Explore the criminal activities of Sophie Levy, a cunning thief and con artist, and the dark transformation of Bryn Hild Stersett. Learn about the history of insurance and its connection to Belle Gunness, a notorious serial killer. Discover the suspicious incidents surrounding Belle's farm and the criminal history of Sophie Lyons.
Sophie Levy, a skilled thief, mainly caused financial loss and embarrassment to her victims through her illegal activities.
Belle Ganes, a notorious criminal, lured men to her farm through personal ads, leading to their deaths and burying them on her property.
Deep dives
Sophie Levy: The Master Thief
Sophie Levy, a skilled thief, embarked on a life of crime from a young age. She developed her skills over the years, engaging in various illegal activities such as smuggling diamonds and selling fake gold bricks. Sophie also blackmailed men for significant sums of money. Despite her criminal activities, her victims typically suffered only financial loss and embarrassment, as she didn't pose a physical threat to them.
Belle Ganes: A Murderous Path
Belle Ganes, originally from Norway, relocated to the United States and married Moss Sorensen. Together, they opened a candy store but faced financial difficulties. After their store burned down, Belle's life took a dark turn. Tragedy struck her family repeatedly, with deaths that allowed her to collect large insurance payouts. Belle's husbands and her own children fell victim to her schemes. She then moved to Indiana, where she continued to lure men to her farm through personal ads, leading to their deaths. Evidence of her crimes was discovered in her hog pen, where corpses were found, some of them badly decomposed.
The Elusive Belle Ganes
Although Belle Ganes apparently died in a fire at her farm, there are doubts about her fate. Her hired farmhand, Ray Lamphier, claimed Belle instructed him to set the fire. Subsequently, a headless body was found, believed to be Belle's, and she was buried accordingly. However, evidence later suggested that the body was not hers. Belle was suspected of poisoning, mutilating, and burying over 40 victims on her property. She managed to evade capture and continued her crimes elsewhere under a new identity, Esther Carlson. However, illness prevented her from standing trial, and she died before her crimes could be fully exposed.
History is full of criminals. They come in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. Some are cheerful, some are dark. Some, however, steal more than money or precious belongings. To be caught in their web means paying the ultimate price.