Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén - The Axeman of New Orleans Pt. 2

Episode Date: July 17, 2023

After a 7-month hiatus between 1918 and 1919, the Axeman jumped back into his killing spree. City officials tried to track down the mysterious killer, but their hunt led to nothing but dead ends and wrongful convictions. To this day, the Axeman's true identity remains unknown. This episode originally aired April 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Due to the graphic nature of this killer's crimes, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussions of violence and murder that some people may find offensive. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. On the night of March 19, 1919, New Orleans was flooded with music. Cafes, dance halls, and even living rooms across the city were packed with people. Jazz and laughter leaked from doorways and open windows. the strong thrum of bass and the twang of banjos mixed with buzzing cicadas in the night air. But while venues everywhere were at capacity, the streets were empty.

No one dared walk New Orleans' cobblestone lanes alone. Instead, they stayed inside, seeking shelter among the crowds and the music. There they danced not out of joy, but to ward off an evil spirit that stalked the streets. They called him the axe man, but he described himself as a fell demon from hottest hell, and he'd written to the papers just days before with a proposition. On Tuesday, as he passed over the city, any home with a jazz band in full swing would be spared his bloody axe. The city heated his request. That night, the people of New Orleans danced for their lines.

They spent hours swinging and jiving to a band that never stopped. They danced until their feet ached, and then they danced some more, swaying from exhaustion until the early morning hours, hoping the jazz-loving demon would be satisfied. When dawn broke, they found New Orleans had been spared. Not a single life was taken that night. But only because it seemed their angel of death had spilled blood in a new life. in a new city. Hi, I'm Greg Poulson.

This is serial killers. Every episode, we dive into the minds and madness of serial killers. Today, we're continuing the story of the legendary New Orleans Axeman, a brutal murderer who remains unidentified to this day. I'm here with my co-host, Vanessa Richardson. Hi, everyone. You can find episodes of serial killers for free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Last week, we discussed the Axeman's first probable murder in 1911, as well as his resurgence after a seven-year hiatus. We also saw how the media panic over the axe attacks left the entire city of New Orleans gripped in terror. This week, we'll analyze the Axeman's connection to the press and follow investigators as they trace the killer's bloody trail. And finally, we'll discuss his last murders before his mysterious disappearance, in 1919.

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On August 10th, 1918, the murder. of 31-year-old Joe Romano marked the fourth axe attack in less than three months to hit New Orleans. And like almost all of the others, it had the same telltale signs. A missing panel on the back door, a bloodied axe left at the scene, and most importantly, another Italian grocer butchered in cold blood. The detectives had their doubts that the string-of-ax crimes were at all connected. With Joe Romano's murder, all uncertainty evaporated. A sinister killer was stalking the streets of New Orleans. That summer of 1918, the people of New Orleans were immersed in a living nightmare. Each hazy sunset marked the beginning of hours of dread that kept them terrified until sunrise.

Every evening, as they tucked their children into bed and turned out their lights, they were left wondering who wouldn't wake up the next morning. To the people of New Orleans, it didn't matter that the Axeman seemed to favor Italian immigrants, specifically those who owned grocery stores. Almost every New Orleanian, whether Italian or not, seemed to be plagued by the same question. Would they be next? Vanessa is going to take over on the psychology here and throughout the episode.

Please note, Vanessa is not a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, but she has done a lot of research for this show. Thanks, Greg. The violent actions of a single individual have been found to have a dramatic impact on the surrounding community, regardless of whether the wider population is directly affected. According to a survey conducted by sociologists Matthew Lee and Erica DeHart, 56% of individuals living in a community with an active killer reported feeling more fearful, regardless of how their demographic compared to the victim profile.

These people exhibited common behaviors, such as isolation from neighbors or implementing protective measures like purchasing a gun. In fact, Lee and DeHart reported that 46% of individuals took some sort of protective measure in order to cope. But of those who did, most were primarily motivated by a concern for their loved one's safety rather than their own, a phenomenon known as altruistic fear. The X-Man's bloody rampage brought out this altruistic fear in all New Orleans, Italian and non-Italian alike. Citizens everywhere armed themselves. Men stood guard over their homes and families, spending entire nights wide awake, gripping shotguns aimed at the door. In reaction to the wave of terror, Superintendent Mooney doubled down his investigative efforts.

