Dr. Henry Howard Holmes or H. H. Holmes

November 17, 1894

Herman Webster Mudgett (May 16, 1861 – May 7, 1896), better known as H. H. Holmes, was an American con artist and serial killer. His crimes included insurance fraud, swindling, check forging, 3 or 4 bigamous marriages, horse theft, and murder

Despite his confession to 27 murders (including the murders of people who were still very much alive), Holmes was convicted and sentenced to death for only one murder. It is believed he killed accomplice and business partner Benjamin Pitezel, three of the Pitezel children, as well as 3 mistresses, the child of one of the mistresses and the sister of another mistress. Holmes was executed on May 7, 1896, nine days before his 35th birthday.

Much of the mythology surrounding the "Murder Castle" along with his crimes has been exaggerated or fabricated for sensationalistic story telling. These factual inaccuracies have persisted due to tabloid journalism. Holmes gave contradictory accounts of his life, claiming innocence and later that he was possessed by Satan.