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Mysterious Home Invasions Unsolved

By Every Day Story15 items
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The movie The Strangers shows just how terrifying a home invasion can be. Unsolved home invasions are even more frightening, especially when they involve gruesome murders that remain mysteries decades later. Some of these real, unsolved cases are brutally violent, while others seem almost supernatural. They all highlight the vulnerability of people in their own homes, which is why the home security industry exists. A stranger breaking in at night can have motives beyond robbery, and sometimes, there's no motive at all. Even with evidence, including D.N.A., the killer may never be caught. In some cases, this means the true identities of the murderers may never be known.

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  • 1
    The Keddie Murders

    In 1981, Keddie, California landlords began renting cabins to lower-income families.Glenna “Sue” Sharp.Sue lived in cabin 28 with her five children. On April 11, her sons Ricky (age 10) and Greg (age 5) let their friend and neighbor Justin stay over.Sue's oldest daughter Sheila (age 14) stayed at a neighbor's house; her other daughter Tina (age 12) stayed home. Sue's oldest son, Johnny (age 15) hung out in town with his friend.Dana (age 17) hitchhiked back to the cabin during the evening. The two hitchhiked back.

    The next morning, police found a grisly scene with three dead victims. Sue and Johnny had been bludgeoned with a hammer and stabbed repeatedly. Dana was strangled and stabbed. Tina vanished. Her skull later confirmed she was the fourth victim. The case remains unsolved, even though brutal murders occurred nearby involving other residents. Evidence pointed to Keddie residents.Martin Smartt and his friend.Severin John "Bo" Boubede, but no charges resulted.

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  • 2
    The Hinterkaifeck Murders

    The Gruber family lived at the Hinterkaifeck farm in the early 1920s.Hinterkaifeck farm.The farm sat about 70 miles north of Munich, Germany. Residents included Andreas Gruber.his wife Cazilia, their middle-aged daughter Victoria, and their two grandchildren. In 1921, their maid quit, claiming the farm was haunted. Andreas found footprints in the snow leading from the forest to the house, but he found no path back. He started hearing footsteps in the attic and reported other strange events.

    On April 4th, five days after the Grubers disappeared, a search party found a gruesome murder scene. A pickax killed all occupants. Four bodies lay stacked neatly. Autopsies showed the time of death was Friday, March 31.

    The strangest part is finding killer evidence at the farm days after the murders. Livestock were fed, and witnesses saw smoke from the chimney over the weekend. No arrests happened; the case remains unsolved.

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  • 3

    On December 12, 2013,Lisa Brownlee (age 55) was watching her nieces, Peaches Christburg (age 2), andGlacia Ramsey (age 7). That night,an unknown assailant wore a grey hooded sweatshirt. broke into the Cleveland apartment and locked Lisa in the bathroom. He then set fire to the apartment. Lisa smelled smoke around 10 pm in the bathroom. She broke out and ran across the street to calledthe police. Both Peaches and Glacia died in the fire.

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  • 4

    On November 21, 2008, an elderly man namedNoble Wine wasgunned downAn unknown assailant invaded his Greene County home. The assailant then burned the house, apparently to cover up the crimes.

    Four months later, on March 22, 2009, a similar incident happened in another part of Greene County.Betty Jane McClellan and Jacob Albert McClellan (age 66) were at their rural home. An unknown person approached, claiming car trouble. Jacob tried to stop the man, but the man shot Jacob in the neck and face. The gunman then shot Jane. Jacob survived; Jane died from her injuries. Police have not identified the suspect.

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  • 5

    Between 2000 and 2008, a serial rapist acted.This serial rapist terrorized the Kansas State and Kansas University communities. Thirteen victims are linked to the rapist during that time. He remains at large. The crimes followed the same pattern: he broke into a residence between 2 am and 5 am and overpowered his victims. Sometimes he used a knife or gun, and at least one victim was blindfolded.The Kansas State and Kansas University communities faced terror. Thirteen victims link to the rapist during that time; he remains at large. The crimes followed one pattern: he broke into a home between 2 am and 5 am, overpowering victims. He used a knife or gun sometimes, and one victim wore a blindfold.

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  • 6
    The Setagaya Family Massacre

    On December 30, 2000, a gruesome murder occurred in the Setagaya ward of Tokyo, Japan.A gruesome murder occurred in the Setagaya ward of Tokyo, Japan on December 30, 2000.The Setagaya ward of Tokyo, Japan, saw the event. That night, it happened.Mikio Miyazawa (age 44), Yasuko (age 41), and their children were the victims of the crime.Mikio Miyazawa (age 44), Yasuko (age 41), and their children were the victims of the crime.Niina (age 10) and Rei (age 6) were stabbed to death by an unknown assailant. The killer stayed in the house for hours after the killing, even using the restroom. Police still have not identified the killer, despite finding evidence, including the killer's D.N.A.

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  • 7
    The Orchard Apartment Killer

    In 1979, a series of horrific murders occurred.A series of horrific murders swept through Houston, Texas. On July 27, the body of [victim] was found.A series of horrific murders swept through Houston, Texas. On July 27, the body of [victim] was found.Alys Elaine Rankin (age 33) was found by a coworker who offered a ride. Rankin's car was in the shop. Rankin was found naked in her bed, feet bound, and headless. Police said she had been sexually assaulted; the head has never been found.