According to historian Miriam C. Davis, author of Axeman of New Orleans, Mooney deployed policemen to patrol the city streets at night. He assured citizens that the police would find the killer, come hell or high water. In an announcement to the press, he declared, Take this for the gospel. We're going to get him yet. I'm doing everything in human power to run down this murderous maniac. We are going to get him. But this was nothing more than grandiose blustering from a desperate man.

Mooney was no closer to finding the Axeman than he was when the attack started. His investigation had been ongoing for months, and he had little to show for it. Even when fresh blood was spilled, detectives struggled to pick up the scent. Despite Mooney's best efforts, the surge of public panic raged on, both in newspaper headlines and in the streets. He and his detectives were under fire from all sides, from the press and from the people. And as the weeks came and went, the trail only got colder. But soon, the Axeman was overshadowed by a new killer. That year, Spanish influenza swept across North America,

and in September of 1918, it found its way to New Orleans. In a matter of weeks, thousands of cases were reported across the city. Then, once the epidemic was curbed in early November, the press turned its attention to peace overseas as World War I came to an end. Reports of the Axeman faded entirely from the headlines, and as the news moved on, so did the people of New Orleans. They put down their rifles and began to sleep easier at night. Their restless, terror-stricken days seemed like nothing more than a bad dream. But as the city recovered, the axeman simply bided his time in the shadows. He finally struck again seven months later.

Only this time, he crossed the Mississippi. Just outside New Orleans city limits, on the other side of the Mississippi River, lies the town of Gretna, Louisiana. In 1919, Gretna was a sleepy bedroom community, a tiny suburb just beyond the bustle and unsavory activities of New Orleans. But unlike the city pickpockets and petty criminals, a little distance didn't deter the axe man. In the early morning hours of March 10th, Irlando Giordano laid half awake in bed, willing himself to sleep. But as he drifted off, his aching joints tugged him back to consciousness.

This was typical for Irlando. Decades of being on his feet in the family grocery store had left him rheumatic and stooped. And this made his nights long and restless. But tonight, he was too exhausted to toss and turn. Instead, he simply closed his eyes again, trying to summon sleep once more. And this time, he drifted off. Hours later, a woman's blood-curdling scream pierced through Irolando's dreams. He bolted upright, heart-pounding.

As the screaming continued, he finally made out her words. Over and over, she wailed. The Cortimiglias are dead. The Cortimiglias are dead. Yerlondo flew to his feet and raced downstairs. The Cordomiglias were the Giordano's neighbors, a young Italian couple with a little daughter who called Irlando Grandpa. The two families had been close for years,

but when the Cortimiglias opened a competing grocery store, they became rivals. Yorlando had even taken them to court over a business dispute, but he would have never wanted them dead. By the time I Orlando made it downstairs, Frank, his teenage son, was already there pulling on his shoes. His hair still must from sleep. Even at 17 and over six feet tall, to I Orlando,

Frank was still his little boy. He didn't want Frank to come with him. It could be dangerous. But Ierlondo was an old man now. If anything, he needed his son. So without a word, they put on their shoes and rushed down. down to the neighborhood street. Just outside the Cortimiglias, a small crowd of people stood silent before the open door.

I Orlando cut through with Frank on his heels and stepped inside. As soon as he entered, he wished he'd never brought his son. A heavy scent lingered in the room, damp and metallic. The walls were spattered in red. The Cordomiglias laid in their blood-drenched bed, barely conscious. Charles Cordomiglia gasped for breath. Yorlando ran to him, cradling the bleeding man's head, trying desperately to stop the bleeding.

Then he saw her. Little Mary, just two years old, laid limp in her mother's arms. Her tiny dress soaked through with blood. Yerlando began to weep. The Axeman had returned with a vengeance, and this time no one, not even, children were safe from his blade.

Coming up, New Orleans descends into panic once again as detectives scramble to pin down a suspect. Hi listeners, it's Vanessa, here with some big news for fans of our show. You can now listen to serial killers anywhere you get your podcasts. To our loyal listeners who've stuck with us over the years, thank you. We owe this incredible opportunity to you. And to anyone discovering the serial killers podcast for the first time, welcome. We can't wait to bring gripping crime stories straight to your favorite podcast platform, wherever that may be. If you're looking for ways to support the show, head over to Apple Podcasts.

