Roberta Elder

Serial Killer

Roberta Elder: The Case of a Female Serial Killer

Early Life

Roberta Elder, born Roberta Brown in 1909 in Watkinsville, Georgia, was one of fifteen children born to James and Callie Elizabeth Brown (née Davis). The Brown family were farmers, with James and Callie born to ex-slaves. By age eleven, Roberta had learned to read and write at home, having never attended school, which was common for children who had to work on farms.

Marriages and Suspected Murders

Roberta Elder, also known as "Mrs. Bluebeard," was an American serial killer active in Atlanta, Georgia, from the late 1930s until her arrest in 1952. Her crimes involved the poisoning of family members and individuals close to her, primarily for financial gain through life insurance policies.

Victims

Below is a list of her suspected victims, including their names, dates of death, and locations:

• Willie Mae Thurmond (2-week-old daughter) - April 14, 1931, Atlanta, Georgia. Cause of death: Bronchial Pneumonia.
• Lillie Mae Thurmond (1-week-old daughter) - Date unspecified, Atlanta, Georgia. Cause of death: Undetermined.
• John Woodward (36, common-law husband) - 1938, Atlanta, Georgia. Cause of death: Undetermined.
• James Willie Thurmond (13-year-old son) - June 26, 1939, Atlanta, Georgia. Cause of death: Malnutrition and respiratory trouble.
• Jimmie Lee Crane Hunter (2-year-old grandson) - December 10, 1943, Atlanta, Georgia. Cause of death: Undetermined.
• Gloria Evans (3-year-old cousin) - December 26, 1944, Atlanta, Georgia. Cause of death: Food poisoning.
• Callie Brown (60, mother) - June 17, 1945, Atlanta, Georgia. Cause of death: Undetermined.
• James Garfield Crane (45, husband) - July 21, 1947, Atlanta, Georgia. Cause of death: Food poisoning.
• Willie Mae Elder (41, previous wife of Rev. William Elder) - January 29, 1950, Atlanta, Georgia. Cause of death: Influenza.
• Fannie Mae Elder (15, stepdaughter) - March 23, 1951, Atlanta, Georgia. Cause of death: Pneumonia.
• Annie Pearl Elder (9, stepdaughter) - January 11, 1951, Atlanta, Georgia. Cause of death: Pneumonia.
• Nora Scott Harris (93, friend) - December 22, 1951, Atlanta, Georgia. Cause of death: Undetermined.
• Rev. William Elder (47, husband) - August 21, 1952, Atlanta, Georgia. Cause of death: Arsenic poisoning.

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Confirmed Victims: (13)

Willie Mae Age: (26days), Date of Death: April 14, 1931

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Roberta Elder: The Case of a Black Woman Serial Killer - AAIHS

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