Belle Gunness
Wherever turn-of-the-20th-century Norwegian immigrant Belle Gunness went, people had a habit of turning up dead, especially well-insured people—including several of her husbands, boyfriends and children. Still, it took a quarter-century and at least 40 kills for anyone to even suspect Gunness might have been the common denominator.But before a solid case against Gunness could be put together, her farmhouse burned to the ground. Investigators presumed her remains were inside, and with no other viable suspects, all murder cases that she was under investigation for went cold.
That’s not the only case that went cold that day. Turns out the April 28, 1908, fire was arson. Gunness’ hired hand, Ray Lamphere, was convicted of setting the fire, but he was acquitted with regard to Gunness’ resulting death. How? He convinced the jury that Gunness wasn’t dead but, rather, had hired him to start the fire to help her fake her death. As such, this famous cold case remains unsolved.
*** Bettmann/Getty ImagesSuspected murderer Belle Gunness with her children Lucy Sorensen, Myrtle Sorensen and Philip Gunness in 1904.
