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Did Serial Killer H.H. Holmes Cheat His Own Death?

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7 years ago

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The death penalty – a fitting end for any serial killer. Which is exactly what ended the life of Chicago serial killer H.H. Holmes, widely regarded as America’s first serial killer.

Or did it?

There has long been speculation that H.H. Holmes actually cheated his own death and escaped to South America before he could be hanged. A con man with almost no rival, this would have been the ultimate victory to cap off his legacy of vicious deeds. This speculation is hoped to be put to rest when his body is exhumed from the Holy Cross cemetery, where he was said to be buried.

Courtesy of Indiana’s Digital Newspaper Program

NBC Chicago recently published a story about the long-dead killer and his descendent’s quest to put this story to rest for good. His great-grandchildren petitioned the Pennsylvania courts and received approvement for a DNA examination. John Mudgett, Richard Mudgett, and Cynthia Mudgett Soriano want to know whether or not Holmes is really buried where it says he is.

Known at birth as Herman Webster Mudgett, Holmes was the mastermind behind a real-life house of horrors in Chicago. In his “murder castle” located on 63rd and Wallace, a purported 200 women were slain. Holmes would confess to over two dozen. While it’s not clear on the exact count, what is clear is that the house was a place of secret rooms and shrieks of murder.

The Anthropology Department of the University of Pennsylvania will be conducting DNA tests on the body once exhumed. Some have theorized that shortly before his death, H.H. Holmes conned the hangman and got away with replacing an unknown substitute in place of himself. He requested layers upon layers of cement to be lain over his casket after death, ensuring that no one would ever find out about his final great escape.

Whoever is buried in Holmes’ grave will have 120 posthumous days of freedom before it is required to be put back in its rightful place of burial. Holmes or not, the body is going back in the ground. According to the court order, filed March 9th of this year:

In the event it is determined that the remains are not those of Herman Webster Mudgett or are unidentifiable, the Petitioners (Mudgett’s descendants) shall be responsible for purchasing a cemetery marker in addition to requirements for interment.

While the true story of H.H. Holmes’ body count and murder castle may forever be shrouded in mystery and exaggeration, the question of his final escape will soon be answered. And if it’s not him who is in that grave?

Well, some secrets last forever, don’t they?

Courtesy of Indiana’s Digital Newspaper Program

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Netflix Releases First BTS ‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’ Footage

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20 mins ago

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April 30, 2024

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It’s been three long years since Netflix unleashed the bloody, but enjoyable Fear Street on its platform. Released in a tryptic fashion, the streamer broke up the story into three episodes, each taking place in a different decade which by the finale were all tied together.

Now, the streamer is in production for its sequel Fear Street: Prom Queen which brings the story into the 80s. Netflix gives a synopsis of what to expect from Prom Queen on their blog site Tudum:

“Welcome back to Shadyside. In this next installment of the blood-soaked Fear Street franchise, prom season at Shadyside High is underway and the school’s wolfpack of It Girls is busy with its usual sweet and vicious campaigns for the crown. But when a gutsy outsider is unexpectedly nominated to the court, and the other girls start mysteriously disappearing, the class of ’88 is suddenly in for one hell of a prom night.” 

Based on R.L. Stine’s massive series of Fear Street novels and spin-offs, this chapter is number 15 in the series and was published in 1992.

Fear Street: Prom Queen features a killer ensemble cast, including India Fowler (The Nevers, Insomnia), Suzanna Son (Red Rocket, The Idol), Fina Strazza (Paper Girls, Above the Shadows), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty, Cinnamon), Ella Rubin (The Idea of You), Chris Klein (Sweet Magnolias, American Pie), Lili Taylor (Outer Range, Manhunt) and Katherine Waterston (The End We Start From, Perry Mason).

No word on when Netflix will drop the series into its catalog.

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Live Action Scooby-Doo Reboot Series In Works at Netflix

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1 hour ago

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April 30, 2024

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Scooby Doo Live Action Netflix

The ghosthunting Great Dane with an anxiety problem, Scooby-Doo, is getting a reboot and Netflix is picking up the tab. Variety is reporting that the iconic show is becoming an hour-long series for the streamer although no details have been confirmed. In fact, Netflix execs declined to comment.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

If the project is a go, this would be the first live-action movie based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon since 2018’s Daphne & Velma. Before that, there were two theatrical live-action movies, Scooby-Doo (2002) and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004), then two sequels that premiered on The Cartoon Network.

Currently, the adult-oriented Velma is streaming on Max.

Scooby-Doo originated in 1969 under the creative team Hanna-Barbera. The cartoon follows a group of teenagers who investigate supernatural happenings. Known as Mystery Inc., the crew consists of Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, and Shaggy Rogers, and his best friend, a talking dog named Scooby-Doo.

Scooby-Doo

Normally the episodes revealed the hauntings they encountered were hoaxes developed by land-owners or other nefarious characters hoping to scare people away from their properties. The original TV series named Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! ran from 1969 to 1986. It was so successful that movie stars and pop culture icons would make guest appearances as themselves in the series.

Celebrities such as Sonny & Cher, KISS, Don Knotts, and The Harlem Globetrotters made cameos as did Vincent Price who portrayed Vincent Van Ghoul in a few episodes.

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BET Releasing New Original Thriller: The Deadly Getaway

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1 hour ago

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April 30, 2024

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The Deadly Getaway

BET will soon be offering horror fans a rare treat. The studio has announced the official release date for their new original thriller, The Deadly Getaway. Directed by Charles Long (The Trophy Wife), this thriller sets up a heart racing game of cat and mouse for audiences to sink their teeth into.

Wanting to break up the monotony of their routine, Hope and Jacob set off to spend their vacation at a simple cabin in the woods. However, things go sideways when Hope’s ex-boyfriend shows up with a new girl at the same campsite. Things soon spiral out of control. Hope and Jacob must now work together to escape the woods with their lives.

The Deadly Getaway
The Deadly Getaway

The Deadly Getaway is written by Eric Dickens (Makeup X Breakup) and Chad Quinn (Reflections of US). The Film stars, Yandy Smith-Harris (Two Days in Harlem), Jason Weaver (The Jacksons: An American Dream), and Jeff Logan (My Valentine Wedding).

Showrunner Tressa Azarel Smallwood had the following to say about the project. “The Deadly Getaway is the perfect reintroduction to classic thrillers, which encompass dramatic twists, and spine-chilling moments. It showcases the range and diversity of emerging Black writers across genres of film and television.”

The Deadly Getaway will premiere on 5.9.2024, exclusively ion BET+.

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