The 1912 Villisca Axe Murders Blog

Villisca Axe Murder Historian to Appear during Halloween Season Event

 
Ed Epperly at a 2008 DVD signing at Borders Books in Davenport, Iowa.

Dr. Edgar V. Epperly knows more about the facts behind the 1912 Villisca axe murder case than any other living person.  Attendees at the Marengo, Iowa Public Library's monthly Speaker Series will be able to test Epperly's acumen in person.

The primary historical consultant for the documentary feature film Villisca: Living with a Mystery will present the 1912 Villisca, Iowa axe murder story at 6:00 pm on Monday, October 19, 2009.  He will present the basic facts of the case, colorful side-stories, and at least three compelling theories in the still-unsolved murder mystery.

Time for discussion and Q & A with the crowd will be provided and DVD copies of Villisca: Living with a Mystery will be available for sale.  Don't forget to ask Ed to sign your copy!

Arrive early.  While Dr. Epperly's ability to spin a spine-tingling true crime tale is boundless, seating in the Marengo Public library is limited.

Marengo Public Library
235 East Hilton Street
Marengo, Iowa
319.741.3825
WEBSITE

Villisca's Struggle with Town's Image in Wake of Murders the Focus of Iowa History Forum Event

A crowd gathers for a 2008 Villisca murders presentation at DMACC.

Join us on Friday, April 3, 2009 at the DMACC Ankeny Campus for three Iowa History Forum presentations:

Heritage and Homicide: Living with the Axe Murder Mystery
Villisca, Iowa isn’t known as the birthplace of a president.  Instead, history handed it the Iowa’s worst mass murder.  How does a community define itself in the wake of a tragedy?  Documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle discuss the town’s efforts to both avoid and acknowledge the axe murders of 1912.

The Forgotten Nation: Rediscovering the Story of the Ioway
172 years after their forced removal, the Ioway Tribe and their dramatic story have returned to the state that bears their name.  This journey through a forgotten chapter of Iowa's Native American history is explored through documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle’s experiences in making and distributing Lost Nation: The Ioway.

Preserving the Past: One Hour Documentary Film School
Award-winning filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle use examples from their own historical documentary films to describe the filmmaking process.  This “one-hour film school” will show you how to get your Iowa history story from an idea to the silver screen.

Part of a day-long series of over 30 Iowa history presentations, the sessions are free to students and $25 (all-day pass) for others.  The event has been organized by Dr. Lisa Ossian.

The link below leads to a Des Moines Register article:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090331/NEWS/90330041/1025/COMM01&community=Ankeny

Marengo, Iowa Library will Feature 1912 Villisca Axe Murder Presentation

Edgar Epperly reviews a portion of an early edit of "Villisca: Living with a Mystery" in Los Angeles.

Villisca axe murder historian Dr. Edgar V. Epperly is scheduled to appear at the Marengo, Iowa public library on October 19, 2009 to do a special presentation.

Details will be posted as they develop, but mark your calendar now!  Ed is a real stem-winder. : )

Ed has researched the still-unsolve true-crime since 1955 and is the foremost historical authority on Iowa's worst mass-murder.

Buy Villisca: Living with a Mystery on DVD here: www.VilliscaMovie.com

http://www.VilliscaMovie.com/dvd.htm

Axe Murder Book Authors and Film Producers Pose for Photo at Ames, Iowa Event

 

Edgar V. Epperly (left), Kimberly Porter, Patricia L. Bryan, Thomas Wolf, Tammy Rundle, and Kelly Rundle pose for a photo following their January 2008 "DoubleTalks" axe murder true crime presentation at the Des Moines Area Community College campus in Ames, Iowa.

Bryan and Wolf discussed their fascinating book Midnight Assassin: A Murder in America's Heartland, the story of the December 1900 axe murder of John Hossack.  The Rundles and Epperly presented the 1912 Villisca ax murder story via a talk and PowerPoint presentation.

"Villisca" and "Ioway" DVD Signing at Borders Books in Davenport, Iowa

 

Join us at Borders Books in Davenport, Iowa as we sign copies of our Villisca: Living with a Mystery DVD.  We will be joined by Villisca axe murder mystery historian Dr. Edgar V. Epperly.  The film is based on Ed's 50+ years of research and investigation into America's greatest unsolved mystery.

We will also be signing copies of our newly released Lost Nation: The Ioway Native American historical documentary DVD.

Sunday, October 26, 2008
2:00-4:00 pm
Borders Books
4000 E. 53rd St.
Davenport, IA 52807
Phone: 563.359.7830

If you can't make in on Sunday, the DVDs will be available for sale at Borders in Davenport on an ongoing basis, or visit IowayMovie.com and/or VilliscaMovie.com to order home and institutional copies of the Ioway DVD.

