Guy Hadleigh's Blog, page 2
October 1, 2025
Top 10 Killers Who Vanished Without a Trace
Infamous murderers who were never caught
Some of the world’s most chilling murder mysteries remain unsolved, their perpetrators vanishing without a trace and leaving behind only fear, speculation, and unanswered questions. From the Monster of Florence serial killings in Italy to the eerie Hinterkaifeck farmhouse murders in Germany, these cases continue to baffle investigators and fascinate true crime enthusiasts decades later. In this article, we explore ten infamous killers who were never caught - stories of brutality, mystery, and the terrifying possibility that some of these killers may still walk among us.
1. MONSTER OF FLORENCE — ITALY (1968–1985)
A man covers with a tent the lifeless body Nadine Mauriot, of France, killed along with her boyfriend Jean Michel Kravcicvili in San Casciano Val di Pesa, Italy, in this Sept. 9, 1985 file photo. AP Photo/Torrini
Between 1968 and 1985, a shadowy killer stalked the Tuscan hills near Florence, targeting young couples who sought privacy in parked cars. At least 14 people were killed in eight separate double homicides. Victims were typically shot with a .22 caliber Beretta pistol, and in several cases, the female victims were mutilated post-mortem. The brutality shocked Italy and sparked one of the most complex investigations in European history.
The first recognized attack was in 1968, though it was only later linked to the “Monster” series. Killings continued sporadically through the 1970s and 1980s, always with chilling consistency. Police launched massive manhunts, interviewing thousands and building vast suspect files. At one point, suspicion fell on a group of voyeurs known as the “Peeping Toms.” Others believed a Satanic cult may have been behind the murders.
Several men were...Read More
September 19, 2025
The Vampire of Barcelona
Enriqueta Martí ran a gruesome child trafficking and murder operation in early 20th century Spain, leaving a dark shadow which still haunts the city.
On February 10, 1912, Barcelona police burst into apartment number 29 at Calle Poniente (now Carrer de Joaquín Costa) and witnessed a scene that would haunt them for the rest of their lives. Inside the dimly lit flat, they discovered two disoriented children—Teresita Guitart, a recently kidnapped 5-year-old girl whose disappearance had mobilized the city, and another younger child in a terrible state of malnutrition. But what truly horrified the officers were the grisly contents found throughout the apartment: human bones stripped of flesh, jars containing preserved human remains, bottles of congealed blood, and containers of human fat. Strands of children's hair hung from the ceiling like macabre decorations. Hidden compartments revealed children's clothing, some stained with blood, others neatly folded, apparently kept as trophies.
The apartment belonged to Enriqueta Martí i Ripollés, a 45-year-old woman who had been living a double life. By day, she dressed in rags and begged in the city's poorest neighborhoods, often with different children in tow. By night, she transformed into an elegantly dressed woman who moved comfortably among Barcelona's elite, selling her "miraculous remedies" made from the most unthinkable ingredients: the blood, fat, and bones of children she had abducted and murdered.
Barcelona in the Early 1900s: A City of Stark Contrasts
To understand how Enriqueta Martí operated undetected for years, one must understand Barcelona at the turn of the 20th century. The capital of Catalonia was a city of profound contradictions during La Belle Époque. While the upper classes enjoyed unprecedented prosperity and the city showcased Antoni Gaudí's architectural marvels, Barcelona also harbored...Read More
September 8, 2025
5 Cases Where the Wrong Person Was Executed
5 Cases Where the Wrong Person Was Executed
They were convicted, sentenced, and executed — but later evidence proved they were innocent. These tragic cases reveal how flawed trials and bad forensics cost innocent lives. Read the full story and uncover the darkest mistakes of justice.
The death penalty has long been justified as the ultimate punishment for the most serious crimes. But history shows us a darker truth: innocent men and women have gone to the gallows, the chair, and the needle. These are five cases where the wrong person was executed — tragic stories that expose the fallibility of justice.
