On June 9th 1912, Josiah B. Moore and his family had spent the day at church. They had children's day and two girls from a nearby town had also attended. The plan had been to go to their grandmother's that night but the street lights were out along the road and they decided to stay with the Moore's because all of the children were friends. After going inside and going to bed someone attacked and killed all of them. They had smashed their head in with the butt of the axe. Josiah had the most injuries and some believe he may have tried to defend himself. The next morning a neighbor, Mary Peckham, realized that it was too quiet at the Moore's residence. She went over to find that the door was locked and all the blinds were pulled. She contacted Josiah's brother and he entered the house with a key and found the Stillinger sisters in the spare bedroom. The girls were covered with a sheet and there was blood everywhere. They contacted Henry Hank Horton, who was the town marshall. They went into the house to discover a dead body in every bed. Eight people killed in one night and no evidence to point to a suspect. There were many under suspicion. The Suspects
Frank F. Jones 
Frank Jones was an Iowa State Senator and well established business man. He owned a bank, a hardware and implement business. Josiah worked for him at his implement business until he was able to open up his own. When he left he took the John Deere business with him. This caused a bitter conflict between Frank and Josiah. They would cross the street to avoid each other. Many people felt that Frank had William Mansfield kill the family in retaliation for Josiah causing him business, There was no proof that he did it but years went by and the shadow and suspicion ended up ruining him. He was removed as a director at the bank, his political career was over, he withdrew from the public eye and lived the remainder of his life in his home in Villisca.
William Mansfield 
William Mansfield was accused of being hired by Jones to kill the Moore family. He was also suspected in the killing of his family with an axe. After further investigating he cleared his name in the murders by proving he was working in Illinois at the time of the killings. He later sued his accuser, Detective James Newton Wilkerson and won 2,225.00. That would have been alot of money back then. Can you imagine!
Reverend George Kelly
Reverend George Kelly was also a popular suspect. He was in town the day of the murders and had attended the Children's Festival at the church. He was said to be a very strange man with obvious mental problems. In 1917 he was arrested for the murders after he confessed to the crime. He had been in an asylum at one point in his life and someone once heard him say it was better than being in the outside world. Someone also claimed to have heard him talking about the murders on the train the night of the murders even before the bodies has been discovered. There was still no real evidence against him and he was acquitted. Henry Moore
This crime happened long before the phrase "serial killer" had ever been coined. Henry Moore was definitely a serial killer though. A string of murders happened around the area and nearby states along the railway. They were eerily similar to that of the Moore murderers. They had covered all the windows, bent the candle wick, they used the blunt end of the axe to smash their victims and covered them with a sheet. However gruesome and similar the murders were, Henry Moore never faced charges for the Moore murders because he was arrested for the murders of his mother and grandmother and was sentenced to 36 years in prison. He was released in 1956 at the age of 82.
Paranormal Phenomena
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, there are lots of unexplained things that have happened in the house since the murders. There have been countless paranormal investigators to come in and investigate the house. They have heard children laughing, screaming, talking. They have felt an eery presence that made the hair raise up on their arms. They have tours of the house and even overnight stays for the bravest and most intrigued. There is a story of a paranormal investigator that stabbed himself in the chest and was hospitalized after staying overnight in the house. I couldn't discover whether he lived through the incident. He was in serious condition. I personally believe in ghosts. There is alot we don't see and in this particular story it makes perfect sense because there are just too many unanswered questions.
From top to bottom and left to right
Josiah B. Moore age 43
Sarah Moore age 39
Herman Moore age 11
Mary Katherine Moore age 10
Paul Moore age 5
Arthur Moore age 7
Ina Stillinger age 8
Lena Stillinger age 12
I am leaving the links to some of the videos I watched during researching this story. I am also leaving a link to an article I found detailing the suspects. Most of the photos I found on creative commons or Find a grave. I urge you all to delve into this case. There are so many interesting things to read and watch about this case. It is actually on my list of places I want to go see one day. It is tragic but interesting. I hope they are at peace but if their souls remain in that house, it is even more sad.
Villisca A Town divided
https://youtu.be/NNCcszHEE74
Villisca When Evil Comes to Visit
https://youtu.be/tPr55rSJjp0
Villisca Axe Murder House
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