Louise Vermilya

Serial Killer

Louise Vermilya: The Black Widow of Chicago

Early Life and Background

Louise Vermilya, born Louesa Woolf in July 1868 in Cook County, Illinois, was the eldest daughter among five girls and the third of eleven siblings. Her parents, Wilhemina (née Munaroe) and John Woolf, were Prussian immigrants. At the age of 16, on April 2, 1885, she married 24-year-old Fred Brinkamp and moved to Barrington, Illinois.

Series of Mysterious Deaths

Between 1893 and 1911, a series of suspicious deaths occurred around Louise Vermilya, many of which were initially attributed to natural causes. However, later investigations revealed a more sinister pattern.

Victims

• Fred Brinkamp (First Husband): Died in 1893 at their farm near Barrington, Illinois. His death was initially attributed to a heart attack.
• Cora Brinkamp (Daughter): Passed away at the age of 8, shortly after her father's death.
• Florence Brinkamp (Daughter): Died at 4 and a half years old, following her sister's death.
• Lillian Brinkamp (Stepdaughter): Died in 1906 at the age of 26 in Chicago. Her death was attributed to "acute nephritis."
• Charles Vermilya (Second Husband): Married Louise after the death of her first husband; he died in 1909 at the age of 59, leaving her $1,000 in cash and a house in Crystal Lake, Illinois.
• Harry J. Vermilya (Stepson): Died suddenly in 1909 after a quarrel with Louise over the sale of the Crystal Lake property.
• Frank Brinkamp (Son): Passed away in 1910 at the age of 23. On his deathbed, he expressed suspicion that he was being poisoned, stating he was "going the way his father did."
• Jason Rupert (Boarder): A railroad fireman who fell ill after dining with Louise on January 15, 1910, and died two days later.
• Richard T. Smith (Boarder and Train Conductor): Rented a room in Louise's home and died suddenly in early 1910.
• Arthur Bissonette (Boarder and Policeman): A 26-year-old policeman who boarded at Louise's home and died in late October 1911. His death raised suspicions leading to further investigations.

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Confirmed Victims: (0)

Louise Vermilya - Wikipedia

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