Marie Delphine Lalaurie

Serial Killer

Marie Delphine LaLaurie: Abuse, Death, and Horror on Royal Street

Early Life and Social Position

Marie Delphine Macarty LaLaurie was born on March 19, 1787, in New Orleans, then part of Spanish Louisiana. Commonly known as Madame LaLaurie, she became one of the most infamous slaveholders in American history. She is frequently described as a serial killer because numerous enslaved people died while under her control and because survivors discovered in her home showed evidence of prolonged imprisonment and severe physical abuse. However, the exact number of people she personally killed cannot be established from surviving records, and she was never arrested, tried, or convicted. Delphine was born into the wealthy and politically influential Macarty family. She married three times and accumulated substantial property, money, and social standing. Her third husband was Leonard Louis Nicolas LaLaurie, a physician considerably younger than she was. In 1831, Delphine acquired property at the corner of Royal and Hospital streets in the French Quarter. A large residence, later associated with the address 1140 Royal Street, was completed for the family during the early 1830s. The LaLauries entertained members of New Orleans society inside their elaborate home. Delphine presented herself publicly as a refined and respectable woman. Behind that appearance, however, troubling reports circulated about the condition of the enslaved men, women, and children forced to work in her household. Neighbors reportedly noticed that they appeared unusually thin, exhausted, frightened, and poorly treated.

Reports of Cruelty

Complaints about Delphine LaLaurie's treatment of enslaved people existed before the incident that ultimately exposed conditions inside her home. According to accounts later collected by writer Harriet Martineau, a local attorney was once sent to warn LaLaurie that Louisiana law imposed at least limited restrictions on extreme cruelty toward enslaved people. No obvious evidence of abuse was reportedly found during that particular visit. A more serious incident was said to have occurred when a young enslaved girl fled from LaLaurie, who was pursuing her with a whip. The terrified child reached the roof of the mansion and fell to her death in the courtyard below. Later versions named the girl Lia or Leah and gave her age as either eight or twelve. Her identity, age, and exact date of death cannot be independently verified, however, and the name Lia did not appear in the earliest known account of the incident. The child's body was reportedly buried secretly on the property. Authorities investigated the household, found the LaLauries responsible for unlawful cruelty, and ordered them to surrender nine enslaved people. Delphine allegedly arranged for relatives or associates to purchase them at auction and return them to her control. This allowed the abuse inside the Royal Street residence to continue beyond public view. ...

Confirmed Victims: (5)

Unnamed Male Victim

Delphine LaLaurie - Wikipedia