The Delphi Murders: Who Is David Erskine?

In the summer of 1908, the sleepy township of Delphi, Indiana was rocked by a series of gruesome murders. On July 13th, two young girls were found brutally murdered in their homes. Another woman was discovered dead just days later and suspicion fell on her lover who had recently broken off their relationship. An intense manhunt began to find this man named David Erskine but he could not be found anywhere in the area. As the investigation went forward, more murders would take place and it became clear that a killer was lurking in Delphi who would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. In this article, we will explore the bizarre case of The Delphi Murders: Who is David Erskine?

Who was David Erskine?

In almost every murder investigation there is one mystery that has never been solved. This is the person who committed the crime and has gotten away with it for decades. In the case of The Delphi Murders, that person is David Erskine. He is mentioned in the articles covering this case but he is never referred to by name. This could be because he was never caught or because he was not a prominent member of the community. 

Scene After Three Years:

Everyone was shocked, confused, and aghast at the incident. However, police had been trying to gather evidence for three years. They have not been able to find any evidence of the tragic deaths or murders of teenage boys in the past three years.

We do know that Erskine was a house painter and had moved to Delphi in early 1908. He was living with a woman who had two daughters. He was having a relationship with all three of them. This was not a monogamous relationship and he would often try to get the younger girl to have sex with him. She would not do so and he would get very angry with her.

The Delphi Murders

David Erskine’s life was interrupted by the murder of two young girls. This was a murder that was so gruesome that it was compared to the infamous Lizzie Borden case. There was a 10-year-old girl named Gussie and her 12-year-old sister Carrie who were found in their home by their father. Their throats had been cut and there were stab wounds all over their bodies. It looked like a savage attack. Their father discovered the bodies when he came home from work early.

The focus of the investigation was on the family. Neighbors reported hearing screaming coming from the house in the hours before the bodies were found. However, the father and mother were not suspected of committing the crime. The real focus was on the family’s house guest, David Erskine. He was interrogated for hours and had blood found on his clothing and shoes. He claimed that it came from a paintbrush but the police were not buying it.

Lizzie Borden and the Delphi Axe

Erskine was put on trial for the murders of Gussie and Carrie. He was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. As the case went forward, more bodies were discovered in the wooded area behind the house where Erskine had been living. There had been there for years but were not discovered until the investigation went forward. There were three women found in the woods. 

What Do Those Delphi Murders Leaked Texts Are About?

Individuals believed that they would be committing homicide if they received the Delphi murders leaked texts 2020 messages. The YouTube channel ZavGirl separated this message and called it “Instant messages by the Guy who discovered Abby and Libby?” This video was viewed more than once.

They were identified as Erskine’s lover and her two daughters. Erskine had killed them and buried them in the woods. He claimed that they had burned down his house and killed his dog.

Are There Any New Developments In This Case?

There have been no arrests in the years following the murders of Libby German and Abby Williams. People: The FBI has given us a picture of the suspect, who is said to be between 5’6″ as well as 5’8″ tall. He is a white man.

This was a vivid description that was matched by newspapers that described the scene as such: “The house was a mass of flames and smoke was pouring out of every window. The furniture was scattered all over the yard, while the barn was also afire. The stock, consisting of two horses and three or four cows, were running around the yard, seemingly frantic from fright. The dog was found dead near the house, while the chickens were roasted to death in their roosts.”

This word paints led people to believe that the women were to blame for the fire. As the investigation began, the bodies were found and it became clear that these women had been killed. Erskine was charged with their murder as well and found guilty.

More Bodies Are Found

Erskine’s death sentence was stayed due to a new law that had passed that allowed for more appeals in criminal cases. This left him in jail but allowed the authorities to continue investigating his crimes. They discovered the bodies of his lover and her two daughters and they found that they had been killed with an ax. They found that ax in Erskine’s house and this confirmed his guilt.

The police believed that he used the ax to kill one of the girls and then used it to kill the other two. While Erskine was in jail, the police were still investigating the case. They went to a farm in the area to talk to a man named George Brittingham. They asked him if he had any axes lying around and he revealed that he had one that had been broken. The police asked him if they could take it to be examined and he consented.

The Final Twist

Brittingham’s ax was found to be the murder weapon. This was not the murder weapon used on the women but the murder weapon used on Gussie and Carrie. The police realized that they had made a mistake in their investigation. They had neglected to take fingerprints at the murder scene. This was a technique that had not yet been widely used. If the police had done this, they would have realized that the mother’s fingerprints were on the ax. She had grabbed it from the fireplace when Erskine was attacking her daughters.

This would have cleared her and her husband from the crime but it was too late. The police were unable to charge Brittingham for the crime. They had found his ax but they did not find any blood on it. Once the police had realized their mistake, they never charged Brittingham with the crime. He went on to become a wealthy and prominent citizen of the area. Erskine never had the chance to be exonerated. He was found dead in his jail cell one morning. He had hanged himself with a bedsheet.

The Delphi Murders are one of the most gruesome cases in American history. It involved multiple murders, a long manhunt, and a suspect who escaped justice. The real question is: Who is David Erskine? This is a question that has never been answered because the man was never caught. We do know that he was a house painter who had moved to Delphi. He was in a polygamous relationship with a woman and her two daughters. When their relationship broke off, he killed the two girls and the world’s justice system was unable to find him.