Who Was the Axeman of New Orleans?
The Axeman of New Orleans was an unidentified serial killer who committed a series of axe and knife attacks in New Orleans between 1918 and 1919. The murders targeted Italian-American grocers and their families, and the killer became one of the most infamous unsolved cases in early 20th century crime history.
Victims and Attack Pattern
The Axeman attacked homes at night, often breaking in with an axe or a straight razor. Victims were usually members of Italian immigrant families running small grocery stores. Many survived severe head wounds, but several people died from their injuries during the roughly one-year killing period.
Investigation and Suspects
Police investigated the crimes for years but never made a definitive arrest. Joseph Mumfre, a local handyman, was later linked to some of the attacks, and he and his wife were convicted of extortion tied to the Axeman letters. However, Mumfre was not charged with the murders themselves, and the true identity of the killer remains unknown. For more background on the case, see the detailed overview at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axeman_of_New_Orleans.