To leave a review and let everyone know your favorite podcast is now available everywhere. On a personal note, in my recording booth at home, I have dozens of wonderful reviews left by all of you. It means the world to me. Catch new episodes every Monday and listen free anywhere you get your podcasts. Snoring, gasping during sleep, feeling fatigued, ask your doctor about Zepbound, terseptite, the first and only FDA-approved prescription medicine for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, and adults with obesity. Zepbound is a prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity

to help adults with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, and obesity to improve their OSA. Zepbound is approved as a 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, or 15 milligram injection. Zetbound contains terseptitide and should not be used with other terseptide containing products or any GLP1 receptor agonist medicines. It is not known if Zepound is safe and effective for use in children. Don't share needles or pins or reuse needles. Don't take if allergic to it, or if you or someone in your family had medullary thyroid cancer, or if you've had multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. Tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. Stop Zepbound and call your doctor if you have severe stomach pain or a serious allergic reaction.

Severe side effects may include inflamed pancreas or gallbladder problems. Tell your doctor if you experience vision changes before scheduled procedures with anesthesia. If you're nursing, pregnant, plan to be, or taking birth control pills. Taking Zep bound with a sulfonel urea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and worsened kidney problems. Talk to your doctor. Call 1-800-545-9-9 or visit Zepbound.lily.com. Now back to the story. After nearly seven months without an attack by their phantom killer, the people of New Orleans had been lulled into a false sense of security. But on March 10, 1919, the Axeman returned with a

vengeance. This time, he snuck across the Mississippi River to the neighboring town. of Gretna, where he attacked Charles and Rosie Cordomiglia and murdered their two-year-old daughter. The little family was found wounded and bloodied by their neighbors and rival grocers, 68-year-old Irlando Giardano and his 17-year-old son, Frank. Once I Orlando overcame the shock of the horrific scene, he and the gathered neighbors summoned a doctor and the police. Charles and Rosie were rushed to the nearby Charity hospital. There they were treated for serious skull fractures, but for little Mary, it was far too late. It was determined that she'd been killed from a blow to the back of her neck while still sleeping at

her mother's arms. Soon after, the Gretna police found the murder weapon, an axe left on the Cortimiglia's back porch, still bloodied and plastered with hair. But strangely, police found nothing was missing from the house itself. This wasn't an ordinary case of home burglary. The intruder had broken in with a sole purpose to kill. When the news of the attack traveled across the river, New Orleans Superintendent Frank Mooney was hardly surprised by the details. The crime had all the telltale signs of an axeman attack.

The weapon left at the scene, no missing items or valuables, and a panel had been removed from the court of migli. kitchen door. But because the crime took place outside of his jurisdiction, Mooney was careful not to step on the Gretna authorities' toes. Instead, he kept to his side of the Mississippi, respectfully offering the aid of his department, should they need it. But Mooney soon found out Gretna authorities had bungled the investigation from the very beginning. According to historian and author Miriam Davis, by the time police arrived, neighbors and onlookers had flooded the impasse.

crime scene. They trampled over potential footprints from the killer and contaminated surfaces with their fingerprints. Gretna chief of police, Peter Lieson, had taken the panel the killer had removed and nailed it back to the kitchen door. Right and left, evidence was tampered with, and vital clues that could have pointed to the true killer were corrupted, if not lost entirely. But it didn't matter to the Gretna police, because they already had their suspect in mind. In fact, they had two, I Orlando and Frank Giordano. From the very beginning, Chief Peter Leeson and Sheriff Louis Marrero had their sights set on the Giordano's. After all, they were the Cordomiglius competitors, and the two families had recently been engaged in a nasty business dispute.

And the rampant stereotype of the bloody Italian vendetta only supported what Lison and Marrero already believed. Frank and I Orlando were guilty. All the Gretna authorities had to do was get Charlie and Rosie Quartimiglia to point their finger at the Giordano's. There was just one problem. The Cortomiglias never saw their attacker. At the time, they were in a deep sleep. And even if they had been somewhat conscious,

their bedroom was far too dark for them to gather an identification. But this didn't stop detectives from attempting to convince them that the Jordanos were the ones. While Charlie and Rosie recovered in the hospital from their head wounds and from the trauma of their daughter's death, investigators continued to push them for details. Detectives repeatedly asked the court amyglias who had attacked them, even feeding them highly leading questions. According to historian Miriam Davis, Gretna police asked them, did Frank Giordano hit you with an axe? Or was Irlando Giordano with Frank at the time he was.

attacked you. But still, neither Rosie nor Charlie was cognizant enough to give detectives more than hazy, disjointed answers. Again and again, the couple told the police that they just didn't know. But as Greta detectives continued to press the court amyglias for an accusation they couldn't provide, perhaps police should have redirected their attention to a certain bloody specter. Across the river, the New Orleans Axeman wasn't pleased that others were being credited for his handiwork. So he took to the papers. On March 14th, 1919, four days after, the brutal attack on Rosie and Charlie Cortemaglia, the office of the Times Picayune received an odd letter. Instead of a return address, the envelope was postmarked from hell.

