1. Belle Gunness

2. Early life  Grew up in Norway, living in poverty  Man kicked her in the stomach while she was pregnant, killing her unborn child  Turning point in life, turned violent and bitter  Grew up in Norway, living in poverty  Man kicked her in the stomach while she was pregnant, killing her unborn child  Turning point in life, turned violent and bitter

3. Coming to America  “ Belle was crazy for money. it was her greatest weakness.”  First husband died of supposed heart failure, but doctors later found that he had been poisoned  Fourth child died of poisoning too  All children insured, which proved to be her motive  “ Belle was crazy for money. it was her greatest weakness.”  First husband died of supposed heart failure, but doctors later found that he had been poisoned  Fourth child died of poisoning too  All children insured, which proved to be her motive

4. Peter Gunness  Married again in 1901  Story was that a sausage-grinding machine fell on his head and split his skull open  Her daughter, Jennie, later admitted, “my momma killed my poppa. Hit him over the head with a cleaver.”  A few weeks later Jennie went missing, supposedly off to college far away, but her body would later be found buried  Married again in 1901  Story was that a sausage-grinding machine fell on his head and split his skull open  Her daughter, Jennie, later admitted, “my momma killed my poppa. Hit him over the head with a cleaver.”  A few weeks later Jennie went missing, supposedly off to college far away, but her body would later be found buried

5. Ray Lamphere  Fell in love with Belle while serving as her suitor  Was accused for the burning of the Gunness estate  Investigators found bodies of 3 children and a woman with no head, supposedly the body of Belle Gunness  But maybe Belle set up her own death  Fell in love with Belle while serving as her suitor  Was accused for the burning of the Gunness estate  Investigators found bodies of 3 children and a woman with no head, supposedly the body of Belle Gunness  But maybe Belle set up her own death

6. Investigation  Found an area with a soft spot in the ground  Andrew Helgelein’s dismembered body was found in a sack, legs sawed off above the knees, disarticulated his arms, and decapitated…all body parts were shoved into a hole into his torso  In his hand he grasped curly brown hair  Found an area with a soft spot in the ground  Andrew Helgelein’s dismembered body was found in a sack, legs sawed off above the knees, disarticulated his arms, and decapitated…all body parts were shoved into a hole into his torso  In his hand he grasped curly brown hair

7. Finding Bodies

8. Discovering the Setup  Investigators found that Belle had placed her dental work on the headless woman’s body  Measurements of body parts did not match up with measurements of Belle given by her seamstress  Investigators found that Belle had placed her dental work on the headless woman’s body  Measurements of body parts did not match up with measurements of Belle given by her seamstress

9. digging  At least 13 bodies were found at the site Her legend lives on, inspired folk song

10. sources  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be lle_Gunness http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be lle_Gunness  http://lifeloom.com/II1Ramsla nd.htm http://lifeloom.com/II1Ramsla nd.htm  http://www.prairieghosts.com/ belle.html http://www.prairieghosts.com/ belle.html  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be lle_Gunness http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be lle_Gunness  http://lifeloom.com/II1Ramsla nd.htm http://lifeloom.com/II1Ramsla nd.htm  http://www.prairieghosts.com/ belle.html http://www.prairieghosts.com/ belle.html