Give the gift of history and mystery!

We hope to see you there!

Kelly & Tammy Rundle - Documentary Filmmakers

Mahaska County "Reads" Montgomery County Villisca Axe Murder Tragedy

"Nancy Jones, Oskaloosa Public Library assistant, holds the same ax, make, model and date of manufacture* that was used to murder eight people in Villisca in 1912. The original ax was taken from the crime scene is at the State Historical Society building in Des Moines. "Mahaska County Reads, 2008," is now in its fifth year. Last year the book, "Timeline," by Michael Crichton, was the featured read.
Herald photo by Michael Schaffer / The Oskaloosa Herald"

Read the rest of the article regarding this 1912 Villisca axe murder event in The Oskaloosa Herald HERE.

We are very pleased to be the final event in this unique "Mahaska County Reads" Iowa library program in Oskaloosa.

Our moment comes at 7:00 pm on Saturday, October 25, 2008 on the second floor of the library when we screen our historical documentary feature film Villisca: Living with a Mystery.

Take a second look at this review of our film.  Or, this one.  Then call in your reservation for an event that we anticipate will be at or near capacity.  More HERE.  Call the library today to reserve your seats!

641.673.0441

Dr. Edgar Epperly, the foremost historical authority on the Iowa ax murder story, will join us following the screening for a spirited discussion and Q & A.  The documentary was based on Epperly's research and he is featured throughout.

As always, we will present a factual account of this enduring unsolved mystery and its lasting effects on a small rural community.  While folklore may be part of the discussion, it will not be substituted for history.  Truth is stranger than fiction in the Villisca axe murder case.

Be sure to explore our movie website and this blog for more information on America's greatest unsolved mystery.

We look forward to seeing you at the Oskaloosa Public Library screening of Villisca: Living with a Mystery on October 25, 2008!

*NOTE: We provided the "prop" ax pictured above to the library for display purposes.  While it is very similar to the actual murder weapon, it is not the "same make, model and date of manufacture."  There is also a mention in the article about a "catered lunch in the old bank building of one of the murder victims."  It was actually a suspect, State Senator Frank Jones, who was associated with a different bank in Villisca. The Bank in Villisca does serve a fine catered lunch, though.  : )

Villisca 2008 Heritage Days & Axe Murder Book Reading

Armchair sleuths and mystery aficionados gathered in the Rialto Theater in Villisca, Iowa for a reading of portions of a forthcoming non-fiction book on the 1912 Villisca Axe Murders.  The event was sponsored by the Villisca Historical Society, Inc. (VHSI) and was part of the town's sesquicentennial celebration.

We want to thank Dr. Mary Hansen, Rev. Sandy Wainwright-Rossander, and others for making this event possible.  A special thanks to Ed and Joyce Epperly for joining us in Villisca.  We always enjoy our visits to Villisca. 

On loan from the State Historical Society of Iowa, the Villisca axe also made a rare appearance in the Rialto inner lobby.

Store windows and the high school gym featured a number of historical displays and Saturday began with a parade followed by food and fun on the town square.

The book reading, portions of a detailed time line project, and Dr. Edgar Epperly's reflections on the murder mystery in the context of the community's history were well-received.  We may post samples of the two soon-to-be-published works in a future blog entry.

In addition to the ax murder presentation, a showing of our Native American historical documentary Lost Nation: The Ioway drew nearly 100 people and prompted a good post-screening discussion.

Reading from New Villisca 1912 Axe Murder True Crime Book to Follow Screening of "Ioway" Native American Film

Judy Schroeder (left), Villisca Review Publisher-Carolyn Cole Gage, Villisca Mayor-Susie Enarson, and Historian-Edgar V. Epperly pose with the murder weapon in front of the Josiah B. Moore house (a.k.a the Villisca Axe Murder House) during Villisca's first Heritage Days weekend in 1987. (Minneapolis Star and Tribune photo by Joey McLeister)

The Original Villisca Axe to be Displayed During History & Mystery Program

Join us for a program on the history surrounding the 1912 Villisca Ax Murder case during Villisca, Iowa's upcoming sesquicentennial weekend.  The programs will include a preview of both a forthcoming and comprehensive new true crime book based on the 1912 ax murders and a peek at a detailed time-line research project that will also be published.  In addition, Dr. Edgar V. Epperly will talk on the meaning of the murders in the context of Villisca's history.