Inside was a bizarre message written in ornate script. Its first lines read, esteemed mortal. They have never caught me and they never will. They have never seen me, for I am invisible even as the ether which surrounds your earth. I am not a human being, but a spirit and a fell demon from the hottest hell. I am what you Orlinians and your foolish police call the Axeman. The message continued over several more pages. The writer taunted authorities and threw threatened the city with yet another attack, all the while claiming he was not a mere man, but a spirit, a demon. The letter continued, When I see fit, I shall come again and claim other victims.

If I wish to, I could pay a visit to your city every night. I could slay thousands of your best citizens, for I am in close relationship with the angel of death. surprisingly, the message wasn't just a threat. It was a request. The Axeman made what he called a little proposition to the people to take place after midnight that coming Tuesday. I'm very fond of jazz music, and I swear by all the devils in the nether regions that every person shall be spared, in whose house a jazz band is in full swing. Those persons who do not Jazz it on Tuesday night.

We'll get the axe. The editors at the Times Picayune were struck. For two days, they hesitated, unsure if publishing the letter was the right course of action. Was it just a prank done in poor taste? Would they be sending the city into a futile panic? Or would refusing to print the warning result in the murder of more innocent people?

Ultimately, they gave in. And on March 16th, 1919, the alleged Axeman's message was printed in bold ink across the pages of the Times Picayune. The people of New Orleans reacted to the letter in a variety of ways. Some were terrified. Others ignored it entirely. And some took it as a joke, laughing at the absurdity of a music-loving demon demanding the city play jazz. According to historian Miriam Davis, it's unlikely that the real Axeman had written the letter. Davis points out that the message was too sophisticated to have come from the sort of poorly educated laborer that the Axeman was suspected to be. It had what Davis describes as a lofty theatrical quality.

The prose was far too polished to be the ravings of a bloodthirsty madman. Instead, Davis suggests that the letter may have been written. by a local musician and businessman named Joseph John or J.J. DeVilla. Davis theorized that DeVilla may have written it as a sort of macabre marketing strategy. Days later, he conveniently released a brand new song he claimed was inspired by the letter. An upbeat ragtime tune he called The Mysterious Axeman's Jazz. It sold thousands of copies. But regardless of who wrote the message, there was no doubt that the letter made a

splash. In the early morning hours of March 19th, the time the Axeman claimed he would pass over any house with a jazz band in full swing, New Orleans was alive with music. Skeptics and terrified citizens alike crammed into the city's jazz clubs and cafes. Others struck up their own bands at home, recruiting their piano-playing children and family banjo pluckers. Any home that had the space and the means hired professionals to play private house parties. That night, every musician had a gig playing well into dawn. Some used the axeman's threat as nothing more than an excuse to dance the night away. Others flock to the music, hoping to take shelter from the so-called demon from the hottest hell.

As the sun rose over the city the next morning, they learned that no one had been slaughtered that night. They'd successfully jazzed it up. But while New Orleans breathed a collective sigh of relief, across the Mississippi, the people of Gretna were tense and suspicious. It had been over a week since the Cordomiglia family had been attacked, and detectives had yet to build a solid case against 17-year-old Frank Giordano and 68-year-old I Orlando Giordano. The citizens of Gretna demanded justice.

By that time, everyone in town had heard about the feud between the Court of Maldiardino, Meaglia and Giordano families over their two rival grocery stores. Fueled by gossip, residents believed the Jordanos waged the attack as an act of revenge. But in reality, the theory was impossible. Yorlando, at 68, was frail and going blind. The arthritic grocer was hardly capable of swinging an axe, let alone assaulting two able-bodied adults. And Frank, at six feet tall and over 200 pounds, would have never fit through the opening in the door the intruder had used to break in.