1. George Stinney Jr. (South Carolina, 1944)
The case in brief:
On March 23, 1944, in the segregated mill town of Alcolu, South Carolina, two white girls—Betty June Binnicker (11) and Mary Emma Thames (7)—were found murdered in a waterlogged ditch after going missing while picking flowers. Within hours, deputies focused on George Stinney Jr., a slight, 90-pound Black seventh-grader who lived nearby with his family. He and his older brother had briefly spoken with the girls earlier that day.
The interrogation:
Deputies took George away without his parents (who said they were not allowed to see him) and without an attorney. Authorities later claimed he confessed, but no written or signed confession survives; what prosecutors presented at trial was a second-hand account of what officers said the boy told them. There was no physical evidence tying him to the murders—no blood, fibers, or weapon recovered from him or his home.
The trial in detail:
• Date & duration: April 24, 1944; the entire trial lasted about two hours.
• Defense: A single court-appointed...Read More
August 29, 2025
Patrick Mackay - The Man Who Enjoyed Killing
Twenty-three-year-old Patrick Mackay was a psychotic killer who was responsible for a series of largely motiveless attacks that had baffled detectives. Initially sceptical, the police were astonished at Mackay’s detailed knowledge of at least 10 unsolved murders. Could he really have committed every one of them?
He suffered from a quite terrifying mental illness - addicted to violence and consumed with an uncontrollable urge to commit murder. Now, as he strode up the drive of the old people's home in the village of Shorne, Kent, he was hell-bent on killing one particular man.
The man was Father Anthony Crean, a Catholic priest who had befriended Mackay and tried to help free him of the demons that possessed his soul.
The home was run by Carmelite nuns, with the 63-year-old padre in charge. There was no answer to Mackay's knock, but the door was open and so he let himself in to wait. After an hour or so Father Crean returned.
He smiled when he saw 23-year-old Mackay, but the smile dissolved in an instant as he recognised the hate in the eyes of the approaching man.
Father Crean knew all about Mackay's love of inflicting pain. Panic-stricken, he tried to run, but Mackay seized him by the throat and pushed him to the ground.
Father Crean was slightly built and only 1.55m tall - no match at all for his attacker, who stood a muscular 1.88m. He cried out: 'Please don't hurt me' To Mackay, the words were like a red rag to a bull.
Read MorePatrick Mackay
Twenty-three-year-old Patrick Mackay was a psychotic killer who was responsible for a series of largely motiveless attacks that had baffled detectives. Initially sceptical, the police were astonished at Mackay’s detailed knowledge of at least 10 unsolved murders. Could he really have committed every one of them?
Patrick Mackay suffered from a quite terrifying mental illness. He was addicted to violence and consumed with an uncontrollable urge to commit murder. Now, as he strode up the drive of the old people's home in the village of Shorne, Kent, he was hell-bent on killing one particular man.
The man was Father Anthony Crean, a Catholic priest who had befriended Mackay and tried to help free him of the demons that possessed his soul.
The home was run by Carmelite nuns, with the 63-year-old padre in charge. There was no answer to Mackay's knock, but the door was open and so he let himself in to wait. After an hour or so Father Crean returned.
He smiled when he saw 23-year-old Mackay, but the smile dissolved in an instant as he recognised the hate in the eyes of the approaching man.
Father Crean knew all about Mackay's love of inflicting pain. Panic-stricken, he tried to run, but Mackay seized him by the throat and pushed him to the ground.
Father Crean was slightly built and only 1.55m tall - no match at all for his attacker, who stood a muscular 1.88m. He cried out: 'Please don't hurt me' To Mackay, the words were like a red rag to a bull.
