Some murders leave investigators without any leads or evidence, making them impossible to solve. These cases can often haunt the families of the victims, along with law enforcement officials. This article highlights ten of the most shocking cases of unsolved murders. From the Axeman of New Orleans, who used an axe to bludgeon his victims, to the Zodiac Killer, who terrorized the San Francisco Bay area with cryptic messages, these cases remain unsolved despite extensive investigations. Other cases include the Babes in the Woods in Brighton, England, and the Hwaseong Serial Murders in South Korea, where despite an abundance of leads, the killer remains at large.
10 Shocking Cases of Unsolved Murders
There are some murders that just seem impossible to solve. Whether due to a lack of evidence, a lack of leads or simply due to the passage of time, these cases remain unsolved and continue to haunt law enforcement and the families of the victims. Here are ten of the most shocking cases of unsolved murders.
1. The Axeman of New Orleans
From May 1918 to October 1919, a series of brutal murders occurred in New Orleans, Louisiana. The killer, who was never caught, became known as the Axeman due to the fact that he used an axe to bludgeon his victims to death. The killer would typically break into his victims’ homes at night, kill them and then escape undetected. While there were several suspects over the years, the identity of the Axeman remains a mystery.
2. The Black Dahlia
One of the most famous unsolved murders in history is that of aspiring actress Elizabeth Short, also known as the Black Dahlia. In January 1947, Short’s brutally mutilated body was found in a vacant lot in Los Angeles. Her killer had cut her body in half and drained her blood. Despite an extensive investigation, the case remains unsolved.
3. The Zodiac Killer
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a serial killer terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area. Known as the Zodiac Killer, the murderer taunted police and the public by sending cryptic messages to newspapers and claiming responsibility for several murders. Despite an extensive investigation, the Zodiac Killer was never identified or caught.
4. The Babes in the Woods
In 1934, the bodies of two young girls were found in a park in Brighton, England. The girls, who came to be known as the Babes in the Woods, had been sexually assaulted and suffocated. Despite a massive investigation that involved over 100,000 interviews and the examination of over 8,000 sets of fingerprints, the killer was never caught.
5. The Isdal Woman
In November 1970, the charred body of a woman was found in a remote valley near Bergen, Norway. Despite an extensive investigation, no one has ever been able to identify the woman or determine who killed her. The woman, who came to be known as the Isdal Woman, had several false identifications in her possession and had been seen in the company of multiple men before her death.
6. The Keddie Murders
In April 1981, three members of a family were found brutally murdered in their cabin in Keddie, California. The killers had tied up the victims and bludgeoned them to death with a hammer and a knife. Despite multiple suspects over the years, the case remains unsolved.
7. The Hinterkaifeck Murders
In March 1922, six members of a family were brutally murdered on their farm in Bavaria, Germany. The killers had used a mattock to bludgeon their victims to death. Despite an exhaustive investigation, including the interrogation of over 100 suspects and the examination of over 4,000 sets of fingerprints, no one was ever charged with the murders.
8. The Boy in the Box
In February 1957, the body of a young boy was found in a cardboard box in a vacant lot in Philadelphia. The boy had been severely beaten and appeared to have been starved before his death. Despite an extensive investigation, no one has ever been able to identify the boy or determine who killed him.
9. The Villisca Axe Murders
In June 1912, six members of a family and two young guests were found brutally murdered in their home in Villisca, Iowa. The killer had used an axe to bludgeon his victims to death. Despite multiple suspects over the years, the case remains unsolved.
10. The Hwaseong Serial Murders
Between 1986 and 1991, ten women were found brutally murdered in the Hwaseong area of South Korea. The killer had sexually assaulted his victims and then strangled them to death. Despite an extensive investigation and the arrest of multiple suspects, the killer has never been caught.
These ten cases of unsolved murders are just a handful of the countless cases that continue to baffle law enforcement and the public. While new technology and investigative techniques may one day help to solve these crimes, for now, they remain unsolved and continue to haunt us.