Dr. H. H. Holmes
A photo of Herman Webster Mudgett, better known as H. H. Holmes, who was the first known serial killer in the US. He confessed to 27 murders but only 9 could be confirmed. He was also a con man and a bigamist.
His crime spree went on for years even though he died at just age 34 - killings, arson, insurance fraud, bigamy - until the Pinkerton Agency tracked him down in Boston on November 17, 1894. He was held on a horse theft charge from Texas. In October of 1895, Holmes was convicted of the murder of one man and sentenced to death. It was after the trial that he confessed to 27 murders - he was paid $7,500 (worth $216,000 today) by the Hearst newspapers in exchange for his confession so, of course, the confession was suspect.
On May 7, 1896, he was hung in Philadelphia - twitching for over 15 minutes before being pronounced dead 20 minutes after the trap had been sprung. Movies, books, and tv shows about Holmes continue to be made - all of them speculative because of Holmes' lack of ability to tell the truth.
His crime spree went on for years even though he died at just age 34 - killings, arson, insurance fraud, bigamy - until the Pinkerton Agency tracked him down in Boston on November 17, 1894. He was held on a horse theft charge from Texas. In October of 1895, Holmes was convicted of the murder of one man and sentenced to death. It was after the trial that he confessed to 27 murders - he was paid $7,500 (worth $216,000 today) by the Hearst newspapers in exchange for his confession so, of course, the confession was suspect.
On May 7, 1896, he was hung in Philadelphia - twitching for over 15 minutes before being pronounced dead 20 minutes after the trap had been sprung. Movies, books, and tv shows about Holmes continue to be made - all of them speculative because of Holmes' lack of ability to tell the truth.
Date & Place:
Not specified or unknown.