    Fourteen days later, the body of [victim] was found.Mary Michael Calcutta (age 27) was found two floors above in the Orchard Apartment complex. Calcutta had been sexually assaulted. On the same day, the body of [victim] was found.Doris Lynn Threadgill (age 26) was found in northwest Houston. She linked to the killer.

    On October 3, gunshots sounded five blocks from Threadgill's townhouse. The next day, the body of...The next day, the body of Joann Huffman (age 16) was found four miles away with gunshot wounds. That day, the headless body of Huffman's boyfriend, Robert Spangenberger (age 18), was found in the trunk of a white Dodge. The case remains unsolved.Robert Spangenberger (age 18) was found in the trunk of a white Dodge. This case remains unsolved.

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  • 8

    In late January, 2014, a Chinese-American family of four was murdered.A Chinese-American family of four was murdered in their Houston home.The family of four was murdered in their Houston home.Maoye Sun (age 50), his wife Mei Xie (age 49), and their sons, Timothy (age 9) and Titus (age 7), were all found shot to death in their bedrooms by an unknown gunman.An unknown gunman shot Maoye Sun (age 50), his wife Mei Xie (age 49), and their sons, Timothy (age 9) and Titus (age 7) in their bedrooms.No motive has been found for the murders. The case remains unsolved.

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  • 9
    The Iowa Ax Murderer

    On June 11, 1912, a brutal murder occurred.A brutal murder occurred in rural Villisca, Iowa. The Moore family was sleeping when an unknown killer murdered.The Iowa Ax Murderer occurred in rural Villisca, Iowa. An unknown killer murdered the Moore family while they slept.Joe Moore took one blow from the flat end of the ax blade. His wife, Sarah, all four of their children, and two visiting neighbor children met the same fate. The murderer destroyed the bodies' heads, covered them and every mirror and piece of glass the same way, and washed the blood from his hands. Then, he took out a two-pound slab of uncooked bacon from the icebox, wrapped it in a towel, and laid it on the floor.Sarah, all four children, and two visiting neighbor children, faced the murderer. The killer destroyed the bodies' heads, covered them and every mirror and piece of glass the same way, and washed the blood from his hands. Then he took out aThe murderer took a two-pound slab of uncooked bacon from the icebox, wrapped it in a towel, and laid it on the floor.

    Investigators have not solved this case. One theory connects this case to several other ax murders.Other ax murders happened across the country during this time.These ax murders occurred across the country during this period.

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  • 10

    On January 16, 1984, 27-year-old Bruce Bennett faced an intruder. Bruce fought the intruder tooth and nail. The intruder used a hammer and knife. The intruder then beat and sexually assaulted Bruce's wife Debra (age 26) and daughter Melissa (age 7). The Bennetts' 3-year-old daughter, Vanessa, was the sole survivor, and the assailant smashed her face.Bruce Bennett fought an intruder tooth and nail. He lost the battle to the intruder, who was armed with a hammer and knife. The intruder then pummeled and sexually assaulted Bruce's wife Debra (age 26) and daughter Melissa (age 7). The sole survivor of the encounter was the Bennetts' 3-year-old daughter, Vanessa, who had her face smashed in by the assailant.The intruder fought tooth and nail. He lost to the intruder, who used a hammer and knife. The intruder then beat and sexually assaulted Bruce's wife Debra (age 26) and daughter Melissa (age 7). The Bennetts' 3-year-old daughter, Vanessa, was the only survivor; the assailant smashed her face.

    Between 1911 and 1912, a total of 49 murders linked to the same ax-wielding killer occurred. Victims were either mixed race or Black members of families with mixed race members. The killer hacked them to death with an ax while they slept in their beds. These murders also happened near the Southern Pacific Railroad.Bruce Bennett’s neck and a purse, left on the front lawn, were found. Though the killer left DNA evidence, police did not find a matching person.

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  • 12

    triple homicide occurred on June 11th, 1958. David Paul was beaten and shot dead. His daughter, Dorothy (age 11), was bludgeoned. The killer then waited for David's wife, Helen, to return. When she arrived, he murdered her too. The only evidence was a bloody handprint on the wall and a stone in the garden kicked out of place. No solid leads formed; the case remains unsolved.On September 25th, 2014,two masked assailants broke into James Simmons' house. They shot and killed James's son Brett and left James in critical condition. The case remains unsolved.

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  • 13

    On December 13, 2011, Ronald Irvin was killed during a home invasion. His sister was in the back bedroom and reported hearing gunshots. The case remains unsolved.On August 16, 2008, two gunmen stormed the Nelson family home in Maryland. broke into the house of James Simmons. They shot and killed James's son Brett, and left James in critical condition. The case remains unsolved.

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  • 14

    On December 13, 2011, Ronald Irvin (age 47) of Richmond County, Georgia, was shot and killed during a home invasion. His sister was in the back bedroom, where she reports hearing gunshots. The case remains unsolved.

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  • 15

    On August 16, 2008, two gunmen stormed the Nelson family home in Maryland. Anthony Jerome Nelson, age 28, vanished. His mother, aunt, and half-brother remained tied with duct tape. Three years later, authorities located Anthony's remains in a wooded area. No suspects have ever been identified.

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