But despite this, police and the people of Gretna were convinced the Giordanoes were responsible. They just didn't have the evidence to press charges. They decided to obtain an eyewitness confession instead. Nearly three weeks after the attack, while Charlie continued to recover from his injuries, doctors determined that Rosie was well enough to be released. As soon as she stepped foot outside the hospital, Chief Leeson and Sheriff Marrero arrested her. She was taken into custody on the grounds that she was a material witness for the case and jailed. Rosie was denied a lawyer and barred from seeing her family.

The already traumatized woman sat alone in her bare cell, confused about why she was there and terrified of what would happen next. But she had her answer soon enough. That day, Sheriff Marrero interrogated her for hours, attempting to bait Rosie into accusing the Giordano's. He pressed her with leading questions, and again and again, Rosie insisted she couldn't remember. But Marrero made it crystal clear, until she did remember she'd be spending her days in jail. And soon, Rosie changed her tune. She recollected for police a step-by-step account of the crime,

the Gerdanos. After weeks of having no memory of her attack, suddenly Rosie was able to recall the night of March 10th in incredible detail. False confessions or admissions of guilt by an innocent person are a well-documented phenomenon. Though it happens more commonly with suspects, witnesses can be subject to many of the same factors that result in false testimonies. According to psychologists Linda Henkel and Kimberly Kaufman, both suspects, suspects and witnesses alike are susceptible to giving false accounts when subject to police coercion or manipulative and suggestive interrogation tactics. Some individuals may even create vivid memories to support these accounts in what is called

coerced internalized false confessions. Henkel and Kaufman explained that these distorted recollections typically occur when interrogators create confusion and a heightened state of suggestibility that, inspires self-doubt. But some individuals, such as those who are experiencing depression, stress, or fatigue, are more susceptible than others. And Rosie Cordomiglia, fresh out of the hospital and still reeling from her daughter's murder, was a prime candidate for a false testimony. Already traumatized and exhausted. Once detectives had Rosie alone in a room, all they had to do was repeat the same story over and over before she began to be.

believing it was true. Because Rosie couldn't write in English. Her account was typed out for her in an official affidavit. Then underneath foreign words she couldn't read, Rosie signed the document, formally accusing Frank and I Orlando of her daughter's murder. The Giordano's were shocked. Since the day little Mary Cordomiglia was born,

the family had treated her as their own. Frank adored the little girl. and spent countless evenings watching her as her parents worked. And as soon as she could talk, Mary even called the Orlando Grandpa. The idea that Rosie believed they could have murdered the little girl was devastating. But nevertheless, Frank and Irlando were charged with both the attacks on the court of miglias and two-year-old Mary's murder. And in March of 1919, first Frank and then Irlando, his health already failing, were thrown.

into a dank cell. There they waited for two long months for the chance to defend their innocence, and on May 19th their trial began in a cramped Gretna courtroom flooded with onlookers. Though Gerdano's attorney attempted to argue that the attack was connected to the recent acts murders in neighboring New Orleans, he pointed out parallels between the assault on the Court of Miglias and similar cases, asserting that perhaps the crime was the same killer, handiwork. But any mentions of the Axeman were quickly shot down by the prosecution, and ultimately the judge ruled the topic inadmissible. The hypothesis that Mary Cordomiglia was murdered

at the hands of some faceless phantom killer was not deemed as a plausible defense. Instead, the state pushed forward the same sensationalized story about a bloody family vendetta. They cited the two families' recent business dispute as evidence. all the while leaning on Rosie Cortimiglia's coerced testimony. After a week-long trial, the jury finally retreated to deliberate. Less than two hours later, they filed back into the courtroom and delivered their verdict. Both I Orlando and Frank Giordano were found guilty. The verdict sent shock waves throughout the courtroom.

The judge ruled that 68-year-old Irlando, would live out the remainder of his life in a prison cell, while his 17-year-old son was sentenced to hang. The Gretna police had gotten the outcome they'd wanted. In the spring of 1919, as the wrong men were put behind bars awaiting the gallows, the Cordomiglia's true phantom killer stalked the streets, a free man, and that fall he struck again in yet another city.

