Cause of death Execution Name George Hassell | Target(s) Family Date December 5, 1926 Killed 9 | |
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Full name George Jefferson Hassell Weapons Ballpeen hammerStraight razorStockingsshotgunaxe Died February 10, 1928, Huntsville, Texas, United States | ||
Criminal penalty Capital punishment | ||
George Jefferson Hassell (July, 1888 – February 10, 1928) was a convicted mass murderer who murdered his wife and eight children (ranging in age between two and 21 years old) on December 5, 1926 in Farwell, Texas.
Contents
Family background
Hassell was born in Smithville, Texas, the youngest of seven children. After his brother died from being kicked in the head by a mule, he married his brother's widow, Susan Ferguson of Oklahoma.
Crime
On the night of December 5, 1926, Hassell and his wife argued over his involvement with Ferguson's under-aged daughter. Hassell proceeded to strike his wife in the face repeatedly with a ballpeen hammer. After the murder of his wife he moved between each member of the family's beds, using a straight razor and stockings to kill them, in order from youngest to oldest. He woke the two eldest boys and a scuffle ensued, ending with Hassell killing them with a shotgun and an axe. All of the bodies were then stored in the newly dug root cellar by the house.
The victims
Susie, age 41
Alton, age 21
Virgil, age 15
Maudie, age 13
Russell, age 11
David, age 7
Johnnie, age 6
Nannie Martha, age 4
Samuel, age 22 months
Arrest, trial, and execution
Hassell claimed to the town he and his family were returning to Oklahoma, and sold all of their belongings in a large yard sale. During the auction a wagon ran over the sinkhole and aroused the suspicion of law enforcement. Soon afterward, Hassell attempted suicide but survived, and excavations revealed the remains in the root cellar.
After Hassell confessed, a short trial was convened, and Farwell and its sister city of Texico, New Mexico took on a carnival atmosphere. On February 10, 1928, George Hassell became the 37th man to be put to death in the electric chair in the state of Texas.
Motive
Hassell had a long history of criminal behavior, including the murder of another family in California, embezzlement and military desertion. According to his testimony his initial act was a crime of passion, and he killed the children to protect himself. A psychiatric report at the time characterizes him as a sociopath.