count february july german born florida developed obsession young cuban american tuberculosis patient helen july october carried disease caused death years death removed body tomb lived corpse home seven years discovery relatives authorities went names listed german marriage certificate listed united_states citizenship papers listed florida death certificate hospital records signed count early life born february dresden germany married listed marriage certificate children crystal died grew germany following editorial note accompanying autobiographical account trial bay organ product wit march april gives details stay australia world war return germany war years ago travelled india australia intention proceeding australia collect equipment suitable boats acquainted prevailing weather sea conditions interested engineering electrical work bought property boats organ island pacific australia end years begun build trans ocean war broke british military authorities placed concentration camp safe keeping officers india china prisoners war later removed castle like prison cliffs work narrative accomplished end war prisoner permitted return residence shipped prisoner exchange holland released set find mother heard beginning war finding safe remained years witnessing chaos followed wake war finally suggested son return sister united_states account secret building sailing boat etc confirmed mentions planned escape count sailing boat provides information germans australia emigrated united_states sailing february havana cuba cuba settled florida sister emigrated later joined wife daughters leaving family took job florida childhood germany later traveling briefly genoa italy claimed visited visions dead ancestor revealed face true love exotic dark haired woman april working met helen local cuban american woman brought hospital mother examination immediately recognized beautiful dark haired woman revealed earlier visions accounts viewed local beauty daughter local cigar maker francisco sisters married succumbed tuberculosis husband trying rescue hit crane construction site february married son shortly couple child moved miami legally married time death eventually diagnosed tuberculosis typically fatal disease time eventually claimed lives entire immediate family self professed medical knowledge attempted treat cure variety ray electrical equipment brought home gifts jewelry clothing allegedly professed love evidence surfaced affection obsession despite best efforts died terminal tuberculosis parents home october paid funeral permission family commissioned construction ground visited night evening april cemetery buried removed body cemetery dark toy wagon transporting home reportedly said spirit come sit grave corpse favorite spanish song said tell grave attached corpse bones wire coat fitted face glass eyes skin corpse replaced silk cloth soaked wax plaster paris hair fell fashioned wig hair collected mother given long burial filled corpse abdominal chest cavity original form dressed remains jewelry gloves kept body bed amounts preserving agents mask odor effects corpse october sister heard rumors sleeping body sister confronted home body eventually discovered notified authorities arrested detained examined found mentally competent stand trial charge destroying grave removing body authorization preliminary hearing october monroe county courthouse held answer charge case eventually dropped released statute limitations crime expired shortly corpse discovery authorities body examined physicians public display dean funeral home viewed people body eventually returned remains buried unmarked grave secret location prevent facts underlying case preliminary hearing drew interest media time notably created sensation public nationwide public mood generally sympathetic viewed eccentric romantic reported research notably authors harrison revealed evidence corpse physicians attended autopsy remains recalled paper tube inserted area corpse allowed intercourse contend evidence presented preliminary hearing physicians proof surfaced years case dismissed allegation questionable existing contemporary photographs autopsy photographs taken public display tube claim repeated program later life death moved florida close florida wrote autobiography appeared pulp publication home near wife apparently helped support later years received united_states citizenship tampa separated obsession death mask create life sized lived death july body discovered floor home weeks death died recounted found arms discovery corpse obituary reported died floor organs obituary recounted metal cylinder shelf table wrapped cloth image written notably bodies switched remains secretly returned died real body popular culture bands released musical interpretations story know trail dead secret tomb album album released band released song titled cold night sung perspective band strip released song called moment time featured sound clips documentaries intro song told points view band released song titled tells story band song tells story love released single count von obsession cemetery presenting instrumental piece organ playing tomb believe museum florida exhibit body cared portions original memorial plaque commissioned display wrote dead girls inspired album novel buried fictionalized horror novel based story featured episode investigation discovery series true entitled welcome happened key west musical written james currently production story timeline
Carl Tanzler