Nannie Martha Hassell, a four-year-old girl, was tragically murdered on December 2, 1926, in Farwell, Texas. She was one of the victims in a horrific mass killing carried out by her uncle and stepfather, George Jefferson Hassell. The crime took place within the Hassell family home, where George murdered his wife, Susie, and their eight children, including Nannie Martha. The killings were brutal, involving multiple weapons such as a ball-peen hammer, a straight razor, stockings, a shotgun, and an axe.
The motive behind the murders stemmed from a violent argument between George Hassell and his wife, Susie, regarding his abuse of his underage stepdaughter, Maudie. Following the argument, George struck Susie repeatedly with a hammer before proceeding to kill each of the children in their beds. The two eldest boys awoke during the attack, leading to a struggle, but George ultimately killed them as well. After the murders, he buried the bodies in a newly dug root cellar near the house.
George Hassell attempted to cover up the crime by claiming that his family had moved to Oklahoma. He sold their belongings in a yard sale, but suspicions arose when a wagon rolled over the sinkhole where the bodies were buried. Law enforcement investigated, leading to the discovery of the remains. Hassell attempted suicide but survived, and he later confessed to the murders. His trial was swift, and the town of Farwell, along with its neighboring city Texico, New Mexico, became the center of public attention. On February 2, 1928, George Hassell was executed in the electric chair in Texas.
Hassell had a history of violent crimes, including the murder of another family in California years earlier. His criminal record also included embezzlement and military desertion. A psychiatric evaluation at the time characterized him as a sociopath. His actions were described as a crime of passion, with the subsequent murders committed to protect himself from exposure.
