The Mysterious Death of the Moore Family

One of the most tragic events and most mysterious murder happened in Viscilla, Iowa in June 10, 1912. During that night, parents Sarah and John Moore were is deep sleep upstairs, their four children were in a room down the hall, and the Stillinger sisters were on the first floor. They were all in their sleep when something happened.

It was midnight then, a stranger entered through the door which was unlocked during that time. He then lit up a certain lamp sitting in a nearby table. He carried it with one hand to help him roam around the house. He first went upstairs to Mr. and Mrs. Moore’s bedroom then to their children’s room before going back downstairs as if he fully knew the description and layout of the house. He chopped ever victim and covered their faces with sheets. Windows and mirrors were also covered with blankets. The suspect then washed his hands and silently went outside and locked the door behind him.

A quiet place surround the house that made people became suspicious. The neighborhood alerted Joe’s brother who quickly arrived to check the place. He was then devastated to see all the people in the house dead.

Police had come up with their own scenario of the story. The killer might have killed the parents first and an axe was the tool to murder them. Joe was said to be axed by 30 times. The faces of all members in the house was so destructed that blood was seen everywhere. Some unrelated things were also found in the crime scene. Things such as a piece of uncooked bacon from the fridge that s found in the living room alongside a keychain. A bowl of water was also seen with blood surrounding it. Authorities were convinced that the murderer might have performed some kind of ritual on them before leaving the house.

Many people believed that the killer might have known the family because he was so sure of the house’s layout and is capable of wrecking the lives of the family without someone hearing them or him. For this, few suspects were named.

First is a businessman who is believed to be Mr. Moore’s competitor in the business industry. His name was Frank Jones. They have worked with each other before for years before becoming rivals. Rumors of affair also popped up when Joe was speculated to be having an affair with Jones’ daughter-in-law. Although there is no such evidence regarding any assumption, the town people are still convince of Frank being the suspect.

An English immigrant named Lyn George Jackin Kelly was also brought up in the issue. He had sexual and mental problems. He admitted that he was in Iowa during the time of the murder, and also admitted that he left early in the morning after the night of the killing. A certain dry cleaner reported that he washed Lyn clothes full of blood in it few days after the incident happened.

Up until now, the mysterious death of the whole family including the sisters who slept-over is still unexplained by the authorities. Their house was later on converted into a museum with their things still in the same place and not touched.