The Villisca program will follow a showing of our award-winning Native American historical documentary Lost Nation: The Ioway.  Here are the program details:

Rialto Theater
422 S. 3rd Avenue
Villisca, Iowa 50864
712.826.4270
Saturday, July 5, 2008
2:00-3:20 pm (Ioway showing), 3:30-4:15 pm (Villisca Mystery Book, etc.)
$5.00/per person

Ticket sales benefit the Villisca Historical Society and the Villisca axe will be on display in the theater lobby along with other items related to the Ioway film and the Villisca mystery.

Readings from New Villisca Axe Murder Mystery Non-Fiction Book and Ioway History Film to be Featured at Villisca, Iowa Sesquicenntenial Celebration

Dr. Edgar V. Epperly speaks before a crowd following a showing of Villisca: Living with a Mystery in Muscatine, Iowa in 2007.

They say that rumors are always true.  While some rumors may prove groundless, the rumor that Dr. Edgar V. Epperly and filmmakers Tammy and Kelly Rundle have been working on the definitive non-fiction book examining the still-unsolved 1912 Villisca axe murder mystery, is--in fact--true.

Portions of their forthcoming book will be read at a special event in Villisca, Iowa during the community's sesquicentennial celebration.  Epperly will also speak about the significance of the murder mystery in the community, and Tammy will share a portion of her detailed Villisca Murder Time Line Resource project.

Epperly has researched the crime since 1955 and is considered to be the foremost authority on what is still Iowa's worst mass homicide.  He interviewed several key figures during his early research, in addition to hundreds of others over the years.  The Rundles' critically-acclaimed Villisca: Living with a Mystery was based largely on Epperly's research.

The murder weapon, a long-handled axe, was once owned by Epperly.  He donated the weapon to the Villisca Historical Society and they will display the axe during the program for the first time in more than two years.  Dr. Hansen has placed the axe with the State Historical Society of Iowa until the Villisca group acquires a building.

The event also includes a screening of the Rundles' new film Lost Nation: The Ioway.  Ioway is an award-winning telling of the story of the Ioway tribe and their role in America's past and present.

Production for Ioway began in July 2005 in a farm field north of Villisca on the Nodaway River where Ioway Native American leader White Cloud (Mahaska) is believed to have been killed in 1834.  State-certified amateur archaeologist and Honorary Ioway tribal member John Palmquist of Stanton, Iowa, will join the Rundles in a post-screening discussion and Q & A.

The event is sponsored by the Villisca Historical Society, Inc.  Please join us for this special program in Villisca.  Details below:

Rialto Theater, 422 S. 3rd Avenue, Villisca, Iowa
$5.00 per person admission (benefits the Villisca Historical Society).  Reservations can be made by calling 712.826.4270, or tickets can be purchased at the door.

A lobby display will include items related to the Ioway film and the Villisca murder mystery story.*

1:30 pm - Rialto Theater box office opens

2:00-3:25 pm - Showing of Lost Nation: The Ioway with discussion and Q & A to follow with the filmmakers and Palmquist

(Intermission)

3:30-4:15 - The Rundles will present a program on the Villisca axe murders with Dr. Edgar Epperly that will include readings from their forthcoming co-authored non-fiction book on the unsolved crime, a discussion of the role the event has played in the community, research update, and a Q & A.

*The Villisca axe (the murder weapon) will be part of an historical display in the lobby.

Our thanks to Dr. Mary Hansen and the Villisca Historical Society, Inc. for sponsoring the program, and to the Villisca Theater Board for hosting this special event.

Villisca Story to be Featured at Des Moines Area Community Colleges Event in Ankeny, Iowa

Villisca: Living with a Mystery filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle and Historian Dr. Edgar V. Epperly will be featured in a special event at the Ankeny, Iowa campus of Des Moines Area Community Colleges (DMACC).

Villisca examines the transformation of a small Iowa town by a 1912 axe murder mystery.

The event is part of a series called Double Talks, The World in Iowa: Past, Present, and Future and the session is titled The World of Justice: Murder & Mayhem Within Iowa's Crimes.  Patricia L. Bryan and Thomas Wolf, the authors of Midnight Assassin: A Murder in America's Heartland, will join Epperly and the Rundles in the unique two-day presentation.

Ankeny Campus, Conference Center, Building 7
Ankeny, Iowa
Dr. Lisa Ossian, co-director: 515-964-6568

llossian@dmacc.edu

Friday, January 25, 2008
Lunch & presentation
Time: 12p-1:30pm
Admission: $8/pp

Saturday, January 26, 2008
Breakfast & presentation
Time: 9am-Noon
Admission: $8/pp

Please join us for these special events!