"They fit nicely," he would later tell a reporter. He told reporters that the killer or killers bludgeoned the women with a lead Billy club, before using a machete to decapitate them and amputate their arms and legs. The police also discovered a piece of implicating evidence at the scene: a golden wedding band buried in a wound on one of the victims backs. indicated that it had been skillfully removed Before coming to New Orleans, Henry had worked as a butchers assistant in New Iberia. "We're taking . There was no place like New Orleans in the Roaring 20s. Joseph told police he had recently moved in with his sister after catching Leonide with another man. Healy borrowed a neighbors telephone, requesting a second reporter before suggesting that it might be appropriate to alert the coroner. The story of the unknown 'Somerton Man,' which included murmurs of espionage, crime, murder, cipher code, and love triangles. He was sentenced to life in prison. He also blamed his sister-in-law for being a bad influence on his wife. Allegedly, a customer found a gold ring in the sausage and reported it to the police, who made a visit to Muellers sausage factory. Ironically it is next door to the Moity apartment. The New Orleans Police Department released her photo and asked for the public's help. In the mid 1800s, Hans Mueller immigrated to the United States from Germany with his wife. ). 715 Ursulines Avenue was the home of the Moity brothers, their wives, and children. Meanwhile, the French Quarter had become increasingly home to working-class residents, thanks to decreasing property values and proximity to employment opportunities. The frantic cleaning lady was soon joined by two insurance men who were conveniently nearby and who, in turn, tipped off local reporter, George William Healy. The rent was always late, there wasn't enough food, and things were getting dire. They'd greet everyone with a smile, and happily called out their regular customers' names as they walked through the door. (Photo: Lauren George), Is it possible that the Big Easys version of Sweeney Todd was born of the 1927 trunk murders, altered in retellings to more nightmarish proportions? CDP July 5, 2021 No Comments. Dave easily shared his knowledge and love of true crime with us. On the way home from their outing, a local busybody made a casual comment to Theresa, implying that there were rumors she was going to run off with Caruso that night. ST39306. (, The victims of the Trunk Murders were discovered October 27, 1927, at 715 Ursulines Street. In March 1928, Henry was convicted of Theresas murder and sentenced to life in prison. NEW ORLEANS | "The Trunk Murders" from Infamous America on Podchaser, aired Wednesday, 24th August 2022. At 8 p.m. on March 13, a woman's body was found in the trunk of a silver Camry about seven blocks from the . Inside, investigators found a blood-soaked mattress in a bedroom, a bathroom cabinet dripping with blood, and among the scattered clothing littering the floor, they found a pair of severed fingers. At the start of 2023, New Orleans was considered to have the highest murder rate of any large city in the country. ", Found amongst the dead woman's things was a manuscript, written in pencil, submitted and rejected fr, At the exact same time the papers had side-by-side national stories about Velma West, the flapper murderess and it was 180 degrees from the Moity coverage. by Jackson Square Cat August 28, 2016 New Orleans' French Quarter, at the. 715 Ursulines Avenue was the home of the Moity brothers, their wives, and children. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. On that same page Barbara Brooks, "Editor of Advice to the Lovelorn" says she "Sees Tragedy As Result of Bedraggled and Besmirched Love.". Joseph told police he moved out after catching Leonide with another man. One night, the owner killed his wife and disposed of her body by grinding it into sausages that he then sold in his shop. It was a smaller group than other tours we saw and very entertaining! Other stories say that the hard work took a toll on his wifes physical appearance and he no longer found her attractive. For social distancing, we will continue to take out much smaller groups than other tours (we always have! Police report offers few leads in Becky Gary case, Fallen Hammond officer Fred Karlton remembered, DNA may identify Lady in the Lake after 36 years, Dixie Mafia con artists extorted Carlos Marcello, Interstate shootings, history repeating itself, Arrest made in 13-year-old cold-case homicide, 41-year-old pot box murder still unsolved. He went to Theresas bedroom and stabbed her. Before coming to New Orleans, police believed, Henry had worked as a butchers assistant. The drink! (, A circa 1925 image shows the criminal court building at Tulane Avenue and Elk Place. New Orleans' most infamous serial killer was never caught. Nettie testified she remembered Henry pulling her aside and whispering not to be scared if she heard the children crying in the early morning. Yet violent crime continued to soar across . The description given by Dr. George Roeling (the Orleans Parish Coroner at the time) confirmed the brutality of the scene. