Buzz
Each nation holds a dark past, filled with crimes where the perpetrators were never brought to justice. The likelihood of ever uncovering the identity of these killers is slim, as these heinous acts occurred about a century ago. Even if the truth were to surface, the criminals would have long since passed. Nevertheless, these cases serve as a chilling reminder that murder knows no borders, captivating and horrifying societies around the world for generations.
10. Al Swearengen, 1904
Fans of the TV series Deadwood will remember Al Swearengen as the vulgar owner of the Gem Theater brothel. Unfortunately, the show's cancellation meant that fans never learned the fate of many beloved characters, including Swearengen.
Swearengen left Deadwood in 1899 after the Gem burned down for the second time. He moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa, to live with relatives. For years, the narrative was that a destitute Swearengen perished in 1904 while attempting to board a freight train. However, a recent finding suggests he may have been murdered.
In 2007, Jerry Bryant, a historical archaeologist from the Adams Museum in Deadwood, uncovered Swearengen’s obituary. It revealed that the former brothel owner was found dead on the streets of Denver, his death caused by a head injury from a heavy, blunt object.
After this discovery, Bryant revisited all available evidence concerning Swearengen’s final years. His attack occurred shortly after his twin brother, Lemuel, was shot five times near his Oskaloosa home, though no robbery took place despite Lemuel having $200 on him. Bryant suspects that the assailant may have mistaken Lemuel for Al, who was likely the intended target. While Bryant is certain Al was murdered, the identity of the killer remains a mystery. Given Swearengen’s troubled history, revenge seems the most plausible motive.
9. James Douglas Edgar, 1921
In his prime, James Douglas Edgar was hailed by fellow golfers as a future legend of the sport. After finding early success in Europe, Edgar made his way to the United States in 1919, where he went on to win three PGA Tours. However, his promising career was tragically cut short when he died under mysterious circumstances at the age of 36 in Atlanta.
On August 8, 1921, three men were returning home from work when they spotted a man lying in the street. One of them, a 20-year-old reporter named Comer Howell, recognized the man as Edgar. Edgar had a bleeding wound on his left leg, prompting Howell to shout that Edgar had been struck by a car. Edgar died shortly after the discovery.
The media quickly picked up the story, reporting that Edgar’s death was the result of a hit-and-run accident. However, Howell, despite being the first to report it, was skeptical. An autopsy revealed that Edgar had no broken bones, just a few minor scrapes and bruises. The official cause of death was blood loss from a small wound that severed the femoral artery.
Howell grew increasingly convinced that Edgar had been murdered and launched his own investigation. Though he never identified any suspects, he did uncover a potential motive. Edgar was known for his love of drinking and gambling, as well as his tendency to have affairs with married women. It seemed likely that a jealous lover or an enraged husband could have been responsible for his death.
8. Montrouge Torso Murder, 1886
Saint-Pierre-de-Montrouge is a quaint church in Paris, constructed during the mid-1800s. For most of its existence, it served as a peaceful sanctuary. However, on a November morning in 1886, it became the site of a grisly discovery when locals found the dismembered body of a woman abandoned at the church’s doorstep.
The mutilated body was missing its head, legs, and right hand. Additionally, her uterus had been removed and her right breast cut off. Although the victim was never identified, authorities believed she was a young woman, most likely a prostitute.
Beyond the shocking brutality, what made this murder particularly eerie was the striking similarity to a string of murders that occurred in London a few years later. Between 1887 and 1889, four women were killed and mutilated, their torsos and other remains discarded throughout the city, mostly in the Thames.
Many modern crime enthusiasts have linked these murders, sparking speculation that the Montrouge killing may have been committed by the same individual. Some ripperologists, in particular, believe Jack the Ripper was responsible for the series of torso murders along the Thames. According to this theory, the dismembered body found at Montrouge church could have been the Ripper's first known victim.
7. Ottavio Bottecchia, 1927
Ottavio Bottecchia took up competitive cycling after serving as a messenger during World War I. He went on to win several races in his native Italy before moving to France. In 1924, he made history as the first Italian to win the Tour de France. Three years later, Bottecchia was found dying by the side of a road near the Italian village of Peonis. With a fractured skull and multiple broken bones, he was taken to a hospital but passed away days later, never regaining consciousness.
The official cause of death was determined to be sunstroke, which allegedly caused the cyclist to crash into a fence. However, a major issue with this theory was that the bike was found leaning against the fence, undamaged. This also ruled out the possibility that Bottecchia had been struck by a car.
