H. H. Holmes
In Chicago at the time of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, Holmes opened a hotel which he had designed and built for himself specifically with murder in mind, and which was the location of many of his murders. While he confessed to 27 murders, of which nine were confirmed, his actual body count could be as high as from 133 to perhaps 200. It will not be known how many murders Holmes committed as he did not always tell the entire truth of his crimes- for example: he claimed one of his first murder victims was a medical school classmate Dr Robert Leacock in 1886 for insurance money; in fact Dr Leacock died in Watford, Ontario Canada October 5, 1889. Contrary to several accounts Holmes did not kill Dr. E. S. Holton. Likewise Holmes did not kill an alleged "Castle" victim Miss Kate Durkee-who turned out to be very much alive. Ironically one historian noted that one of Holmes creditor's named John DeBrueil died of apoplexy on April 17, 1891, in Holmes "Castle" drugstore-it is unknown if Holmes was involved with his demise. Holmes also had a one-story factory which he claimed was to be used for glass bending. It is unknown if the factory furnace was ever actually used for glass bending-or to cremate incriminating evidence of Holmes crimes. Holmes usual murder method was by suffocation of his victims including: an overdose of chloroform; overexposure to lighting gas fumes; trapped in an airless vault to give some examples. Holmes also claimed to have used starvation and burning victiums alive in his "castle"