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); All rights reserved Copyright 2023 by HL Arledge. Her calls for help attracted the attention of two men nearby, who called the police. Between 1920 and 1945, only 1.3 percent of local killers slaughtered their victims with axes or machetes, and no other New Orleans killer hacked off his victims' heads and limbs. Leonides husband, Joseph, turned himself in that evening. In a closet, police found two small traveling trunks packed with the expertly butchered corpses of two young women. When the coroner and Healys female colleague, Gwen, arrived. If you are Playing the Game, the answer is elementary. Even Hans' new ladylove grew suspicious and broke up with him. Hitmans rap sheet only scratches the surface. Leonide was murdered by her husbands brother, Henry Moity, along with Henry's wife, Theresa. Back in the 1800s, a young German couple, Mr. and Mrs. Hans Mueller, opened a sausage factory in New Orleans. He hacked twice at Leonide, who never woke. Love Me Not: The New Orleans Trunk Murders Shockingly Wicked Podcast At the end of the Roaring Twenties, New Orleans was rocked by one of the grizzliest murder scenes the city had ever seen. This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. Her naked body was found severed in half on the streets of Los Angeles, California. The Trunk Murders and 'Sausage Ghost' of 1920s New Orleans A forgotten crime with all-too memorable details. It was meant to be a life sentenceand at hard labor in Angola prison, which often didn't mean a very long onebut Henry toughed it out and was released after 20 years. We would definitely recommend. He started seeing his wife coming out of the sausage grinder, and after a customer reported to the police they'd found a bit of wedding ring in their dinner, Hans was carted off to an insane asylum to live out the rest of his life. Henry stayed up, stewing about his wifes infidelity until his mind boiled over into rage. Two couples had seriou Lyle Saxon, renowned author and collector of Louisiana folklore, included a very short piece about Hans Muller in Gumbo YaYa, telling of how he and his (unnamed) wife ran a successful sausage business. New Orleans teen admits to carjacking spree, faces possible life prison term In addition to Costco carjackings, Tyrese Harris has confessed to murder of 12-year-old. Realizing he had the best method of disposal possible, he pushed his wife into the huge meat grinder in their factory. Unable to lay low, Henry once again attacked another young woman. One of the most extraordinary aspects of the sensational Trunk Murders is how completely they have been forgotten. We have the benefit of nearly 100 years of progress between then and now, but several things jump out at the modern eye. The money,. On this adults-onlymurder tour you will learn of the sordid details behind New Orleans' dark history. She saw blood right away and her screams attracted authorities. The Black Dahlia is the nickname given to Elizabeth Short. Panicked, Nettie ran out of the apartment, screaming, prompting two men in the street to join her while another ran for the police. According to the nonpartisan watchdog Metropolitan Crime Commission, the city recorded 280 murders in New Orleans in 2022, the highest number of killings in a single year since 1996. The property is shown in this 1960s photograph. Healys dispatches to area law enforcement described Henry as having dark bushy hair, very dark brown eyes, and tattoo mark on arm, flower with lady face, also nude woman.. His early release turned out to be a terrible mistake that nearly cost another young woman her life. However, on March 26, 1948, Governor Jimmie Davis signed a pardon, freeing him again. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Joseph Moity turned himself in to the authorities as soon as he heard about the discovery. The objective is to promote history on Medium and demonstrate the value of historical writing. NEW ORLEANS - Police have arrested a man in connection with the murder of a woman whose body was found in the trunk of her burned out car in New Orleans East in June, according to CBS affiliate . On the afternoon of Thursday, October 27, 1927, Nettie Compass entered the second-floor apartment at 715 Ursulines Street to do some cleaning. Though the legacy of Henrys crime may persist in another local legend: the Sausage Ghost. Recounted in the 1945 Louisiana folklore collection, Gumbo Ya-Ya, the tale tells of a woman murdered by her butcher husband and turned intoyou guessed itsausages, to be sold to unsuspecting customers on Ursulines Avenue. New Orleans Trunk Murders. The California court sentenced the Louisiana man to five years in Folsom Prison, unaware of the concurrent life sentences a New Orleans court handed down