He dragged the priest to the...Read More
August 26, 2025
When Cultures Collide
The Thalia Massie Case
In 1931, a young Navy wife stumbled onto a dark Honolulu road claiming she had been brutally attacked. Within hours, five local men from mixed ethnic backgrounds were behind bars. What followed was a year of sensational headlines, vigilante violence, and a courtroom drama that revealed deep fractures between U.S. mainland power and Hawai‘i’s diverse island society.
This is the story of the Thalia Massie case — a true crime where justice, race, and colonial hierarchy collided.
The Assault That Sparked an Uproar
Thalia Fortescue Massie, wife of Lt. Thomas Massie of the U.S. Navy, emerged one September night in 1931 with a broken jaw and bruised face. At first she said she couldn’t identify her attackers. Later, she implicated “locals” and produced a license plate number that led police to five young working-class men: Horace Ida, Ben Ahakuelo, Joseph Kahahawai, Henry Chang, and David Takai.
Despite thin evidence and conflicting timelines, the press branded the men “thugs” and “fiends.” In the charged atmosphere of territorial Hawai‘i, many white mainlanders saw this as proof that local justice could not be trusted.
Cultural Context
Hawai‘i in the 1930s was a U.S. territory, not a state. Power lay with a haole (white) elite tied to the Navy and sugar interests. The local population was majority Native Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, and mixed ancestry. For many, the Massie case symbolized a clash between imported mainland racial attitudes and Hawai‘i’s more complex, multiethnic reality.
A Hung Jury, A Deadly Retaliation
The trial ended in December with a hung jury after 97 hours of deliberation. Outraged Navy...Read More
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The Thalia Massie Case
In 1931, a young Navy wife stumbled onto a dark Honolulu road claiming she had been brutally attacked. Within hours, five local men from mixed ethnic backgrounds were behind bars. What followed was a year of sensational headlines, vigilante violence, and a courtroom drama that revealed deep fractures between U.S. mainland power and Hawai‘i’s diverse island society.
This is the story of the Thalia Massie case — a true crime where justice, race, and colonial hierarchy collided.
The Assault That Sparked an Uproar
Thalia Fortescue Massie, wife of Lt. Thomas Massie of the U.S. Navy, emerged one September night in 1931 with a broken jaw and bruised face. At first she said she couldn’t identify her attackers. Later, she implicated “locals” and produced a license plate number that led police to five young working-class men: Horace Ida, Ben Ahakuelo, Joseph Kahahawai, Henry Chang, and David Takai.
Despite thin evidence and conflicting timelines, the press branded the men “thugs” and “fiends.” In the charged atmosphere of territorial Hawai‘i, many white mainlanders saw this as proof that local justice could not be trusted.
Cultural Context
Hawai‘i in the 1930s was a U.S. territory, not a state. Power lay with a haole (white) elite tied to the Navy and sugar interests. The local population was majority Native Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, and mixed ancestry. For many, the Massie case symbolized a clash between imported mainland racial attitudes and Hawai‘i’s more complex, multiethnic reality.
A Hung Jury, A Deadly Retaliation
The trial ended in December with a hung jury after 97 hours of deliberation. Outraged Navy...Read More
August 23, 2025
Infamous True Crimes & Trials
The following is the introductions section to Infamous True Crimes & Trials Volume #1 by Guy Hadleigh
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
As the Duke of Monmouth was about to kneel and place his head on the block, he held out his hand to the notorious executioner, Jack Ketch. “Here are six guineas for you. Pray do your business well. Don't serve me as you served Lord Russell.”
He had reason to be nervous. When Ketch had beheaded Lord William Russell — for his part in the Rye House Plot to kidnap Charles II—he had completely bungled the job. After several violent swipes with the axe, Russell was still twitching, and his neck was unsevered. Monmouth, now being executed for his rebellion against James II, was understandably anxious to die less bloodily.
He turned to a servant, and handed him a purse containing more guineas. “Give him that if he does his work well.” Then he felt the edge of the axe, and said, sighing: “I fear it is not sharp enough.” Ketch was unnerved by all this coolness. He raised the axe then threw it down, shouting: “I can't do it.” The sheriff had to threaten him with dire penalties before he could be persuaded to make another attempt.
