Real Iowa Haunting: Villisca Ax Murder House

June tenth, nineteen twelve, Villisca, Iowa, six members of the Josiah Moore family and two guests are deceased, murdered with an ax while deep in slumber. This grisly crime shook sleepy Villisca by storm. Doors were locked tight in a community that had not locked doors for a lifetime, a curfew was imposed, and children were kept indoors. Accusations and rumors spread like the plague, friends and families were torn apart by suspicion. Ninety seven years have passed and little has changed. The Moore Family murders are still unsolved and interest remains high in this case. Interest as to whether the deceased still inhabit their home is also elevated.

The Villisca Ax Murder House still stands today, a monument to death and the paranormal. A worthy piece of history that begs to be explored, the house seems to speak to its visitors. Of the eight murdered on that June night, only two were adults. The children of the house continue to run the halls, playing with toys left behind by guests, and hiding in closets and under beds. Many have entered this former home as skeptics and left as believers, I am no exception.

The tour begins at The Olin/Linn Museum. Old & dusty with various animals mounted on walls, large murals, antiques, and ax murder memorabilia, the museum is straight out of a horror movie. Here, owner & tour guide, Darwin, gives a history of the town, along with a timeline of the evening prior to the deaths of the Moore Family. The church the Moore's attended was part of the descriptive drive to the burial site of the family and their overnight guests. The cemetery was bright with blooming flowers on this warm summer day. Standing at the headstones of those passed away, the Moore Family suddenly seemed real for the first time. A brief tour of other notable graves also occurred before my Fiancé and I were led back to our vehicle. Across town the Ax Murder House calmly waited for us to arrive. The details of the murders, the events leading to the deaths, information about those charged with the crimes, along with a few personal paranormal experiences were exchanged before viewing a short documentary.

Following the short film, a walkthrough of the house was conducted. Darwin described the murder scene as if he was a carnival pitchman, yet he remained genuine in his passion. Darwin soon gave us permission to explore the area at our own discretion; this would prove fruitful in the ways of poltergeist activity and phantom interaction. No amount of preparation could have prepared the two of us for what were to experience that sun-drenched summer day.

Years of studying paranormal phenomena, U.F.O.s, cryptozoology, various forms of E.S. P., psychology, and other bases of knowledge considered out of the norm, supplied me with the information I needed for an adventure such as this. Seeking answers to the questions in the past yielded little in the way of proof. The Villisca Ax Murder house would be a whole different animal. Armed with dowsing rods, a digital camera, and our senses, we began our research in earnest.

Littered with toys from previous guests, the children's room seemed the most obvious place to start. "Show me you are here?" I spoke loudly and clearly "I want to communicate with you." No results were audible; lacking an electronic voice recorder this was typical. Movement noticed in my peripheral focused my attention on the closet door. Opening it with ease, I noticed nothing of note within. No rodents to cause the door to open, no windows near and none open within the home, no fans running, and no explanation at all.

While alone, I requested the open closet door to close. Upon my command the door gently shut itself. With great disbelief I called for my Fiancé, entering the room she noticed, as well as I, a very obvious cold breeze blowing in the room. Although lasting only a few moments the chilling breeze was extremely apparent. In hopes for another spectacular spook show I once again opened the closet door, ordering it closed. The door moved slightly to the right, then left, then swiftly shut itself. We looked at one another, pondering the feasibility of what was occurring. In order to prove to ourselves that we were not imagining the process, I opened the door once again. Positioning a small rubber ball, found in the room, on the floor next to the door, I asked again, "Please close the door if you can hear me." Once more, moving slightly to the left, then right, the closet door shut. In the process the rubber ball was consumed by the darkness of the closet. Twice more this progression of events transpired per my request.

Searching for a realistic solution, my companion and I checked all windows & doors within the home, all were tightly closed. No noticeable drafts, nothing out of the ordinary in or around the closet or closet door, no explanation and no way to disprove what had transpired. As a skeptic, I was in awe.

Walking the premises utilizing dowsing rods my cohort began to notice them presenting the most activity near the attic. The attic is the source of a theory that the killer had hidden here in noiseless repose waiting for the family to return to their hovel that fateful night. An abundance of photos were taken, to no avail. All other activity centered on the family room. Viewed through the large vent positioned in the upstairs floor, a soccer ball commenced movement in this room below. Rather than rolling from side to side, as if being nudged or kicked, the sphere simply rolled in a small circle.

We observed this activity for some time before deciding to investigate further. Locating the object after arriving in the area below the vent, we noticed it to be still. I attempted to request movement and to roll the ball to an unknown playmate, no result. Deducing that there could be a slight possibility of sloped or uneven floors being the cause to this effect, I made an effort to eliminate this as a possibility. Complete and utter failure was the outcome. I found it impossible to replicate the movement of the toy in a fashion identical to what was witnessed earlier. Once again, no result and no explanation for what we had seen.

Evidence of a haunting at The Villisca Ax Murder House is aplenty. There is quite a lot of video content available online, not to mention that the Moore Family home has been featured on national television, in books, and even had feature films produced on the grounds. Sadly, we came away from The Villisca Ax Murder House with no video, photos without orbs, plasma or apparitions, and no hard evidence at all. The proof came when we entered with minds filled with doubt & skepticism and left with what we deem to be personal paranormal experiences. There are options for occupying this chilling residence over night rather than just a tour. Plans are in place to further investigate The Villisca Ax Murder House in hopes of presenting hard evidence. Regardless of motive, whether it is to hunt ghosts, to hear about Villisca's small town history, or to investigate an unsolved crime, I recommend a trip to this historic Iowa landmark. You may discover more than you dreamed possible.

For information on the Olin/Linn Museum and the Villisca Ax Murder House please reach them at 712-621-4291 or villiscaiowa.com.