The House of Eight Deaths

On the night of June 9-10, 1912, someone entered the Moore house in Villisca, Iowa and murdered eight people with an axe. Six were children. The killer was never found. The house still holds its victims—and overnight guests experience their presence.

The Victims

Who died:

• J.B. Moore, 43
• Sarah Moore, 39
• Herman Moore, 11
• Katherine Moore, 10
• Boyd Moore, 7
• Paul Moore, 5
• Lena Stillinger, 12
• Ina Stillinger, 8

The Event

June 9, 1912:

• Children’s Day at church
• Stillinger girls sleeping over
• Family returned home
• All went to bed
• Killer waited

The Murders

June 10:

• Early morning
• Axe from barn
• All killed in beds
• Brutal overkill
• Methodical

The Discovery

Morning:

• Neighbor Mary Peckham
• Noticed silence
• Children not doing chores
• Asked Ross Moore (J.B.’s brother)
• Bodies found

The Crime Scene

What was found:

• Mirrors covered
• Bowl of bloody water
• Slab of bacon
• Cigarettes
• Killer lingered

The Investigation

Failed justice:

• Multiple suspects
• Grand juries
• Rev. Kelly tried
• F.F. Jones suspected
• No conviction

Rev. Lyn George Kelly

Main suspect:

• Traveling minister
• Later confessed
• Then recanted
• Tried and acquitted
• Mystery remains

The House Today

Current status:

• Preserved
• Darwin Linn purchased
• Tour site
• Overnight stays
• Active haunting

The Children’s Room

Upstairs:

• Four Moore children
• Killed together
• Most activity
• Laughter heard
• Playing sounds

The Stillinger Room

Downstairs:

• Guest room
• Two visiting girls
• Last killed?
• Watched others die?
• Heavy energy

Overnight Experiences

What guests report:

• Children’s voices
• Running footsteps
• Closet doors opening
• Cold spots
• Being watched

The Closet Door

Strange phenomenon:

• Won’t stay closed
• Multiple people try
• Opens repeatedly
• Throughout night
• Famous activity

The Attic

Where killer hid?:

• Theory: waited there
• Heavy energy
• Uncomfortable space
• Some hear breathing
• Avoided by many

Ladder Marks

Evidence of waiting:

• Marks in attic
• Consistent with waiting
• Killer prepared
• Premeditated
• Planned attack

Ghost Adventures Investigation

TV coverage:

• Zak Bagans
• Significant episode
• Compelling evidence
• Attacks reported
• Famous investigation

Staff Experiences

Workers report:

• Daily occurrences
• Voices
• Movement
• Not scared
• Accept it

Johnny Houser

2014 incident:

• Overnight guest
• Self-inflicted stab wound
• While in house
• Influence?
• Deeply disturbing

Anniversary Night

June 10:

• Special events
• Heightened activity
• Sold out
• Most intense
• Annual commemoration

Significance

An unsolved mass murder of eight people (including six children) creating one of America’s most active haunted houses.

Legacy

The Villisca Axe Murder House preserves horror—the children who died there over a century ago still play in their rooms, unaware or uncaring that their game never ends.