January 30, 2022

As part of Live & Learn: enriching lives through monthly learning series, RML is offering Villisca Axe Murders of 1912 with Dr. Edgar Epperly on Thursday, February 24 at 5:30 pm in the lower level Community Room.

Sometime during the dark early morning of June 10, 1912, a person or persons unknown bludgeoned to death Josiah B. Moore, his wife Sara, their children Herman, Katherine, Boyd, and Paul, and two overnight guests, Lena and Ina Stillinger. The sensational crime led to nearly ten years of investigations and trials and the formation of the Iowa Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Dr. Epperly, the foremost authority on Iowa’s worst mass murder, spent over 60 years interviewing eyewitnesses and key figures in the Villisca murder case in addition to examining historical records connected to the crime. He began his research in 1955 as a student in Cedar Falls, IA. Epperly has written dozens of articles and blog entries, and appeared on CourtTV and other television and radio programs. He is a popular guest speaker at colleges, universities, historical societies, museums, libraries, and book stores. He resides in Decorah, IA. Epperly’s research journey was the subject of the award-winning short documentary film AXMAN.

Copies of Edgar Epperly’s book, Fiend incarnate: Villisca Axe Murders of 1912 will be available for purchase at the event. Fiend incarnate is also available on Amazon in book or ebook form.

Contact RML with questions: robeymemorial@waukon.lib.ia.us or (563) 568-4424.