Anna Allas and the Munhall Insurance Poisoning Case
Overview
Anna Allas was a Pennsylvania woman who became the central figure in one of the most sensational murder investigations in western Pennsylvania during the early 1930s. Living in Munhall, near Pittsburgh, she was closely associated with her neighbor, Mary Chalfa. Prosecutors alleged that the two women worked together in a scheme to murder family members and others for life insurance money. The investigation also involved fortune teller Gizella Young, whose testimony became an important part of the prosecution's case. Newspapers of the period described the affair as an "insurance murder" conspiracy and emphasized claims of poison, superstition, and financial motive.
The Crimes
Authorities alleged that Allas and Chalfa used poison to kill or attempt to kill multiple victims in order to collect insurance proceeds. The investigation expanded after suspicions arose over the death of Andrew Allas, whose life had been insured for a substantial amount. Detectives later connected other suspicious deaths to the same group. During the highly publicized 1933 trial, prosecutors argued that the murders were carefully planned and motivated by financial gain. Testimony included claims that poison had been obtained for the purpose of eliminating unwanted relatives and that the conspirators expected to benefit from insurance policies after the victims' deaths.
Anna Allas and Mary Chalfa were ultimately convicted of the murder of Stephen Allas. Both women received life sentences. Although additional deaths were investigated and discussed during the trial, not every alleged victim resulted in a murder conviction, and some allegations remained unproven in court.
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