Triflers Need Not Apply: The Venomous Belle Gunness

On April 28th, 1908, news of the Gunness home having gone up in flames spread quickly through LaPorte, Indiana. Some recalled the dire cries of warning coming from the farm’s owner, Belle Gunness, that her farmhand had threatened to burn the home down with her and her children inside, and it seemed like he had finally acted on it. Four bodies were found in the wreckage of the home, but upon closer inspection, a more macabre picture started to take shape. Although there's no real way of knowing how many fell by her hands, she's estimated to have killed 28 people throughout her life and gotten away with it... by faking her own death? Join us this week as we take a look at this fascinating case of greed turned butchery.

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Sources we used for this episode:

• League of Lady Poisoners by Lisa Perrin

• American Spy, Belle Gunness, Oarfish (Season 2 Episode 6) of Mysteries at the Museum

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belle_Gunness

• https://allthatsinteresting.com/belle-gunness

• https://www.historicalcrimedetective.com/ccca/belle-gunness-story/

• https://www.legendsofamerica.com/belle-gunness/

• https://www.biography.com/crime/belle-gunness

• https://www.norwegianamerican.com/belle-gunness/

• https://www.historicmysteries.com/belle-gunness/

• https://murderpedia.org/female.G/g/gunness-belle.htm

• https://stmuscholars.org/belle-gunness-serial-killer/

• https://laportelibrary.org/at-the-library/explore-local/belle-gunness/

• https://laportecountyhistory.org/exhibits/belle-gunness/

• https://www.chicagotribune.com/visuals/vintage/ct-viz-belle-gunness-seriel-killer-bluebeard-indiana-photos-20230420-lz4cfptembfobbatkg3sfe3cze-photogallery.html

• http://www.orrville.k12.oh.us/sites/orrville.k12.oh.us/files/11-12_Hall_Psychology_0.pdf

• https://www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/arts/2021/07/06/serial-killer-belle-gunness-explored-in-the-garden-of-spite/6840681002/

• https://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2017/11/10/female-indiana-serial-killer-comely-belle-gunness-loved-her-suitors-death/848023001/

• https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=4c28f9a48ab61d2a3dbf5c166c27517f4292cca5

• https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-belle-gunness-murder-farm

• https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/triflers-need-not-apply-the-story-of-deadly-belle-gunness

• https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/belle-gunness-murders-serial-killer-mystery-butcher-of-men-hells-princess

• https://headstuff.org/culture/history/belle-gunness-deadly-lonely-heart/

• https://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/queen-black-widows-murdered-dozens-farm-article-1.2028012

• https://anymystery.com/belle-gunness-the-story-of-hells-bell-murders/

• https://norwegianridge.com/2012/10/12/halloween-special-belle-gunness-norwegian-american-serial-killer/

• https://taramrose.medium.com/women-who-kill-belle-gunness-47e7bc6788a7

• https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv21hrfkf

• https://murderousroots.com/episodes/minisode-2-hells-belle

• https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/news/local/2018/07/04/laporte-serial-killer-belle-gunness-to-be-subject-of-tv-series/46489093/

• https://www.crimelibrary.org/serial_killers/history/gunness/12.html

• https://www.historynet.com/belle-gunness-poisonous-pen/

• https://www.documentarytube.com/articles/belle-gunness-the-true-black-widow-of-the-midwest/

• https://www.grunge.com/1023769/belle-gunness-most-likely-motive-for-murdering-her-suitors/

• https://www.themidwestcrimefiles.com/post/hell-s-belle-the-mystery-of-belle-sorenson-gunness

• https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/belle-gunness-36384.php

• https://crimeopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Belle_Gunness

• https://www.thegunnessmystery.com/

• https://www.gypsyjournalrv.com/2023/03/belle-gunness-the-lethal-lady-of-la-porte-2/

• https://blog.newspapers.com/belle-gunness-murders/

• https://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/strychnine/basics/facts.asp

• https://www.healthline.com/health/psychopath#signs