Villisca Axe Murder House
Eight people were murdered with an axe while they slept—six of them children. The Villisca killer was never caught. Now the house where the Moore family and two guests died is a museum where visitors hear children playing and feel the terror of that night.
The Children’s House
On June 10, 1912, someone entered the Moore home in Villisca, Iowa and murdered eight people with an axe—including six children. The killer was never found. The house now hosts visitors who encounter spirits that have never left.
The Victims
Who died:
- Josiah Moore (43)
- Sarah Moore (39)
- Herman Moore (11)
- Katherine Moore (10)
- Boyd Moore (7)
- Paul Moore (5)
- Lena Stillinger (12)
- Ina Stillinger (8)
The Night
June 9-10, 1912:
- Church event
- Children’s sleepover
- Family returned home
- All went to bed
- Killer waited
The Murders
What happened:
- Axe from barn used
- All killed in beds
- Heads covered
- Mirrors covered
- Ritualistic elements
The Discovery
Morning:
- Neighbor noticed
- No activity
- Mary Peckham
- Called others
- Bodies found
The Investigation
Failed efforts:
- Multiple suspects
- No conviction
- Reverend Kelly
- Senator Jones
- Both tried, acquitted
The Theory
Prime suspect:
- Reverend Lyn Kelly
- Confessed later
- Recanted
- Never proven
- Mystery remains
The House Today
Current status:
- Museum
- Overnight stays
- Tours available
- Darwin Linn owner
- Preserved
The Children’s Room
Upstairs:
- Four Moore children
- Killed in beds
- Most active area
- Children heard
- Playing sounds
The Guest Room
Stillinger girls:
- Lena and Ina
- Downstairs
- Attacked last?
- Movement heard
- Their presence
What Visitors Experience
Common reports:
- Children laughing
- Footsteps
- Cold spots
- Being watched
- Objects moving
The Paranormal Activity
Documented evidence:
- EVP recordings
- Children’s voices
- Adult voices
- Sounds of violence
- Regular capture
Ghost Adventures
TV investigation:
- Zak Bagans
- Compelling footage
- Strange activity
- Staff member attack
- Famous episode
Overnight Experience
What happens:
- Guests stay alone
- Entire night
- Many leave early
- Too terrifying
- Not for everyone
The Attic
Mystery space:
- Did killer wait?
- Heavy feeling
- Dread reported
- Dark presence
- Malevolent energy
The Tool Shed
Where axe was found:
- Murder weapon
- Bloody
- In shed
- Still there?
- Replica displayed
Significance
One of America’s most brutal unsolved murders creating an intensely haunted location.
Legacy
The Villisca Axe Murder House preserves tragedy—eight souls, mostly children, who were slaughtered and never got justice. They make sure visitors remember.