LaPorte County – Indiana Infamy

Belle Gunness Postcard

Historians refer to the years 1905 – 1915 as the “Golden Age of Postcards” in America. Advances in printing and photography, as well as the expansion of Rural Free Delivery mail, were just a few of the factors which led to the widespread popularity of postcards during this period.

Back then, cars and telephones were distant dreams for most people, and they relied on the postal service to stay in touch with distant friends and relatives. It was quite common to send “news from home” via postcard – and there was no bigger news story at the time than that of Belle Gunness.

Gunness, born Brynhild Paulsdatter Størset in Norway, was a serial killer whose grisly crimes were revealed after her LaPorte farmhouse was destroyed by fire. A subsequent investigation found four bodies believed to be Belle and her children inside the charred ruins, plus the dismembered remains of at least eleven others buried in the yard and pig pen. It was discovered that the Widow Gunness had been luring lonely men to her farm, robbing, and murdering them for years, all without arousing suspicion. Her luck had recently run out, however, when the brother of one of her victims was able to trace the missing man to her.

Ray Lamphere, Belle’s handyman/side piece, was convicted of arson but claimed he’d acted at the behest of the murderess: burning down the house with her children inside had been her desperate attempt to mislead investigators. Despite the fact her dentist had identified dental work on a jawbone found in the fire as belonging to Belle, Lamphere insisted the remains were that of yet another victim. According to him, Belle had murdered a housekeeper for the express purpose of faking her own death before disappearing into the dark LaPorte night, probably to kill again.

Lamphere died in prison soon after his conviction, but Belle Gunness lived on in the public consciousness. There were sightings of the Lady Bluebeard all over the United States for more than twenty years after her official death.

The full extent of Belle Gunness’s crimes may never be known. She is believed to have killed as few as 14 and as many as 4o people, including both her husbands and the step-children from her first marriage. Some of her victims still remain identified.

Just the Facts: Hilma Marie Witte

*_{Hilma Marie Witte, post-conviction for the murder of Elaine.}*

Name: Hilma Marie Witte

Aliases: Hilma Marie Crist, Marie Witte

Born: April 20, 1948 – Pittsburgh

Claim to Infamy: Not only did Hilma Marie coerce her two impressionable teenage sons to murder for her, but the victims were their close family members. Then, as if that weren’t macabre enough, she convinced the boys- as well as her own mother – and a young associate to assist in the grisly disposal of the second victim’s body.

The horror began in Beverly Shores on September 1, 1981. Hilma wanted to be a widow who would inherit her husband’s estate rather than a working single mother, and she got her wish. At her behest, elder son Eric shot his abusive father, Paul, as he slept.

After what everyone – including police – believed to have been an unfortunate firearm accident, Paul’s stepmother Elaine generously welcomed the remaining family members into her nearby Trail Creek home. Unfortunately for Elaine, Hilma Marie wasn’t content for long and soon set her sights on the elderly woman’s life savings. When Eric refused to kill for her again, Hilma convinced her younger son, Butch, to do the dirty work. 16-year-old Butch killed his grandmother with a crossbow in January of 1984. Hilma decided it would be unwise to attempt to persuade police that the family had suffered a second deadly accident and that they should dismember the body instead. Using various instruments – including a hammer, chisel, deep fat fryer, saw, and microwave – the family then dismembered Elaine and disposed of her body in various ghastly ways.

Current Status: Both Eric and Butch pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and were released early in 1996 due to good behavior. Butch has since passed away, but Eric has expressed great remorse for his crimes.

Hilma’s mother, Margaret “Marcie” O’Donnell was sentenced to 6 years. She, too, died after serving time for her crimes.

Hilma Marie Witte was convicted of two counts of murder, conspiracy to murder, and attempt to murder. She is currently serving time in the Indiana Women’s Prison. According to the Department of Correction, her earliest possible release date is April 2027.

Breaking News: Man Killed Former Lover After His Heavy Drinking Became “A Point of Contention”

*_{The booking photo of}*_{Thomas Holifield}, *_{a man of questionable reasoning}*

A Michigan City man allegedly caused the death of a woman he described as his best friend because she didn’t approve of his heavy drinking.

According to the Michigan City PD, Thomas Holifield (59) and his victim Pamela Keltz (64) were once romantically involved, but even after that phase of their relationship ended, the two remained friends. Eventually, Holifield went on to rent space from Ms. Keltz, becoming her roommate. But their new situation was far from ideal.

Holifield told officers Keltz disapproved of his heavy drinking. The matter had become “a point of contention” between them, and he felt she “disrespected” him because of it. It was then, using reasoning skills that were absolutely not in any way impaired by the aforementioned heavy drinking, that Holifield decided the best way to handle his problem would be to kill Pamela Keltz.

In his initial attempts to poison her, Holifield put eye drops in the plastic Taco Bell cup Keltz habitually drank soda from, but they did not have the effect he desired. She suffered hallucinations and diarrhea but then recovered.

Instead of reconsidering the plan to kill his “best friend,” Holifield decided he just needed a stronger poison. Beginning in May, he started adding windshield washer fluid, which contained the poison methanol, directly to Keltz’s 2-liter bottles of soda. She became ill again, this time severely enough to go to the hospital. Keltz was treated and sent home – right back into the hands of the man who was covertly killing her.

Holifield continued adding more and more washer fluid to her drinks until his roommate was again forced to go to the hospital. She was in the intensive care unit at a Michigan City hospital on May 30th of last year when Holifield contacted police and confessed to poisoning her. Although doctors revised her treatment, unfortunately they were unable to save her. Pamela Keltz was removed from life support and died two days later.

Despite an almost-empty gallon of Champion windshield washer fluid, a funnel still setting on top of the bottle, and the residue of a blue liquid in Keltz’s Taco Bell cup (all of which were found during a police search of the residence) and his previous confession, Holifield pleaded not guilty when charged with Keltz’s murder.

His next appearance in court is set for January 20th.