Belle Gunness is considered the most notorious female serial killer in U.S. history. She is responsible for Indiana’s most gruesome murder spree. Most occurred on her remote La Porte farm in the early 1900’s. Many of the victims were Norwegian men who responded to a “lonely widow” advertisement placed in area newspapers. The true number of her victims is unknown, but may be as high as 40.
Belle Gunness is one of the most chilling figures in American criminal history. Her name is associated with murder, deception, and gruesomeness. Belle lured lonely men to her Indiana farm, stole their money, and butchered them. A lingering mystery survives to this day as to whether Belle perished in, or secretly survived, a massive fire at her farmhouse in 1908. Who was the infamous serial killer Belle Gunness?
Belle was born Brynhild Paulsdatter Storseth in Selbu, Norway in 1859. The daughter of a stonemason, her family lived as poor tenants on a small farm. She was the youngest of eight children and grew up in a life of hardship. Her parents could scarcely support their many children. By age 14, Belle was working for other families, doing heavy farm chores and developing her physical strength.
In 1881, at age 22, Brynhild followed her sister Nellie to America, part of the great Norwegian exodus. She immigrated to the U.S. and settled in Chicago in search of wealth and a richer future than her parents. Brynhild was both ambitious and shrewd. Her English was limited, so she learned quickly.
By the time she arrived, she had transformed herself — adopting the Americanized name “Belle Peterson.” She was strong, physically imposing, and determined to make her way in the New World. She worked for a time as a domestic servant and later in a butcher shop. It was this job that gave her a skillset she’d later employ on her victims.
Belle married fellow Norwegian immigrant Mads Sorensen in 1884.
The Sorensens had a small home in Chicago, which soon burnt to the ground. With the money from their insurance, they purchased a confectionary store in the city. That business mysteriously caught on fire as well. With the 2nd fire insurance, they bought another home in Austin, Illinois. Not long after, their new house caught fire too. This third fire resulted in an investigation by the insurance officials – but in the end, they paid the claim.
Not able to have children of their own, Mads and Belle took in young foster children to supplement their income. Two of these children died while under Belle’s care, Caroline in 1896 and Alex in 1898. The cause of death was listed as “colitis.” Interestingly, that could also have been caused by poisoning, a means she used on some of her later victims.
Mads had a life insurance policy, which Belle complained was too small. So, he took out a larger one. Mads then died as well of “heart failure” in 1900 — the very day his two life insurance policies overlapped. Her husband’s family demanded an inquiry. They were positive that she poisoned him. As a motive, they pointed to the $8,500 life insurance she collected. An inquest was ordered, but the body was never exhumed and no charges were filed against Belle. The grieving widow, kept the insurance money – yet again.
Because of the lingering suspicion surrounding these deaths, Belle took her 3 remaining foster children and used the money to buy a remote farm 6 miles from La Porte, Indiana. Belle, Jennie, Myrtle, and Lucy moved there in1901.
In 1902, Belle married another Norwegian-American, Peter Gunness, in La Porte. His wife had recently passed and left him with two young daughters. Within weeks of his marriage to Belle, the youngest girl suddenly died under unknown circumstances. Not surprisingly, 8 months later, Peter himself then died, also under suspicious circumstances. Belle told the authorities that her husband was accidentally hit in the back of the head.
Supposedly, after a sausage grinder fell from a shelf above – and split open his skull.
The coroner raised concerns and the sheriff investigated. A weeping Belle described how it fell from a loose shelf and struck her “poor husband’s head.” Belle cried convincingly and no charges were filed – yet again. She then collected another insurance payout for Husband Number 2. In 1906, her 16-year-old adopted daughter Jenny “disappeared.” Belle claimed she sent her away to school in Chicago. Jenny’s body would later be found – buried on the farm.
Soon after Peter’s death and Jenny’s disappearance, the twice widowed Belle began placing classified ads in 3 Norwegian and German language newspapers throughout the Midwest. It was here her serial killer career accelerated. She targeted lonely, middle-aged immigrant men.
Personal — Comely widow who owns a large farm in one of the finest districts in La Porte County, Indiana, desires to make the acquaintance of a good and reliable gentleman equally well provided, with view of joining fortunes. No replies by letter considered unless sender is willing to follow answer with personal visit.
It is unknown how many men responded, but quite a few came to La Porte to visit the comely Belle and her farm. The most eager suitors would become her next victims. Each had brought cash and then disappeared forever: John Moo, Henry Gurholdt, Olaf Svenherud, Ole Budsburg, Olaf Lindbloom and Andrew Helgelien, just to name just a few.
Several of the men were last seen alive entering her La Porte farm.
In early 1907, Ole Budsburg, an elderly widower residing in Wisconsin, saw the advertisement. He decided to make a quiet rendezvous, without telling his grown sons. The old gentleman left his home and never returned. He was last seen at the La Porte Savings Bank, drawing the money he had transferred there.
Belle had several hired men who helped with the farm work over the years. She hired Ray Lamphere in 1907. Ray had hopes of marrying Belle and become a partner in the farm. It’s unknown if they had a sexual relationship, but things did not quite work out for Ray.
In late 1907, Andrew Hegelein, a bachelor from South Dakota, corresponded with Belle Gunness as well. She replied that she was favorably impressed with his letters and it would be acceptable for him to come to her farm. She suggested that he sell his business interests in South Dakota first.
