This book looks at all the papers, newspaper stories, personal accounts and rumours about the story. The worlds authority on recordbreaking achievements since 1955. The story of belle gunness, americas most infamous black. Laportes belle sorenson gunness got away with murder. Belle guinness belles first victims were her husband and by some accounts, two of her children. She ended up killing most of her boyfriends and suitors. Belle sorenson gunness was norwegianamerican serial killer who stood six feet. Born in 1858 in selbu, norway, belle gunness emigrated to america in the mid 1880s. Belle gunness murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers. Laportes belle sorenson gunness got away with murder, again and again. The mystery of belle gunness, butcher of men by harold schechter very well researched book on the true life story of belle gunness. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the truth about belle gunness. Nov 19, 20 the unsolved case of the murderous belle gunness, lady bluebeard november 19, 20 emily upton 2 comments today i found out about the fascinating tale of belle gunness, the lady bluebeard, who is thought to have murdered her husbands, her children, and a couple dozen more people during her lifetime.
A series of deaths and disappearances of people associated with her followed, many of which fetched her insurance money. The couples home had also burned down, and both instances granted the couple insurance payouts. In the basement, they also found the corpse of a headless woman thought to be belle gunness. Tv series to recount tale of infamous laporte serial killer belle. Guinness world records has records for everything from the largest dinosaurs and natures fastest and deadliest beasts, to skateboarding dogs, furry felines, leaping llamas and phenomenal farm animals. Belle paulsdatter sorenson gunness was born in norway in 1859. Like many, she emigrated to the united states in search of the american dream. Here was a heroic woman who died in a desperate attempt to save her children from an awful fire.
Belle also began posting notices in lovelorn columns to entice wealthy men to her farm, after which they were never seen again. November 11, 1859 april 28, 1908 was a norwegianamerican serial killer. The guinness book of recordsthe guinness book of world recordsusguinness world records since 2000 the guinness book of world records 1964, guinness. Standing six feet tall and weighing over 200 pounds, she was a physically strong woman. The true story of the female norwegian immigrant who led a secret life as a serial killer in the e. Horrifically, she also murdered two of her daughters.
At 58 ft tall and over 200 lb 91 kg, she was a physically strong woman. She eventually found it through insurance fraud and killing husbands, children, and anyone in her way. Born brynhild paulsdatter strseth on november 22, 1859 in selbu, norway. Poison was the attending physicians first thought, but belle shrieked piteously at the idea of an autopsy and he quickly dropped the subject. I thought i was getting a book on her life and exploration if her crimes.
She killed most of her suitors and boyfriends, and her. Belle was a mother, a widow and a sister, who killed and botched over 30, maybe over 40 people and buried them on her farm. How a farm girl became the butcher of lonely men i. Serial killer, belle sorenson gunness method of murder. Today i found out about the fascinating tale of belle gunness, the lady bluebeard, who is thought to have murdered her husbands, her children, and a couple dozen more people during her lifetime you probably remember bluebeard, the title character in the french folk tale by charles perrault, which you might have stumbled across in a fairy tale book or two. Christofferson, a neighbouring farmer, took one look at the charred remains of this body and said that it was not the remains of belle gunness. Her screening process was thorough and she would only accept visits from men with enough cash to make her happy. Belle gunness, queen of black widows, murdered dozens and. This is the biography of a ruthless woman whose abominable deeds earned her nicknames such as lady bluebeard, hells belle and the mistress of murder farm.
She had false teeth, and the burden of three children from two late husbands. Belle sorenson gunness was norwegianamerican serial killer who stood s. The truth about belle gunness goodreads share book. She may have killed both of her husbands and all of her children on different occasions, but she is known to have killed. Belle gunness, born brynhild paulsdatter storset november 11, 1859, possibly april 28, 1908, was a norwegianamerican serial killer who was active in illinois and indiana between 1884 and 1908. Standing six feet belle sorenson gunness was a norwegianamerican serial killer. The book about belle gunness by harold schechter was a great read. The first 12 editions of the guinness book of world records.
The book was written in the 1950s, the deaths in the 1900s. Just days earlier, newspapers and neighbors had been singing belle gunnesss praises. Access to press releases, images and video from the latest recordbreaking stories. Belle soon remarried a widower, peter gunness, the single father of an infant girl. Authorities eventually found the remains of over 40 victims on her property, but belle disappeared without a trace. She is listed in the guinness book of world records as among the worst female serial killers in history. The true story of notorious serial killer hells belle.
Hammond cop who caught serial killer who faces death. Belle gunness she was cited by the guinness book of world records as the most prolific female killer in modern times, and often called hells belle or the deadly mailorder bride. A wellbuilt woman with six feet height and over 90 90 kg, belle immigrated to the us in 1881. She killed most of her suitors and boyfriends, and her two daughters, myrtle and lucy.
Gunness is thought to have killed as least fourteen people, most of whom were men she enticed to visit her rural indiana property on the promise of marriage, while some sources speculate her. She was a serial killer who lived in both illinois and indiana around the turn of the century. What followed were a series of insurance frauds and crimes, escalating in size and danger. The guinness book of world records named her the most prolific murderess langloish, 1985. Serial killer belle gunness only belle full documentary. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the truth about belle gunness.