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which includes gas, bloating, rumbling, and abdominal discomfort. Transport your senses with Sol de Janeiro's limited edition perfume mist collection. At Sephora, spritz on lush notes of rainforest orchid and crisp sea breeze with hafresco paraizzo. Embrace of floral and fruity scent inspired by Rio's nude beach with cheeky bikini. Or capture sun-kissed bliss with limonada gelada, where zesty Brazilian lemonade accord meets coconut milk and cold. and brown sugar. Don't miss Sol de Janito's limited edition perfume mist collection only at Sephora. Now the conclusion to the story. In March of 1919, the Axeman unleashed a world of chaos

on the tiny town of Gretna, Louisiana. His latest attack on the Cordomiglia family had not only left his victims bloodied and their child murdered, but it also led to the wrongful convictions of two innocent men, 68-year-old Eorlando and 17-year-old Frank Giordano. Once again, the axeman had escaped the hand of the law and was free to stalk the streets as he pleased. But where and who he struck next is still unclear.

In the summer and fall of 1919, the Phantom Killer's bloody path was obscured by a sea of conjecture, starting with the case of Sarah Lauman. On August 3rd, 19-year-old Sarah woke to a strange man looming over her. When she screamed, the intruder fled, leaving her with no serious injuries besides a small cut behind her right ear. Frank Mooney arrived at the scene the next morning, hopeful that this time they'd have a strong lead. But he was quickly disappointed. It was clear that the attack wasn't the work of the Axeman.

No signs of forced entry were found on any of the doors, and an axe dropped on a neighboring lawn didn't have a trace of blood. And if this wasn't enough, Sarah Lauman didn't fit the axeman's typical victim profile. She was neither an Italian nor a grocer. Just like the attack on Mary Schneider the year before, detectives figured the assault was most likely a robbery gone wrong. And just like in Mary Schneider's case, New Orleans journalists were convinced otherwise. and proceeded to claim that Sarah Lawman was the axeman's latest victim. But the story was far from the sensationalized slaughter the papers were so used to reporting on the axeman beat.

It took another three months to receive the bloody scoop they'd been waiting for. In the early morning hours of October 27th, an officer was walking home at the end of his patrol. When an 11-year-old girl sprinted toward him, wailing, My father is full of blood. Alarmed, the policeman jumped into action. He asked the girl to take him to her father, and soon he followed her through the back of a small grocery store

to the family's apartment. There she led him to the broken and unconscious body of 35-year-old Mike Pepitone. The grocer had been brutally beaten. His face was smashed in, and he was gasping for air, choking on his own blood. He was barely alive. but not for much longer.

Two hours later, he bled to death. Before the sun rose, detectives were already swarming the scene. Superintendent Mooney dove into the investigation, sure that this time, the Italian grocer's murder was the work of their phantom killer, but his hopes were quickly dashed. As detectives questioned Mike Pepitone's friends and family, they learned that Mike and his father had been involved in the murder

of a fellow Italian, nearly a decade earlier. And it seemed as though the other family had finally taken the retribution. Mike Pepitone's death was nothing but a vendetta killing. But once again, papers ignored investigators and published their own theories to keep the saga of the Axeman alive. One headline from the Times Picayune read,

Case of Mike Pepitone has points of similarity to axe murder. But after Mike Pepitone's killing, Things went quiet. As October and November came and went, journalists entered a lean winter, devoid of murder and mayhem. But that February of 1920, the Times-Picayune didn't have to sniff out its next big story. This time, it walked right through their front doors. The months after Frank and Irlando-Jurdano's convictions had not been kind to Rosie Cordomiglia, the trauma of their daughter's murder strained on the court of vaguely as marriage, and soon it deteriorated altogether.

Months after the trial, Rosie and Charlie divorced. In the winter of 1920, Rosie found herself utterly alone with only her regrets for company. Her role in sentencing I Orlando Giordano to prison and Frank to the gallows began to haunt her, and soon Rosie began to doubt the testimony she'd given police that had condemned them. She grappled with the question of whether or not she should come forward. But then, Rosie contracted smallpox, and as she lay in bed in the throes of a fever dream, she had a revelation. Rosie dreamt that she was lying on her deathbed when St. Joseph appeared and told her,

Rosie, you cannot die with that boy's life and that old man's liberty on your conscience. Rosie woke up sobbing. Suddenly, she was sure. she had to confess. Though Rosie's dream may seem bizarre, it's not uncommon for the dying to have visions of saintly apparitions. Experts refer to it as the

deathbed phenomenon, or DBP. According to scholar Sue Brain and psychologist Chris Farnham and Peter Fenwick, these encounters serve to comfort the dying by preparing them for their transition into death. And in many cases, this means helping an individual reconcile any unresolved issues in their life. And for those with secrets, it often leads to a classic deathbed confession.

