On January 28, 1829, Burke was hanged, but what ultimately happened to Hare is still unknown. Both killers were arrested, but Hare was allowed to walk free, as there was little evidence against him. They were finally caught when one of the corpses they sold was that of “Daft Jamie,” who was well-recognized by locals. They managed to successfully kill and trade the bodies of 16 known victims before their evil scheme came to a halt. Victims were lured to the lodging house, given enough alcohol to render them helpless, and then suffocated. The money-hungry duo then planned to kill the lodgers themselves and quickly sell the bodies. Hare decided to sell the body to a private anatomy teacher at the University of Edinburgh who needed cadavers for medical research. William Burke and William Hare were serial killers living in Scotland who first cashed in when one of Hare’s lodgers died suddenly but still owed him rent. She died in France in either 1842 or 1849, depending on the source. She is believed to be responsible for at least four known murders.

Disgusted by the crimes, an angry mob formed around the house, leading LaLaurie to flee to France and never return. A real horror story was discovered in the attic-a torture chamber where slaves were routinely brutalized. The fire brigade found an elderly woman chained to the stove, who told them other slaves had been taken to the attic of the house and never returned. On the morning of April 10, 1834, a fire started in the kitchen of the house. Nevertheless, she continued to buy slaves through her family and social connections. When a young slave girl fell from the roof of her home, authorities fined LaLaurie, made her sell her other slaves, and banned her from taking in any more slaves. Madame Marie Delphine LaLaurie was a well-known and captivating socialite who would host lavish parties at her home in the French Quarter of New Orleans, but she hid a disturbing secret-the torturing of slaves for her own sick pleasure.

Louisiana serial killer tortured slaves