Belle sorenson gunness born brynhild paulsdatter storseth november 11, 1859. She lured most of her victims by placing friendly ads in scandinavian papers in the midwest. The daughter of a stonemason, belle gunness immigrated to america in 1881 in search of wealth. A series of suspicious fires and deaths mostly resulting in insurance awards followed. Guinness world records, known from its inception in 1955 until 2000 as the guinness book of records and in previous united states editions as the guinness book of world records, is a reference book published annually, listing world records both of human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. Nov 26, 2018 just days earlier, newspapers and neighbors had been singing belle gunnesss praises. She earned the epithet the lady bluebeard because she is believed to have killed as many as twenty spouses. Belle sorenson gunness born as brynhild paulsdatter storseth. Sorenson died of a cerebral hemorrhage on that very day. Belle gunness killed around 40 people, according to estimates, while others.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Belle sorenson gunness was norwegianamerican serial killer who stood six feet tall and weighed more than 200 pounds. The college she was supposed to have attended in san francisco had no record of her. The world war z book movie was based on a virus that went straight to ones brain and made a person stupid. The unsolved case of the murderous belle gunness, lady. The idea for a book of records begins in the early 1950s when sir hugh beaver 18901967, managing. The burly norwegian murdered over 40 people between 1884 and 1908 before she disappeared without a trace. As truecrime author harold schechter writes in his new book, hells princess. Soon after, sorenson died of heart failure on the one day his two life insurance policies overlapped. After emigrating to america in 1881 at age 21, she americanised her name to belle, married and opened a confectionery store with her new husband, mads sorenson, but the business was extremely unsuccessful and then burnt down just a year later. Black widow belle gunness by james donahue belle gunness, believed to have killed two husbands, six children and an estimated 40 to 180 potential suitors between 1884 and 1908, has remained one of americas great unsolved mysteries. Nov 30, 2014 belle was about 280 pounds and so muscular some said she really was a man.
The most disturbing part about these grisly stories is that the gory parts are not fiction. Belle married mads sorenson in 1893, and together they operated a store in chicago. Norwegian born serial killer belle gunness ravaged the midwest 110 years ago. Belle gunness also known as lady bluebeard, the laporte black widow, the mistress of murder farm, and hells belle was probably one of americas most prolific serial killers who likely killed between 25 and 30 people, including women and children, at the turn of the 20 th century. Belle gunness, a norwegianamerican serial killer, killed her children, her many husbands, and various other people more than for insurance payouts and cash. Burial site on gunness farm, 1908 belle gunness date.
She had married him shortly after she moved to america from her home in norway around 1883. Belle sorenson gunness, birth name brynhild paulsdatter storseth, was a norwegianamerican serial killer. Belle sorenson gunness slaughtered her husbands because she believed men were evil. Did lonelyhearts killer belle gunness get away with murder. The guinness book of world records has in twelve editions listed belle gunness under the category most prolific murderers. The ad was placed by 46yearold belle gunness, who sought a partner in. Welcome to the guinness world records press office. Belle was about 280 pounds and so muscular some said she really was a man.
Did lonelyhearts killer belle gunness get away with murder or. In 1900, sorenson died under mysterious circumstancesa doctor would later. The laporte, in, farmhouse owned by belle gunness caught fire and burned to the ground on the night of april 27, 1908. Belle gunness, often referred to as the lady bluebeard, is considered to be the first american female serial killer. Was she a dreadful butchering woman serial killer or were there other factors.
Join facebook to connect with belle guinness and others you may know. Someone to speak to regarding a recordbreaking idea for a tv slot or a radio print online feature. From talented pets to extreme wildlife, animals are always among our most popular recordbreakers. Perfect for fans of in cold blood or the devil in the white city, it is a magnificent and brilliantly written exploration of a highly unusual murderer the new york times. Black widow belle gunness by james donahue belle gunness, believed to have killed two husbands, six children and an estimated 40 to 180 potential suitors between 1884 and 1908, has remained one of.
On the morning of april 28, 1908, her farmhouse burned to the ground where town authorities found the bodies of belles three children. She may have killed both of her husbands and all of her children on different occasions, but she is known to have killed most of her. Belle gunnes was a norwegianamerican serial killer. The brainchild of sir hugh beaver, the book was cofounded by twin brothers norris and. How a farm girl became the butcher of lonely men new york post. Belle gunness grew up dirt poor in the small norwegian village of selbu. Not long after gunness married mads albert sorenson in 1884. May 05, 2018 the ad was placed by 46yearold belle gunness, who sought a partner in. Belle gunness killed numerous lovers, many who came to her farm after. Gunness is known to have killed most of her suitors, boyfriends and her 2 daughters, lucy and myrtle sorenson. Gary richard meadows wanted to one day make it in the guinness book of world records. May 28, 2015 belle sorenson gunness born as brynhild paulsdatter storseth.
Peter gunness, belles second husband, also died under peculiar circumstances. When authorities sifted through the rubble the next day, they found the bodies of three children presumably those of her daughters myrtle and lucy from her first husband, mads sorenson, and her son phillip, from her second husband, peter gunness were found in the basement. The mystery of belle gunness, butcher of men little a, out now, helgelien was just one of the many lonely men who answered gunness ads hoping for a quiet life with a saltoftheearth woman and instead was drained of his money, murdered, butchered and. Depending on the literature, belle and first husband mads sorenson had four children, two of which died while very young. Rather the book starts with the discovery of what is believed to be her body and follows the arrest and trial of gentleman believed responsible. Belle sorenson gunness was a norwegianamerican serial killer. The original black widow belle gunness stay at home mum.