An Unsolved Crime in Villisca
(Updated October 3, 2020 from the original published May 29, 2017)
Villisca is a small town in the southwest quadrant of Iowa. Being a city girl, driving around Iowa was a real treat for me. I flew into Des Moines, rented a car, then made my way to Villisca for the second part of my paranormal weekend. Beautiful scenery and friendly people made my excursion through Iowa one of my favorite road trips so far this year.
If you are into the paranormal at all, you have probably heard about Villisca and the tragic events that happened so very long ago. Over one hundred years ago in fact. If you aren’t familiar, then read on to learn about the town of Villisca and my experience staying in that infamous house overnight.
As of the 2010 census, there were a little more than 1,200 residents in Villisca. As I drove from Des Moines to Villisca, I enjoyed the hills, winding roads, and charming farmhouses I saw along the way. I imagined what it would be like to have such a wholesome life. It is very different than where I come from in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs. It was almost as if time had stood still here.
Villisca is known for an infamous and tragic crime that occurred on a dark night in June 1912. It was then that a family of six and two family friends were brutally bludgeoned to death with an ax. Unfamiliar with a crime of this magnitude, the crime scene was not properly secured by law enforcement, gawkers contaminated the scene, and valuable evidence was lost forever.
The Victims
The Moore Family and two family friends were killed that night:
Josiah Moore age 43;
Sarah Moore age 39;
Herman Moore - age 11;
Katherine Moore - age 9;
Boyd Moore - age 7;
Paul Moore - age 5;
Lena Stillinger - age 12; and
Ina Stillinger - age 8.
Mr. Moore was a prominent businessman in the community and his family was well-to-do. They were all church going people and were respected by the residents of Villisca. The Stillinger Sisters, daughters of Joseph and Sara Stillinger, were there as overnight guests and just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The Crime
The evening of June 9th was a night that included a children’s program at Church. The event was over at approximately 9:30, they all walked home, with arrival estimated to be 9:45 - 10:00 pm. The next morning a concerned neighbor contacted Mr. Moore’s brother because she had not been able to get anyone to answer the door. The brother found that the doors were still locked so he used his key to enter the home. Upon entry, he saw the dead bodies of the Stillinger Sisters. The neighbor left to seek help and the remaining bodies were found by the authorities upon their arrival. All of them had been bludgeoned to death while in their beds.
The Stillinger Sisters were found in the bedroom on the first floor just off of the parlor. The Moore Family were all found in the upstairs bedrooms. All of the victims were found with their faces covered with their bedclothes after they were attacked and killed.
Based on the actions of the Moore Family and the Stillinger Sisters, it is believed that the crime occurred between midnight and 5 am. It was reported that the crime scene was not secured appropriately and it is said that up to 100 people entered to view the bodies. Talk about morbid curiosity!
The doors were locked from the inside and the windows were all covered. Most of them had closed curtains however there were two that did not have curtains. Those were covered with clothing belonging to the Moore’s.
Suspects
There were several suspects however no one was ever brought to justice and the crime remains unsolved.
Henry Moore (unrelated to the Moore family) - alleged to have killed multiple people (up to 25) in the same way as the Villisca murders;
Reverend George Kelly - a travelling preacher who happened to be in Villisca when the murders happened and who left quickly the morning after;
William Mansfield - a man allegedly hired by Frank Jones, former employer of Mr. Moore;
Frank Jones - a former employer of Mr. Moore and who was angry that Moore had left his employment to start his own company;
Andy Sawyer - a transient who allegedly acted suspiciously, was somewhat preoccupied with the Villisca murders, and who told a coworker that he had been in Villisca at the time of the murders; and
George Myers - a prisoner in Detroit who confessed to the killings and that he was hired to do it.
Current Case Status
It is believed that the murderer was already in the home when the family returned from church. Of course they had no idea that he lay in wait as they prepared for bed. Crime investigation (including fingerprinting) was really in its infancy back then and DNA analysis wasn’t even a thing. A local druggist wanted to take photos however law enforcement prevented him from entering. If only they had allowed him to do so for the sake of evidence!
The case remains unsolved and it will likely never be solved. There are theories and suspects but the crime scene was not secured and evidence was not collected and maintained in any appropriate manner. Unfortunately, justice for the Moores and the Stillingers will never be.
Our Experiences
My friends and I stayed in the "Villisca Axe Murder House" and spent hours investigating the alleged paranormal activity for which the house is known. We rented it for an entire weekend and split up into two groups so that we could investigate in smaller subgroups. The other group investigated Farrar School while we were here at the Villisca House. Then we swapped places so everyone would get a chance to investigate. For my subgroup, three of us slept in the room in which the Moore kids were killed while the others slept downstairs (there were six of us in total). The downstairs bedroom is where the Stillinger girls were murdered.
We had run of the house and access to the barn (now giftshop) as well. We initially didn’t experience much but later had a few notable hits on our meters but it was nothing profound. While upstairs in the children's room, we did hear a few creaks and pops however the house is old and each step generated noise. We did observe a ball move in a circular pattern near one leg of the crib but, unfortunately, the cameras were not aimed at the floor so we didn't get it on video. We did however attempt to recreate the pattern of the ball's movement by walking around the ball or causing vibration in other ways, but we were unsuccessful.
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Conclusion
All in all, this paranormal adventure did not disappoint. We enjoyed our visit to Iowa and specifically Villisca. A sadness hangs over the house...it is a sadness that is almost tangible to this day. While we did not have much activity to document a true haunting, we enjoyed the opportunity to learn about this family. We paid our respects at the cemetery and we hope to return to Villisca some day. In the hustle and bustle of my day, it is sometimes easy for me to get lost in the daily grind and I kind of forget that horrific things happen now as they did back then. The visit to Villisca was a gentle reminder to stop, reflect, and to be grateful for the life that I have.
Make this beautiful day count!