two decades earlier. Limbs eternally akimbo and packed into their respective trunks, they would dance the Charleston no more. There was no place like New Orleans in the Roaring 20s. They were well respected for being hard workers and very pleasant sort of people. By 1934 he was made a trusty which meant he was given additional responsibility and minimal supervision. And then one night Theresa flashed a $5 bill (worth about $70 today) at her husband, telling him she knew how to make more money than he ever could, insinuating she was flirting with other men to gain their favor and money. around his boiler vat. <p>There was no place like New Orleans in the Roaring 20s. Orleans Parish Coroner Dr. George Roeling determined that the killer had first bludgeoned the women with a lead billy club, before decapitating them with a machete and amputating their arms and legs. The victims were immediately identified as Theresa and Lonie. Listen to the story of The New Orleans Murder Block. But all was not well in an apartment near the French Quarter. Available now through most major bookstores and Amazon. He also divulged the details of his lurid crimes, and his furious jealousy of Theresas lover, Joseph Caruso. After his release, the convict moved to Los Angeles, California, where he shot a woman in the chest, puncturing her lung and leaving her to suffocate in a hotel room. 00:23:15 - With Mardi Gras being on Tuesday (February 16th) I wanted to bring you a story, or three, straight from the French Quarter. Henry complained at one reporter. In New Orleans of the 1920s, even people of modest means might afford domestic assistance. Anyone with more information may call the homicide unit at (504) 658-5300 or Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans Inc. anonymously at (504) 822-1111. I would recommend this True Murder tour to ANY crime doc fanatic (as I am), especially with Jonathan. He tells a story reallllly well and it wasnt boring at all! CONTACT US He was underweight and bedraggled and he quickly admitted who he was. Wonderful tour! Written locally, but syndicated nationwide. Saxon credits a "Miss Rica Hoffman" as "remembering" the story, "which occurred in the city some years ago.". Douglas J. Facebook; Twitter; LinkedIn; Email . Product code: C-49992P5. She survived, and he went back to jail. Before New Orleans Superintendent of Police Thomas Healey could find either man, Joseph turned himself in, telling investigators his brother killed both women. Neighbors reported bitter fights over money, constant accusations of infidelity, and wild drinking bouts in the household. Henry had begged his way onto the ship using a false name, but the crew recognized his tattoo from the newspaper stories about the crimes. housekeeper Nettie Compass entered the apartment on 715 Ursulines Street, description given by Dr. George Roeling (the Orleans Parish Coroner at the time) confirmed the brutality of the scene, he was found two days later while trying to make his getaway on a freight ship, initial conviction of Henry Moity was swift. In the back bedroom there was an identical scene, with the addition of a sugar cane knife sitting in the trunk. "She wouldn't even sweep the stoop!" He knew so much fun facts about the history of New Orleans, and his passion to this city is unmatched. In October 1927, in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, housekeeper Nettie Compass walked into the apartment she was supposed to clean and found it covered in blood. The evening before Nettie said she saw Henry, Theresa, Lonie, and the children leave the apartment in good spirits. The couple came with next to nothing and had created a successful business. We had a great time listening to the true crime stories and walking the streets on a cold NOLA night. Yet she concludes with an ominous warning, Now to you readers, young girls especially . Mikko was a great guide and answered some follow up questions I had and suggested some podcasts that referenced some of the stories he told. HOURS The answer involves pseudoscience, politics, and a burglary at a windmill. At the end of the Roaring Twenties, New Orleans was rocked by one of the grizzliest murder scenes the city had ever seen. If only that woman would've appreciated what she had, all this ugliness could've been avoided. New Orleans Parish Coroner, Dr. George Roeling determined that the killer had first bludgeoned the women with a lead billy club, before decapitating them with a machete and amputating their arms and legs. When Nettie Compass entered the second-floor apartment at 715 Ursulines Street on October 27, 1927, she stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes fell on traces of blood right outside the residence. It's hard to not take away the sexism and worry about feminism underlying it all. You'll see where it all happened, understand the history behind it, and how the echoes of gruesome crimes still cry out. 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