Various theories have emerged surrounding Bottecchia’s death, including two that stemmed from deathbed confessions. One story involves an Italian man in New York City claiming to be the hitman responsible for killing the cyclist. Another confession came from a farmer who admitted to throwing a rock at Bottecchia, believing he was stealing his grapes.
Perhaps the most compelling theory suggested that Bottecchia was murdered by fascists. While he wasn't a vocal critic of Mussolini, Bottecchia’s socialist views were widely known. His popularity among the Italian public may have made him a threat to the regime. This conspiracy was fueled by the fact that the fascists quickly shut down the investigation into his death.
6. Haim Arlosoroff, 1933
As a prominent leader in the Zionist movement, Haim Arlosoroff made numerous enemies. Accusations regarding his murder have been directed at Nazis, Arabs, rival Zionist political factions, and even nonpolitical criminals, such as an attempted rapist.
On the evening of June 16, 1933, Arlosoroff checked into his hotel in Tel Aviv and went for a walk on the beach with his wife, Sima. While strolling, they were approached by two men who asked, “How much was the time?” One of the men then pulled out a gun and shot Arlosoroff.
The police quickly identified a prime suspect: Avraham Stavsky, a member of the Revisionist Zionist group Betar. Along with Stavsky, two other men, Ze’ev Rosenblatt and Abba Ahimeir, were arrested. Stavsky was convicted and sentenced to death, but his conviction was later overturned.
Another possible suspect was Abdul Majid, an Arab local who initially confessed to the murder while incarcerated for a separate crime. However, he later retracted his confession, claiming he had been paid by Stavsky’s group. He then retracted his retraction. Supporters of Majid’s guilt point to the peculiar wording of the question “How much was the time?” suggesting the killer might not have been a native Hebrew speaker.
The most captivating theory suggests that Arlosoroff’s killers were hired assassins, employed by his former neighbor and lover, Magda Friedlander. She later married and became Magda Goebbels. It is believed that she ordered Arlosoroff’s death to protect her reputation, fearing scandal if her affair with a Jew became known.
5. Honour Bright, 1925
Just three years after its formation in 1922, the Irish Civic Guard found itself embroiled in public controversy when one of its superintendents became involved in a highly publicized murder case.
The victim, Lizzie O’Neill, was a prostitute known by the name Honour Bright, and she often worked in the Dublin district called the Liberties. Her lifeless body was discovered in the early hours of June 9, 1925, in Ticknock, several miles away from her home. She had been shot through the heart.
One of the other prostitutes claimed to have seen O’Neill working her usual spot that evening. A man approached her, paid her ten shillings, and asked for help in finding another prostitute who had robbed him earlier. He also warned that his friend, waiting in a grey sports car, was a superintendent with the Guard and would arrest everyone if he didn’t get his belongings back.
Since cars were still relatively rare at the time, the police traced the car to Dr. Patrick Purcell. His companion was Superintendent Leo Dillon. Purcell, however, stated that they had last seen Bright leaving in a taxi, seemingly unharmed. The taxi driver was tracked down, and he revealed that the grey sports car had been waiting at Leonard’s Corner when he dropped O’Neill off, not where he had picked her up.
Purcell and Dillon were both charged with the murder of Honour Bright. Their defense was that the taxi driver was lying. Ultimately, a jury acquitted them due to a lack of evidence. Though their careers were tarnished, no one else was ever convicted for O’Neill’s murder.
4. Erik Jan Hanussen, 1933
Erik Jan Hanussen, a man who claimed to be a clairvoyant and mentalist, amazed audiences in 1920s Germany with his seemingly supernatural feats. His performances even garnered the admiration of Adolf Hitler.
Hanussen skillfully leveraged Hitler’s fascination with the occult. Their relationship grew stronger after the clairvoyant predicted that Hitler would rise to the position of Reichschancellor. Some records suggest that Hanussen also gave Hitler advice on how to use psychology and subtle gestures to captivate large crowds.
The Reichstag fire soon followed, with rumors circulating that Hanussen had hypnotized the communist arsonist, Marinus van der Lubbe, into starting the fire. As Hitler ascended to the role of chancellor, the Nazis seized control. On March 25, 1933, Hanussen was murdered, and his body was quickly disposed of just outside Berlin.
Although no definitive Nazi connection to his death has ever been established, theories suggest his assassination could have been a random act or even a robbery gone awry. However, the Nazis had clear reasons for wanting him silenced. The most significant was that Erik Jan Hanussen, who claimed to be of Danish aristocratic descent, was actually born Hermann Steinschneider, a Moravian Jew. For obvious reasons, the Nazis sought to sever any association with him.
