Case study on Dr. H. H. Holmes

    During the 1893 Columbian Exposition, H.H. Holmes was one of the first serial killers of America. Holmes would lure his victims into his building which he transformed into his “murder castle.” First he would manipulate his victims by coming off as a

Henry Herman Holmes was known to many as the first American serial killer. Better known as just H. H. Holmes, he committed many murders in a suburb on the south side of Chicago during the late 1800’s. Holmes once admitted to police that he killed 27 people, but many actually predict that the number of murders he committed is near 200 (Handley). So what is the real number of people that he killed? Let’s take a closer look at the facts of Holmes’ life, occupation, and the mansion that he built to determine how many people he may have actually murdered.

He had two children, one son and one daughter. He went out of sight for six years after abandoning Clara and his son. He would always somehow come up with some con as to where he was and what he was doing during the time of his victims' deaths. The police had always questioned him, but had never really pinned anything on him. No one wanted to believe that Holmes was an evil master mind. He was so handsome and charismatic. His tall stature and piercing blue eyes made women often swoon at the sight of him. He could also talk anyone into anything at the sound of his voice and the medical, knowledgeable jargon he used. He even got an old lady to give him her husbands pharmacy after his death sometime after he arrived to Chicago. Other sources said that he killed her and inherited the pharmacy without anyone knowing what happened. Either way the old woman should have been happy that such a noble man was running her pharmacy. He was always the perfect assistant, making sure that her money was going towards helping the company in any way. He would even meet up with venders, creating a stable environment for her and her dying husband. He eventually killed her but when others would ask he stated that she had moved to California, but had no forwarding address (Taylor, Troy).

He grew up secluded with his two brothers, Henry and Arthur, and his sister Ellen. He also grew up with his parents who were devout Methodists. A common factor about serial killers is that they usually grew up in a strictly religious household. His home life was hard because of his mentally and physically abusive parents, especially his father. Researchers have found out that his father used tactics such as “prolonged isolation and even food deprivation. Furthermore, his father reportedly held kerosene soaked rags over Holmes and the other children’s mouths to “quiet them” when they cried.” (Concordia University). A child’s relationship with their parents is crucial in their development. Psychologists have researched this specific topic for years and drew the conclusion that, “Without the safety net of a secure attachment relationship, children grow up to become adults who struggle with feelings of low self-worth and challenges with emotional regulation. They also have an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety.” (How Childhood Trauma). Because of his parents neglecting, his idea of relationships was skewed, and he became isolated. He had no positive relationship to model after and that really took a toll on his social life. In fact, “It is possible that Holmes...was so traumatized by the abuse that it ultimately led to his inability to form meaningful relationships.” (Concordia University). He was bullied at school for being smarter than the rest of the class and having no friends. His most notable bullying incident was when “ Holmes, blindsided by classmates, was forced into a doctor’s office, where the hands of a skeleton were forcibly placed over his face.” (Concordia University). Holmes had a phobia of doctors and anatomy as a whole, and the event was so traumatic to him that his fear reversed itself and turned into an extreme interest, something that is not uncommon between trauma victims. The

Understanding and analyzing past serial killers motives is a vital part in stopping future killing sprees. H.H. Holmes and Dr. Harold Shipman, both considered as two of the most prolific serial killers, share many common behaviors that are necessary to be investigated. From childhood through adulthood, Holmes and Shipman are very similar when it comes to experiences, traits, motives, etc. Erik Larson, in The Devil In The White City, develops H.H. Holmes character through describing his unique attributes, which gives an inside look on why Holmes was motivated to kill so many people. Knowing H.H. Holmes motives is crucial in order to stop future serial killers from evading the police for so long like Dr. Harold Shipman.

Holmes had been born into a wealthy New Hampshire family and was given the name Herman Webster Mudgett (America’s Serial Killers). “If Mudgett or his brother or sister were bad, their strict Methodist parents sent them to the attic for a full day without speaking or eating,. Mudgett’s father was especially abusive after he’d been drinking - which was often” (Spikol). However, his father was a wealthy and respected citizen and had been the local postmaster for nearly twenty five years (Taylor). It is surprising an important member of the community was a child abuser. The abuse of his father may be one of the

His Victims were lead by the promise for cheap lodging in his hotel.2With the World Fair happening Holmes saw the event as the perfect opportunity to commit the murders he has been. He knew that with such a big event and how many foreigners would even come that his murders would go unnoticed until it was too late, and they did. His main targets were foreign or just gullible women3; those that wouldn’t be missed or have people come looking for them, especially when millions of people are in town, they won’t be noticed

He had several stores and a restaurant in the building. The third floor had rooms and offices to rent and it contained Holmes’s bedroom but it was the 2nd floor that had the horrible secret of the building. This floor had 35 rooms all designed as killing chambers, his victims would get caught up in this maze where doors lead nowhere and once they would turn a corner Holmes would surprise them and eventually kill them. Now the basement was worst of them all he had a chute that led down there so he could easily dispose of the bodies, it was like a medieval torture chamber, acid vats, quick lime pits and crematorium and this is where he would clean his victim’s bones and mount them and sell them to local universities and medical schools. Now, I have heard of some of the things that serial killers have done but this takes the cake, it made my stomach turn.

