This 1922 New Jersey Love Triangle Murder is a Wild Ride
Who knew New Jersey was home to a scandalous double murder case from the 1900s?
We're used to following major court cases in the media today, but this was a new and huge deal for people in the 1920s. Apparently, the dramatic Hall-Mills murders happened in New Brunswick over 100 years ago. Some sources refer to it as "The Trial of the Century," given its scandalous nature. The case is still cold, which adds to the mystery and intrigue that surrounds it.
But, if these murders were so well known back in the day, why don't we speak more about them now?
Like most other women my age, I enjoy listening to true crime stories, and only learned about the Hall-Mills murders from an episode of Murder, Mystery & Makeup with Bailey Sarian.
Per Sarian, the Hall-Mills murders happened not too far from us, in New Brunswick. The dead bodies of Edward Wheeler and Eleanor Mills, a couple having an affair, were found in a park. To add to the drama, Wheeler's wife was Frances Hall, who was a member of the rich Johnson & Johnson family.
Sarian goes on to explain that the murders' salacious nature made them a point of interest for the public, and the murder site even became a tourist attraction for people. She even said visitors would take pieces of the tree the couple was found under and surrounding dirt as "souvenirs."
People were quick to point fingers at Hall since her husband was cheating on her. She officially became a suspect after a witness claimed she heard someone yell the name of her brother Henry, followed by two gunshots. There wasn't enough evidence to convict her of the murders, so she and her brothers were released.
Things get even crazier when Sarian shares how the case was reopened after a former maid for the Hall family was allegedly paid $5,000 in hush money to hide the fact that Frances knew about her husband's affair. Hall was accused of murder once again but was ultimately found not guilty. To this day, no one knows who killed Edward Wheeler and Eleanor Mills.
There are plenty more dramatic details about the frenzy this case created. You can watch the full story, as entertainingly told by Bailey Sarian below.