The Cleveland Torso Murders aka The Mad Butcher Serial Murder Case

The Cleveland Torso Murderer was a serial killer who butchered and dismembered at least 13 victims between 1935 and 1938

Mr. K
9 min readMar 21, 2021

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One unsolved serial murder case is the Cleveland Torso Murder or the Mad Butcher. The killing took place in the Kingsbury Run slum, Cleveland. For four years, the real culprit could never be identified and tried. There were at least 13 victims, all of whom were brutally murdered. They were all found with severed heads and dismembered bodies.

Between 1935–1938, the serial killer acted in the Kingsbury Run area, Cleveland, Ohio. The serial killer was known for his sadistic actions. He beheaded his victims while still alive, some castrated, and all the victims were found in a state of no longer intact bodies.

It took days to find the limbs that were separated from each other and dumped in different places. In some cases, even some of the body parts were never found.

“IMG_3094” by Dan Coulter is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Kingsbury Run was a rundown, bleak, and very dangerous place in the 1930s. Homeless people were everywhere as a result of the Great Depression that ravaged America at that time. At that time, many people lost their jobs and suffered economic hardship.

An empty area on Kingsbury Run later became a place for the homeless to set up shanty homes. Meanwhile, the east area was a sketchy area called the ‘Roaring Third’ full of bars, gambling dens, and brothels.

The Cleveland Torso Murderer Victim’s Discovery

“Torso Murders Victim Death Mask” by Dan Coulter is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

The reputation as a dangerous place grew when the body of a woman was found in September 1934. The body appeared to…

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Mr. K

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