Unsolved crimes have fascinated people for centuries, and the cases remain just as haunting today as when they first occurred. The Black Dahlia Murder is one of America’s most infamous unsolved cases, with the true identity of the killer still unknown over 70 years later. The Zodiac Killer also remains a mystery, taking credit for at least five murders in Northern California and claiming to have killed dozens more. Other shocking unsolved crimes include the Axeman of New Orleans, the Villisca Axe Murders, the Boy in the Box, the Isdal Woman, the Hinterkaifeck Murders, the Lost Girls of Panama, the Springfield Three, and the Jamison Family Murders. Despite investigations and leads, these cases remain unsolved and continue to capture public interest.
10 Shocking Cases of Unsolved Crimes
1. The Black Dahlia Murder
The Black Dahlia Murder is one of the most infamous unsolved crimes in American history. In January 1947, the body of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short, also known as the Black Dahlia, was discovered in a vacant lot in Los Angeles. Her body was found bisected at the waist, completely drained of blood, and with multiple lacerations on her body.
Despite multiple suspects and leads, the case has remained unsolved for over 70 years, and the true identity of the murderer remains unknown.
2. The Zodiac Killer
The Zodiac Killer terrorized Northern California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The killer would send letters and cryptic symbols to the press and the police, taking credit for the murders of at least five people and claiming to have killed dozens more.
Despite numerous suspects and decades of investigation, the identity of the Zodiac Killer is still unknown.
3. The Axeman of New Orleans
In 1918 and 1919, the Axeman of New Orleans killed at least eight people in the city. The killer would enter homes at night, attacking his victims with an axe or straight razor while they slept.
After months of terrorizing the city, the Axeman sent a letter to the press, stating that he would spare anyone who played jazz music in their homes on a specific night. The tactic worked, and no further murders were attributed to the killer.
The identity of the Axeman of New Orleans has never been discovered.
4. The Villisca Axe Murders
In 1912, six members of the Moore family and two houseguests were brutally murdered in their home in Villisca, Iowa. The killer, who is believed to have been in the house at the time of the murders, used an axe to bludgeon the victims to death.
Despite multiple suspects and even a grand jury investigation, the Villisca Axe Murders remain unsolved.
5. The Boy in the Box
In 1957, the body of a young boy was found in a box in Philadelphia. The boy, who was estimated to be between four and six years old, had been severely beaten and malnourished.
Despite a massive investigation and countless leads, the boy in the box has never been definitively identified or his killer brought to justice.
6. The Isdal Woman
In 1970, the partially burned body of a woman was found in a remote valley in Norway. The woman, who had been disfigured by acid, had no identification and her clothing tags had been removed.
The case gained international attention as the woman appeared to have been a spy, with false identities and secret codes found in her belongings. Despite multiple investigations, the true identity of the Isdal Woman and her killer remain unknown.
7. The Hinterkaifeck Murders
In 1922, six members of the Gruber family were brutally murdered on their farm in Hinterkaifeck, Germany. The killer, who had been living in the barn for several days before the murders, used a pickaxe to kill his victims.
Despite multiple suspects, including a former farmhand and a jealous neighbor, the case remains unsolved.
8. The Lost Girls of Panama
In 2014, two Dutch women and a young Panamanian man went missing while hiking in Panama. After weeks of searching, their bodies were discovered submerged in a river near the hiking trail.
The case is shrouded in mystery, with conflicting reports and accusations of a cover-up. Despite extensive investigation, no one has been charged with the murders.
9. The Springfield Three
In 1992, 47-year-old Sherrill Levitt, her 19-year-old daughter Suzie Streeter, and Suzie’s 18-year-old friend Stacy McCall, disappeared from their home in Springfield, Missouri. The three women have never been found.
Despite multiple suspects and leads, the Springfield Three case remains unsolved and has become one of the most baffling cold cases in recent history.
10. The Jamison Family Murders
In 2009, the bodies of Bobby and Sherilyn Jamison, and their six-year-old daughter, were discovered in the mountains of Oklahoma. The family had been missing for several days before their truck was found abandoned in a remote area.
The case is full of strange clues and leads, including the family’s strange behavior in the weeks leading up to their disappearance, and a camera found at the scene that contained eerie images. Despite multiple suspects and leads, the case remains unsolved.