The Axeman of New Orleans

The Axeman of New Orleans was a still-unidentified serial killer active in New Orleans, Louisiana, and vicinity, reportedly from May 1918 to October 1919 (although some speculated his span of crimes began in 1910-1911, and went on from 1917 to 1920).

Case History
TBA

Modus Operandi
The Axeman mainly targeted Italian immigrants or Italian-Americans whom worked as grocers, presumably stalking them, before the attacks, for an unspecified amount of time. He usually killed his victims with their own sharp or blunt objects, such as axes (although sometimes he would bring one himself), with which he smashed their heads and faces repeatedly, sometimes fracturing their skulls. He also employed throat slashing and stabbing.

The Axeman entered his victim's homes by chiseling small holes in their doors and walls. There were no other signs of entry, and he did not break down entire doors. His signature was leaving the bloody axes he had used in the victims' backyards, after the attacks.

Profile
Crime analysts suggested the Axeman could have been a sexual sadist whom specifically sought female victims, as supported by some of the cases in which the man was wounded while the woman was killed. Writer Colin Wilson hypothesize that the Axeman only killed the man of the household when he attempted to thwart his attack on the female. Frank Mooney, New Orleans's police superintendent at the time, was convinced that the Axeman was a "Jeckyll and Hyde personality, like Jack the Ripper [...] suddenly the impulse to kill comes upon him and he must obey it.”

A less plausible theory is that the Axeman committed the murders in an effort to promote Jazz music, as suggested by a letter attributed him

Known Victims
{{Scroll box|content = *1918:
 * May 22, corner of Upperline and Magnolia Streets, New Orleans:
 * Joseph Maggio {{C|Husband; slashed his throat with a straight razor, than bashed his head with an axe; survived, but later died from his wounds}}
 * Catherine Maggio {{C|Wife; slashed her throat with a straight razor, than bashed her head with an axe}}
 * June 27, corner of Dorgenois and Laharpe Streets, New Orleans:
 * Louis Besumer {{C|fractured his skull with an ax; survived}}
 * Harriet Lowe {{C|Louis' mistress; hacked over her left ear, partially paralyzed her face; died in August 5}}
 * August 5, Elmira Street, New Orleans:
 * Anna Schneider {{C|smashed in the face repeatedly and cut her scalp open; survived }}
 * August 10, New Orleans:
 * Joseph Romano {{C|struck in the head with an ax; died two days later}}
 * 1919:
 * March 10, corner of Jefferson Avenue and Second Street, Gretna, Louisiana:
 * Charles and Rosie Cortimiglia {{C|parents; fractured their skulls with an ax; both survived}}
 * Mary Cortimiglia {{C|daughter; killed by a sharp blow to the back of the neck }}
 * August 10, New Orleans:
 * Steve Boca {{C|cracked his head open with an ax; survived}}
 * September 3, New Orleans:
 * Sarah Laumann {{C|smashed her head and teeths with a blunt object; survived}}
 * October 27, New Orleans:
 * Mike Pepitone {{C|possibly; smashed his head repeatedly with an ax}}

Alleged Victims

 * 1920:
 * December, Alexandria, Louisiana:
 * Joseph Spero
 * Joseph's daughter
 * 1921
 * January, DeRidder, Louisiana:
 * Giovanni Orlando
 * April, Lake Charles, Louisiana:
 * Frank Scalisi
 * Note: Since the press reported about similar killings in 1910-11, some people believe that the same perpetrator has killed even prior to 1918. However, such allegations are currently disputed.}}

Prime Suspect

 * Joseph Mumfre (unknown - 1920)
 * Crime writer Colin Wilson suspected Josep Mumfre (also spelled Monfre or Mamfre) to be the Axeman. Mumfre was allegedly shot to death in December 1920, in Los Angeles, by the widow of Mike Pepitone. Wilson speculated that Mrs. Pepitone killed his husband's murderer for revenge.
 * True crime writer Michael Newton didn't find any evidence about "Joseph Mumfre" or Pepitone's widow. Nowadays, Wilson's theory is considered to be an urban legend.
 * On the other end, sources revealed there may have been a man called Joseph Mumfre or Momfre, in New Orleans, connected to the organized crime. However, it is almost impossible to currently confirm this.
 * Two of the alleged "early" victims of the Axeman, an Italian couple named Schiambra, were shot by an intruder in their home, in 1912. The prime suspect was referred to by the name of "Momfre" multiple times.
 * According to scholar Richard Warner, the chief suspect in the crimes was Frank "Doc" Mumphrey (1875–1921), who used the alias Leon Joseph Monfre/Manfre.

Others

 * Andrew Maggio
 * Brother of one of the first reported victims of the Axeman, worked as a barber.
 * Briefly considered as a suspect in the case, as the straight razor used to kill his brother and sister-in-law was his own. Was eventually released, as the authorities were unable to contradict his statements regarding both his alibi and a man supposedly seen lurking near the residence, prior to the murders.
 * Lewis Oubicon
 * An African-American man whom was briefly suspected of the Besumer attack. Was later released because of lack of evidence.
 * Louis Besumer
 * Indicted on charges of attacking his mistress, Harriet Lowe, because of her own admission. Was later acquitted
 * Iorlando Jordano and Frank Jordano
 * Competitors grocers of the Cortimiglias. Suspected of their murders.
 * Were eventually exonerated, after Rosie Cortimiglia confessed she was compelled to implicate them by police members.
 * Also, as the majority of the victims were of italian descent, the "Black Hand" and the Mafia were briefly suspected to be behind the murders, with the Axeman working as a hitman on behalf of one of these organizations. However, this was deemed improbable, mainly because it was believed the mob wouldn't have left survivors as the Axeman did, and also because of lack of evidence to support this.

On Criminal Minds
TBA