time, a person named Clementine Barnabet was accused of being involved in these murders. Ultimately, she was convicted for one murder.

Timeline of the axe murders associated with the Northwestern, Midwestern, and Southern crimes. Murders are marked with black marks. Inferred ranges of the murder period in the Northwest, Midwest and South are given as blue, green and red bars, respectively.

In 2015, Todd Elliott connected these two series, claiming that a single killer was responsible for both. He based this on the similarity in the modus operandi and the fact that the southern crimes always stopped in the summer months just when the crimes in the northern series were taking place. In 2017, Bill James and McCarthy James also discussed a possible connection between the two series. According to them, at least one of the murders was certainly committed by the same killer, while others are less likely and may have been copycat crimes.

Earlier family murders Bill James and McCarthy James strongly divert from the theories discussed so far. They cite Klingensmith as a source but believe the crimes of early 1911 show a mature modus operandi, which may indicate an experienced serial killer active by that date. They, therefore, conducted an extensive literature search to find possible earlier axe family murders. Depending on how well the additional details in each case agree with the modus operandi established for the Midwestern axe murders, they then try to judge whether the same serial killer could have committed them.

Timeline of the axe murders that may have been committed by the Midwestern axe murderer according to the theory presented in The Man from the Train. Murders which are likely are marked with black marks and murders which were possibly committed are marked with gray marks. Inferred ranges of the murder period in the Northwest, Midwest, South, and Northeast are given as blue, green, red and yellow bars, respectively

In their research, they find a substantial number of murders that fit the modus operandi, but no definite candidates for the period between summer 1906 and summer 1909. They speculate this long pause may indicate that the axe murderer was imprisoned for other offenses, possibly a planned murder which was interrupted and sentenced as burglary. During the whole time frame from 1900 to 1910 they discuss eleven crimes which they conclude were likely committed by the same killer, and thirteen other crimes possibly committed by the same axe murderer. With the exception of the Lyerly case, these crimes had effectively been forgotten.

Suspects

Henry Lee Moore

Henry Lee Moore was convicted in Missouri in 1913 for the axe murder of his mother and grandmother and sentenced to life in prison. Due to some similarities in this murder as well as the fact that he was released just before the murders in Colorado Springs, special agent W. M. McClaughry suspected Moore to be the culprit behind the Midwest axe murders. More recently, several authors have argued against this identification.

Charles Marzyck Charles Marzyck was the former brother in law of Pauline Showman and a suspect in the killing of her and her family. It was also alleged that he had connections to Monmouth and Colorado Springs which lead to speculations he might be connected to these murders as well. Police were able to apprehend Marzyck and bring him to Ellsworth. He could, however, provide evidence for his innocence and was ultimately released.

Lovey Mitchell Lovey Mitchell was charged and tried two times for the Monmouth murders that happened in 1911. During the trial, he was connected by the press with the other murders in the series. Mitchell was ultimately declared innocent and released as a free man in 1918. In a review article on historical serial killers, Philip Jenkins again named Mitchell as being responsible for the Midwest axe murders.

George Kelly

George Kelly was an English-born traveling minister who became a major suspect in the Villisca Axe Murders. These murders are the last and most well-known of the family murders in the Midwestern series. At the time, he was tried for the murders but ultimately acquitted of the crimes. Based on the religious elements present in the Southern axe murder series, Todd Elliott suspected Kelly to be the serial killer responsible for both the Midwestern and Southern crimes series.

Paul Müller Paul Müller (or Mueller) was a German-born farmhand who became the main suspect in the 1898 slaying of the Newton family near West Brookfield, Massachusetts and the object of an extended manhunt afterwards. In their 2017 book The Man from the Train, authors Bill James and Rachel McCarthy James identify Mueller as the most likely candidate for being the axe murderer in dozens of incidents nationwide, based on the similarities in the crimes. This identification of Mueller was endorsed by professor Harold Schechter after their book came out, calling it the "most probable solution".

Bill James and Rachel McCarthy James believed the later crimes showed a mature modus operandi, indicating the crimes were likely committed by an experienced killer. Starting at the Villisca murders, they looked through newspapers for earlier crimes that had similar traits and believed the first crimes by this killer might not have been linked to him due to inexperience. According to the authors, the murders of the Newton family meet these criteria and was likely the first of many murders committed by Mueller.