Holmes became a medical student at the University of Michigan (“H.H.” 1). This is when he started to steal human bodies and experiment on them. This is when people started to heed and pay very close attention to him. “I was born with the devil in me”, he wrote. “I could not help the fact I was a murderer, no more that the poet can help the inspiration to sing” (Larson 109). This gives an insight into his mind. Based on this statement, it seems that he had no control over his actions. H.H. Holmes was hung on May 7th, 1896 (“H.H.” 1). They considered him to be one of America’s first serial killers. He killed anywhere between 20 to 200 people. He is most definitely a stark opposite of good.

H.H Holmes is one of Americas first known serial killer during the 1893 Columbian Exposition. He was known as Dr. Henry Howard Holmes. Holmes was born Herman Webster Mudgett on May 16, 1861, in Gilmanton, New Hampshire. He was born into a wealthy family, it is said that H.H Holmes at an early age appeared to be unusually intelligent. As a kid H.H Holmes was bullied and it is said that he was scared of doctors and was forced to stand in front of a human skeleton in a doctor’s office and stare at it. Holmes later said “the experience exorcised him of his fears about death” and later on H.H Holmes grew an interest in medicine which led him to practice surgeries on animals. H.H Holmes studied at the University of Michigan where he stole corpuses and made false insurance

Within a few minutes of getting the handcuffs, Holmes confessed to authorities that his apartment was booby-trapped with explosives. Evacuations were initiated and fortuntely, nobody was injured.

To clarify, Henry Howard Holmes known as H. H. Holmes was America’s first serial killer. As a child, Holmes was terrified of the doctor, however a few bullies from his school forced him to touch the real skeleton in their doctor’s office which started his obsession with human anatomy. When Holmes was a teenager he interned at his local doctor’s office and later went to Michigan State for a medical degree and became a skilled doctor. Holmes took out fake insurance policies on the bodies he used in medical school after pouring acid on their face so they were unrecognizable in order to afford college. In 1889 Holmes designed and built a hotel to assist his murders.

The hotel is 3 stories tall and has very many unknown in and outs. While construction of the hotel was underplace Holmes hired and fired the construction workers. Even some went missing during the building of the hotel. The reason behind the hiring and firing constantly is so no one would see the complete and actual layout of the hotel (H.H Holmes). Holmes is the only one at his time that knew every single in and out of the hotel. The hotel was located on the corner of South Wallace and 63rd street (John). The hotel was built in excellent timing for the Chicago World’s Fair so many more people would be in Chicago, Illinois and in need of a hotel. Majority of the people believed to be murdered there was women. There were many different ways Holmes had built the hotel for women and some men to get trapped. There were many trap doors and hidden rooms (Murder Castle). Once you entered certain rooms there was no escaping that room. You could be trapped and tortured and no one would hear you to help and if help came they would be tortured also. Once all of that was over you would be sent down a chute to the basement where you would face death (Murder Castle). There is an estimated 20 to 200 people murdered in the hotel. H. H Holmes admitted to the murder of 27 people but there is reason to believe that there is many more murders he did not admit to

In June 2011 Holmes that grew up in California actually went and enrolled himself in to the university of Colorado Denver. He left that college as a neuroscience graduate student. In April 2012 he made a match.com account and on it it said “will you visit me in prison”. On May 10th he bought 2 gas grenades from an online retailer. July 2 he went and bought body armor and it he covered his legs as

In the years leading up to the world fair, Holmes had been perfecting his “castle” that was built upon his pharmacy. His house, nicknamed the “Murder Castle”, was filled with mazes, trap doors, and multiple torture chambers, including an incinerator to burn the remains of his victims. With the promise of a warm, clean bed, he lured fair-goers and young women who moved to the big city alone to further their careers were attracted to the young doctor. Holmes had relations with some of his guests, at one point getting Julia Conner pregnant in 1891, but he used his new found “hobby” to dispose of the problem (Larson 146). Holmes was eventually charged with insurance fraud and stood trial for the murder of Mr. Benjamin Pitezel, he was estimated to have killed between 20 and 200 people (“H.H” 2). Even though he was only charged on one count of murder, once in prison he admitted to killing 27 people in his time in Chicago. Holmes was hung on on May 7th, 1896, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the homicide of Mr. Pitezel (“H.H.” 1-2). The disturbing legacy of Herman Webster Mudgett lived on in the form of H. H. Holmes as America’s first serial killer.