Ax Murderers Quiz


In 1938, how many people did one ax murderer manage to kill in the Japanese village of Kamo?

Mutsuo Toi first cut the electricity to the village, then went on a rampage in the dark, using everything from an ax to a shotgun to kill his 30 victims.

Why did the captain of a ship named the Mary Russell kill seven crew members in 1828?

The captain, William Stewart, was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

In addition to his trusty ax, what other implement did William Stewart use to kill his crew?

After restraining his victims with rope, he methodically killed them using an ax and a crowbar, thereby displaying adaptability in his methods.

What did the judge decide to do with Capt. William Stewart after the verdict (not guilty by reason of insanity) was read?

Stewart was committed to a lunatic asylum, where he died in 1873, decades after the murders. While in the asylum, he had repeated psychotic episodes and at one point killed an employee.

How many men did German serial killer Karl Denke murder?

Denke killed at least 42 men, some with an ax, between 1914 and 1918.

What did Denke do with some of the bodies of the many men he killed?

Some historians think he sold the meat as pork at the local market. After his arrest, police found jars of human flesh in his house.

How many people were killed during the Greenough Family Massacre in Australia?

A woman and her three children were murdered with an ax in 1993. The crime was so sickening that the details of the case were sealed and never released publicly.

A 1950s serial killer named Elifasi Msomi claimed that he killed 15 people for what reason?

He claimed that he was possessed by an evil sprite called a tokoloshe. Among his victims were at least five children; he was convicted and hanged.

In which state did the Villisca ax murders occur?

The 1912 murders happened in a sleepy little town called Villisca, in southwest Iowa.

How many people were killed during the Villisca ax murders?

All six of the Moore family were killed, along with two guests. Their heads had all been chopped with an ax. The father's head, in particular, was beaten into many pieces.

What was the name of the man who was finally convicted of the Villisca ax murders?

No one was ever convicted of the heinous crime, although several men were brought to trial. The killer (or killers) probably vanished into the countryside, never to be seen again.

In the 1940s, ax murderer Jake Bird may have killed how many people?

Bird was a serial killer who preyed on white women. He may have killed 46 women … and possibly more.

How did Jake Bird manage to delay his execution after being found guilty of murder?

He told the police about additional murders and promised to give them more information. Police subsequently confirmed 11 additional murders and strongly suspected Bird in 33 more based on his knowledge of the cases.

What was the "Jake Bird hex"?

During Bird's trial, an unbelievable six people associated with the process died, including the judge. The media called it the "Jake Bird hex."

In 1836, what did the murderer do to prostitute Helen Jewett's body after killing her with an ax?

The killer set her bed on fire and left it to burn. The corpse only partially charred, leaving behind plenty of evidence.

Why was prostitute Helen Jewett's likely killer acquitted at trial?

The judge told jurors to disregard the testimony of key witnesses simply because those witnesses were prostitutes. The scandalous nature of the case made headlines all over the country.

In which city did a serial killer named the Servant Girl Annihilator kill numerous people with an ax?

The crazed man killed at least eight people in 1884 and 1885 in Austin, Texas. No one was ever convicted, but the murders stopped after police shot and killed a 19-year-old man who was assaulting a young woman.

Ax murderer Victor Licata was supposedly high on which substance when he killed his family?

He was reportedly stoned on marijuana when he attacked his family. The widely publicized crime was used to fuel anti-pot campaigns that were rampant in the 1930s.

How did the police find Victor Licata the day after he killed five family members with an ax?

Licata was at home, wearing clean clothes over his blood-spattered body. He was clearly confused about the ordeal and was declared unfit for trial. He committed suicide 17 years later while locked away in an institution.

In 1919, how many people did the Axman of New Orleans kill?

He killed six or seven people and wounded another six or so. He sometimes used an ax to hurt people; other times he used a straight razor.

How did some New Orleans residents respond to the Axman murderer?

Some were so angry about the killings that they published notices in the paper, inviting him to try and attack their families. The killings eventually stopped, and no one was ever convicted.

When did the infamous Lizzie Borden ax murders occur?

In 1892, the parents of Lizzie Borden were both murdered with an ax in Massachusetts. Lizzie Borden was arrested, and she changed her story several times, leaving police to think that she was the perpetrator.

What happened during Lizzie Borden's trial?

Borden was acquitted, but even today most historians believe she committed the crime. She remained in her small town for the rest of her life, although most people avoided contact with her.

Before being arrested for the ax murder of a chicken farmer, how many times had Eva Dugan been married?

She was married at least five times … and four of her husbands died under suspicious circumstances. She was convicted and executed in 1930.

How was Eva Dugan executed for the murders she committed?

She was the only woman to be hanged in Arizona. The rope decapitated her, prompting state officials to replace hanging with other execution methods.

What was one nickname that the press gave to Eva Dugan as she awaited trial and execution?

"Cheerful Eva" told everyone that she wasn't afraid to die. Her hanging and subsequent decapitation was so gruesome that multiple witnesses fainted from the sight.

Ax murderer Joseph Ntshongwana was famous for playing which sport?

He was a famous rugby player in South Africa in the late 1990s. He killed three men and wounded a fourth, claiming they attacked his daughter, which the police said never happened. Ntshongwana was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

After she escaped from jail, how did ax murderer Frankie Stewart Silver attempt to evade capture?

She was caught again days later, dressed like a man, with her hair cut very short. She was hanged for killing her husband.

What was a prominent motive for Frankie Stewart Silver's murder of her husband?

Many of the townspeople rallied around Silver, saying her husband had been abusive. Thanks to public support, she was nearly acquitted in spite of the pile of evidence, which included multiple piles of her husband's body parts.

In 2011, what did ax murderer Tyree Smith do after he killed a man?

He ate the victim's brains and eyes. In court, Smith apologized for what he'd done, saying "it really had nothing to do with the other person."

Explore More Quizzes

Image: refer to hsw

About This Quiz

Axes are great for chopping wood … or people. How much do you know about infamous ax murderers? Take this quiz to find out.

About HowStuffWorks Play