One theory suggests that Hanussen's death may have been due to his extensive knowledge, particularly regarding Nazi involvement in the Reichstag fire. It’s also possible that high-ranking Nazi figures such as Goebbels or Goering wanted him gone, either because they owed him money or because he had become too close to Hitler. Hanussen’s assassination was swiftly covered up, and no one was ever held accountable.
3. George Harry Storrs 1909
On November 1, 1909, the wealthy businessman George Harry Storrs was murdered at Gorse Hall, a well-known estate located in Stalybridge, east of Manchester. Storrs was at home with his wife and niece when an unknown intruder broke in and threatened them with a gun. A struggle ensued between Storrs and the assailant. While the women went for help, they returned to find Storrs dead from 15 stab wounds.
Initially, it appeared to be a clear-cut case. Mrs. Storrs was convinced that her nephew, Cornelius Howard, was the murderer. He was arrested and identified in a lineup, but his defense lawyer presented several witnesses who confirmed that Howard was in Huddersfield, participating in a domino contest on the night of the crime.
The police soon turned their attention to another suspect: Mark Wilde, a man caught attacking a young couple with a knife. Although he had no alibi for the night of the murder, he was acquitted due to lack of evidence. No further charges were ever filed.
Rumors circulated about two foreign men who had arrived in Stalybridge shortly before the murder and vanished soon after. Some speculated that they were relatives of Maria Hohl, seeking vengeance. Hohl, a German governess, was said to have had an affair with Storrs and took her own life after becoming pregnant with his child.
The murder at Gorse Hall remains under investigation even today. One amateur historian believes the killer was Alfred Derrick, as he matched the description provided by witnesses. This historian theorizes that the crime could have been a robbery gone wrong.
2. Gareth Jones 1935
Gareth Jones, a Welsh journalist, gained recognition for his reporting on pivotal events of the early 20th century. In 1933, he was in Leipzig when Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany. His most notable achievement was his coverage of the Holodomor, the Soviet famine of 1933.
However, Jones’s reporting came at a great cost. He made a powerful enemy and was subsequently banned from the Soviet Union for life. He then turned to traveling across Asia in search of stories. His journey took him to Manchukuo, a Japanese puppet state that is now part of China.
Jones was determined to investigate Japan’s occupation of the region. He was accompanied by a German journalist named Muller. However, their attempts to gain cooperation from the Japanese military were unsuccessful, and they were eventually captured by Chinese bandits. While Muller was released after a few days, Jones was tragically killed on August 12, 1935, before any ransom demands could be addressed.
Jones's death sparked widespread controversy. Was it a senseless murder carried out by ruthless bandits, or a meticulously orchestrated assassination? It was speculated that the bandits may have been tipped off by the Japanese, who were eager to prevent any scandal. Some even claimed that Japanese soldiers had guided the journalists along a ‘safe’ route to avoid capture.
A widely accepted theory suggests that Jones's death was an act of vengeance orchestrated by the Soviets. An investigation later suggested that both Jones's Chinese contact and Muller were actually NKVD agents who had lured him into a deadly trap.
1. Cecil Hambrough1893
The Ardlamont mystery of 1893 became a major murder trial in Edinburgh. It later sparked a highly publicized defamation trial in London, which became a key case in libel law.
The story began when Alfred John Monson moved to the Ardlamont Estate in Argyll, Scotland, to work as a tutor for 20-year-old Cecil Hambrough. On August 10, 1893, Monson and Hambrough went hunting, joined by Monson's friend Edward Scott. Witnesses heard a shot and then saw Monson and Scott returning with the guns. When asked, they explained that Cecil Hambrough had accidentally shot himself while climbing over a fence.
An investigation followed the fatal incident. Initially, Monson was not considered a suspect, as he had lost his job with Hambrough's death. However, things changed when it was revealed that Hambrough had taken out two life insurance policies in Monson's wife’s name just days before his death. This raised suspicions, and Monson soon found himself charged with murder.
Although the public was convinced of his guilt, the jury was not persuaded. Even with testimony from renowned surgeon and Sherlock Holmes inspiration Joseph Bell against him, the Scottish verdict of ‘not proven’ allowed Monson to walk free.
A year later, Madame Tussaud’s in London unveiled a wax figure of Monson in their Chamber of Horrors. He successfully sued them for 'libel by innuendo' and was awarded one farthing in damages.