Rosie had been struggling with smallpox for weeks, and perhaps on some level, she knew she was fighting off death. St. Joseph's message had stirred something in her, and the very next day, on February 3, 1920, Rosie notified the office of the Times Picayune and retracted her accusations against Frank and I Orlando Giordano. On February 4th, headlines announced, Confession that put news around two men denied. As the news was circulated in papers across Louisiana,

the wheels of justice were set in motion. It would take nearly a year, but finally, in December of 1920, all charges against Frank and Erlando were dropped. After a year and a half, the father and son were exonerated. The same December that Frank and Irlando walked out of prison as free men, Frank Mooney stepped down from office. Over two years of investigations into the Axeman attacks, and nearly a dozen murders later, he had nothing to show for his efforts. His career had ended in failure.

Considering it had been over a year since the attack on the court of Miglias, like the axeman's only recent crime, Mooney figured he had little chance of redeeming himself, so he took the opportunity to cut his losses, relieved to leave his investigative days behind him. He told the press, there'll be no more political jobs or detective work ever again for me. It seemed the axeman had disappeared as mysteriously as he came, evaporating into the ether. But as Frank Mooney stepped down from office in December of 1920, Similar crimes began cropping up in cities across Louisiana. In the town of Alexandria, Louisiana, over 200 miles outside of New Orleans,

an axe-wielding intruder killed Italian grocer Joseph Sparrow and his baby daughter. And just a month later, on January 14, 1921, in the western city of Derrida, Louisiana, another grocer, Giovanni Orlando, was butchered. His wife and two young children survived, suffering from serious injuries. Both cases had the telltale signs of an axman attack. The victims were Italian grocers, nothing was stolen from the homes, and the murder weapon, a bloodied axe, was left at the scene of the crime. But neither the police in Alexandria nor in Derritter found any probable leads.

It's possible these murders were the work of some other criminal. perhaps a copycat inspired by the Axeman's well-publicized crimes in New Orleans. But what's far more likely is that the killings were done by the Phantom Killer himself. Perhaps the Axeman emerged from his year in the shadows as a sort of celebration of Frank Mooney's resignation. One last taunt as the former superintendent could only look on, helpless to do anything from his retirement. By that spring, reports of Axisett, attacks stopped entirely. Months went by without a single bloody assault or a discarded hatchet

on a neighboring lawn. The Axeman had simply stopped. Without any fanfare or cryptic farewell message, the phantom killer slipped back into the shadows. But this time, he never reemerged. Instead, he left a trail of bloodied, broken bodies and wrongful arrests of innocent suspects in his wake, and as time went on, the case of the New Orleans Axeman only grew colder. Now, almost a century later, the Axeman's crimes remain unsolved, and the Phantom Killer himself continues to be a mystery. But though the New Orleans Axeman's bloody terror has long faded from headlines, his memory remains deep in the city's consciousness. There he lives on in its narrow alleyways and in the shadow of its weeping willows, an unspoken reminder to lock

your homes up tight and to keep your eye on the back door. Thanks again for tuning into serial killers. We'll be back Monday with a new episode. For more information on the New Orleans Axeman, amongst the many sources we used, we found the book Axeman of New Orleans, A True Story by Miriam C. Davis, extremely helpful to our research. You can find more episodes of serial killers for free on Spotify. We'll see you next time. Have a killer week. Serial Killers was created by Max Cutler.

Executive producers include Max and Ron Cutler, sound design by Anthony Valsick, with production assistance by Ron Shapiro, Carly Madden, and Freddie Beckley. This episode of Serial Killers was written by Alex Scarland, with writing assistance by Abigail Cannon, and stars Greg Paulson and Vanessa Richardson. Thank you so much to our fans and to any listeners hearing our show for the first time.

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of Hasbro. Hasbro is not a sponsor of this promotion. A beloved 75-year-old man washing up, getting ready for bed is brutally beaten and killed. Despite an exhaustive investigation, the killer avoids arrest and then strikes again. I'm Global News crime reporter Nancy Hicks. You might listen to a lot of true crime podcasts this year, but they're not crime beat. Search for and follow the award-winning podcast Crime Beat on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and wherever you find your favorite podcasts.