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Belle GunnessNorwegian-American serial killer
Date of Birth: 11.11.1859
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Biography of Belle Sorenson Gunness
- Tragic Events
- Life in America
- Tragic Losses
- Marriage and Suspicious Deaths
- The Reign of Terror
- The Final Tragedy
- The Legacy
Biography of Belle Sorenson Gunness
Early LifeBelle Sorenson Gunness, the Norwegian-American serial killer, was born on November 11, 1859, in Sør-Trøndelag, Norway. She was the youngest of eight children born to Paul Pedersen Størset, a mason, and Berit Olsdatter. Belle grew up on a farm located 60 km southeast of Trondheim, where she lived with her family.
Tragic Events
One tragic event that significantly impacted Belle's life was when she was pregnant and dancing at a celebration. A man attacked her, kicking her in the stomach, which resulted in her losing the baby. The attacker, who came from a wealthy family, faced no consequences from Norwegian authorities. People who knew Belle claimed that she underwent a significant change after this incident. Interestingly, the assailant later died from stomach cancer.
Life in America
After three years of working diligently on a wealthy couple's farm to save money, Belle followed in her sister Nellie Larson's footsteps and immigrated to the United States in 1881. She initially worked as a domestic servant. In 1884, she married Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson and, together, they opened a confectionery shop two years later. Though the business failed, they were able to purchase a new home after their insured shop conveniently burned down.
Tragic Losses
Mads died on July 30, 1900, shortly after insuring his life. While one doctor believed that Belle's husband had been poisoned with strychnine, the family doctor, who had been treating him for his enlarged heart, concluded that his death resulted from heart failure. As there were no suspicions surrounding his death, no autopsy was performed. Belle claimed that she had given him medicinal powders to help him feel better, and her explanation was accepted. The day after her husband's funeral, Belle received $8,500 ($217,000 in 2008) in life insurance money.
Marriage and Suspicious Deaths
Belle married Peter Gunness on April 1, 1902. Two weeks after their wedding, their infant daughter died, and in December of the same year, Peter himself met a "tragic accident." According to Belle, Peter was working in the barn when a large meat slicer fell on him from a great height, crushing his skull. Gust, Peter's brother, immediately took their other daughter, Swanhild, to Wisconsin to protect her from another "unfortunate accident." Peter's death added $3,000-$4,000 to Belle's fortune.
The Reign of Terror
Belle placed advertisements in newspapers to meet interested middle-aged men, who would come to her farm and mysteriously disappear one by one. Ray Lamphere, Belle's henchman who secretly adored her, became jealous of her affair with other men. He created scenes, leading to his dismissal on February 3, 1908. Lamphere continued to cause trouble, prompting Belle to devise a plan to burn down her farm and profit from it without raising suspicions.
The Final Tragedy
On April 28, 1908, Joe Maxon, Lamphere's replacement, woke up to the smell of smoke. He tried to call out to Belle and her three children but failed to get a response. Barely escaping by jumping from a second-story window, he ran to the town for help. Later, four bodies were found in the basement, one of them decapitated. Local farmers insisted that the decapitated body couldn't be Belle Gunness, and subsequent investigations revealed that the unidentified woman had died from strychnine poisoning. Lamphere was found guilty of arson but innocent of murder. On November 26, 1908, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison and died of tuberculosis on December 30, 1909, confessing to assisting Belle in burying many of her victims.
The Legacy
It is believed that Belle accumulated around $250,000 (approximately $6.3 million in 2008) during her years of criminal activities. She earned the nickname "The Bluebeard" killer and was allegedly seen alive in Mississippi in 1931. However, she is conventionally considered to have perished in the fire on April 28, 1908. Belle's body is believed to be buried next to her first husband at Forest Home Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois.
