The Case of H.H. Holmes

Who is he? What did he do? How to identify a serial killer? Continue reading to find out!

H.H. Holmes, formally known as Herman Webster Mudgett, born May 16, 1861 was known as the first serial killer in American history. When H.H. Holmes was a child, he was teased and bullied and often times was told by his teachers to stare at a human skeleton as punishment. As he got older, he admitted he had a strong fear of death. Ironically, that's what he became fascinated about several years later.

The name H.H. Holmes came about when Mudgett moved to Chicago and took up a job as a pharmacist. In 1886, soon after he took up this job, he began killing people for their property. Later, he then built his own home, which now is known as the "Murder Castle." This home was built with secret passageways, trap doors, soundproof rooms, doors that lock on the outside, gas chamber like rooms, and a kiln room to cremate victims.

By the time he was in his mid 20s, Holmes had done more in his life than an average person in the 21st century. Even if he was a serial killer. If you want to be more productive in life, become a serial killer. Also, try not to get caught, or what's the point, right?

For you men out there that seduce women, please don't lure them to their deaths. H.H. Holmes would seduce his female victims, lure them back to the "Murder Castle" and well, murder them. He also required his employees to carry life insurance policies giving him the beneficiary credit so he could collect on their insurance money once he killed them.

If you ask me, H.H. Holmes was a smart businessman. He probably could have done it a better way to reach the end goal, but whatever works.

Now, even today, law enforcement isn't sure the exact number of his victims, but it has been said he killed somewhere around 200 people. That's a lot of people, a lot of unanswered prayers, a lot of worry.

Now how can you tell if they are a serial killer?

The lucky number is three. If there are three cases, given with the same signature, same way of killing, it's serial. Cereal does kill people, but not as much as serial killers kill people.

A signature, like how it's unique to each individual, it's unique to each killer. H.H. Holmes didn't have a specific signature, but it has been shown that his victims have all stayed at his hotel. Meaning, that's how he picked his next victim.