The crowd gave a groan
Looking pale and ill, he raised the axe above his head, and brought it down. The crowd gave a groan, and Monmouth jerked with agony: but his head stayed on his shoulders. Now thoroughly demoralized, Ketch made three more attempts, but there was no strength in the blows. The neck was only lacerated. Finally, he threw down the hatchet, pulled out a knife, and sawed the head off. The servant holding the purse pocketed it and walked away. Meanwhile, the crowd booed and threw things.
It was no sinecure, being an executioner in those...Read More
August 18, 2025
60 Solved and Unsolved Tales From Around The World
Macabre True Crimes & Mysteries: 60 Shocking Tales That Defy Belief
Enter the World of the Macabre
True crime has always fascinated people. From late-night ghost stories to forensic TV dramas, we’re drawn to mysteries that challenge our understanding of humanity. But some stories are far darker—and stranger—than anything fiction could invent.
That’s exactly what Guy Hadleigh’s 3-volume collection, Macabre: True Crimes & Mysteries delivers. With 60 real cases from around the world, the series dives deep into the chilling, bizarre, and often unsolved crimes that have left scars on history.
This post will take you inside the book, highlighting some of its most haunting stories—from Thailand’s first serial killer to Australia’s greatest colonial mystery—while exploring why we’re so captivated by tales of murder, betrayal, and the unknown.
The Iron Box Killer: Thailand’s First Serial Murderer
The killer? Boonpeng Buaklee, a self-styled holy man who posed as a monk. Instead of offering blessings, he lured wealthy women, drugged them, and strangled them before sealing their remains in iron boxes.
The case horrified a deeply religious society, forcing Thailand to reform how monks were ordained. Boonpeng was eventually executed by beheading—the last man in Thai history to face that method of death.
Even today, children in Bangkok whisper his name as a ghost story: Heep Lek—the man of the iron box.
The Gatton Murders: Australia’s Colonial Mystery
On Boxing Day, 1898, three siblings—Michael, Ellen, and Norah Murphy—were brutally murdered on their way home from a canceled dance in Gatton, Queensland. Their bodies were discovered arranged in a deliberate,...Read More
60 SOLVED AND UNSOLVED TALES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Macabre True Crimes & Mysteries: 60 Shocking Tales That Defy Belief
Enter the World of the Macabre
True crime has always fascinated people. From late-night ghost stories to forensic TV dramas, we’re drawn to mysteries that challenge our understanding of humanity. But some stories are far darker—and stranger—than anything fiction could invent.
That’s exactly what Guy Hadleigh’s 3-volume collection, Macabre: True Crimes & Mysteries delivers. With 60 real cases from around the world, the series dives deep into the chilling, bizarre, and often unsolved crimes that have left scars on history.
This post will take you inside the book, highlighting some of its most haunting stories—from Thailand’s first serial killer to Australia’s greatest colonial mystery—while exploring why we’re so captivated by tales of murder, betrayal, and the unknown.
The Iron Box Killer: Thailand’s First Serial Murderer
The killer? Boonpeng Buaklee, a self-styled holy man who posed as a monk. Instead of offering blessings, he lured wealthy women, drugged them, and strangled them before sealing their remains in iron boxes.
The case horrified a deeply religious society, forcing Thailand to reform how monks were ordained. Boonpeng was eventually executed by beheading—the last man in Thai history to face that method of death.
Even today, children in Bangkok whisper his name as a ghost story: Heep Lek—the man of the iron box.
The Gatton Murders: Australia’s Colonial Mystery
On Boxing Day, 1898, three siblings—Michael, Ellen, and Norah Murphy—were brutally murdered on their way home from a canceled dance in Gatton, Queensland. Their bodies were discovered arranged in a deliberate,...Read More