In 1908, an eager Andrew Helgelien came to La Porte to visit Belle. Ray Lamphere became extremely jealous of Andrew. Belle then fired Ray after a heated argument, supposedly for him trespassing in her house. After 2 weeks with Belle, Andrew had money sent from his bank account to the First National Bank in La Porte. Andrew and Belle went together to collect the $2,000. Andrew Helgelien disappeared the next day. When asked by the bank, Belle claimed he had withdrawn the money for the purpose of going back to Norway.
However, when he did not return home to South Dakota, Andrew’s brother Asle Helgelien became concerned. After finding letters to Andrew from Belle Gunness, Asle wrote to Belle AND the bank, asking about Andrew. The bank confirmed he had been there. Belle wrote back that he had left La Porte for Norway. She suggested that he come to La Porte, so that she might join him in a search. Asle became suspicious and made plans to travel to Indiana.
Just when Belle Gunness’s luck seemed to be running out, her farmhouse burnt to the ground.
The day before the fire, Belle went to the bank and withdrew all her money. The next morning, on April 28, 1908 at 4 AM, Joe Maxson, her new farmhand woke up to the smell of smoke. The house was ablaze! He tried to enter the home and wake Belle and the family, but was not successful. He rushed into La Porte and got the fire department to come put out the fire. But by then, it was gone.
That afternoon, the sheriff discovered the bodies of her three foster children (two with Madsen and one with Gunness) in the smoldering ruins of the basement. The bodies of the 3 were discovered next to a woman’s body, presumed to be Belle, but inexplicably missing a head! Though Belle’s rings were on the headless corpse’s fingers, they could not prove the woman’s body was in fact Belle’s.
Because he was jilted, fired and had arguments with Belle, Ray Lamphere was arrested in May 1908 for arson and charged with murder. He was put on trial at the County Courthouse and found guilty of arson, but not murder. When first interrogated as to his whereabouts on the night of the fire, he denied being on the farm.
Asle Helgelien came to La Porte hoping to learn something about his missing brother, Andrew. After not finding any remains in the ruins of the fire, Joe Maxson suggested they dig in an area where Belle buried her garbage. They discovered the body of Andrew, stuffed in a gunnysack. La Porte County Sheriff Albert Smutzer and deputies arrived and continued to dig for several weeks.
Five more mutilated and decomposed bodies were found buried in the backyard on May 5. One was identified as Jenny Gunness, Belle’s 16-year-old adopted daughter, who was supposed to be in school in Chicago. It’s presumed she was murdered because as she grew into a teen, she could no longer be trusted to keep the family secrets regarding the deaths of Belle’s husbands.
Jenny’s murder was most likely from strychnine poisoning, the same used in killing Hegelein.
The authorities were shocked to realize that one of their own was a serial killer. The four other corpses were all unidentified men. On May 6, four additional bodies of men were unearthed elsewhere in the backyard. In all instances, the limbs were removed. They were cut off in such a clean manner as to indicate familiarity with butchering animals.
On May 9, two more bundles of bones, decayed flesh and rotted clothing were found in the Belle’s ‘private’ graveyard, but decomposition made identification impossible. Then on May 12, the butchering instruments with which the bodies were likely dismembered, were found in the ashes of the house. On May 14, the bones of one more male victim was found in the cellar.
Newspapers had a field day with their grisly headlines of an Indiana female serial killer. Hundreds of people from throughout the area had read of the murders and came to watch the macabre digging for bodies throughout the Gunness farm. Vendors even sold souvenirs and concessions! The Sheriff’s men discovered at least 40 bodies in all that had been buried on Belle’s farm.
In view of these gruesome discoveries, a serious doubt arose around the body thought to be Belle Gunness. Though her rings were found on the dead woman, it was suspected she had lured some poor unsuspecting woman into her farm. Then after killing her and cutting off her head, she set fire to the house with her foster children asleep in bed.
Shortly after the Gunness’ graveyard was discovered, the sons of Ole Budsburg came to La Porte. They suspected that their father, who had mysteriously disappeared in 1907, might have fallen into this vile woman’s trap. Their suspicions proved to be well founded. They identified one of the bodies as that of their missing father.
Henry Gurholdt of Wisconsin, corresponded with Belle Gunness. He took $1,500 with him to La Porte – and was never seen again. A watch found with one of the corpses was known to be Gurholdt’s. Marie Svenherud of Norway, made inquiries through the Consul in Chicago about her son Olof. He had written her saying he was about to leave for La Porte to marry a rich Norwegian widow. He had become acquainted with her through an advertisement in a newspaper. The mother had never heard from her son again.
After his imprisonment, Ray Lamphere’s health began to fail. He died from consumption (tuberculosis) in 1909. After his death, La Porte Rev. EA Schell made public a confession given to him by Lamphere shortly after his sentencing. Ray stated that he dug trenches for Belle Gunness at different times, but did not know for what purpose she used them. He admitted that he helped her bury at least one of her victims; and saw her chloroform another, then fell him with a hatchet.
Ray Lamphere confessed that he had helped Belle Gunness burn down her own house, and the headless body was not hers! Belle had planned the entire thing, and skipped town with her withdrawn money from the bank. She had promised to collect the insurance and marry him. Instead, she escaped into the night, leaving Ray to take the fall.
Reported sightings of Belle Gunness in the Chicago and Los Angeles areas continued long thereafter, but without her capture. She was shrewd enough to put some distance between herself and Indiana. Whether she continued her killing spree is unknown. To this day, there are many unanswered questions regarding the twisted life and ultimate fate of serial killer, Belle Gunness!
Wow, did she get a world record for murder? An early reason to about on line dating.