D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A • W I N T E R 2 0 1 8
84
THE BILLINGS
AX MURDERS
In December 8, 1924, one of
the most brutal and mysterious
murders in Montana's history
dominated the front page of the
Billings Gazette. "Ax Murders Most
Atrocious Crime in History of
Billings", the headline screamed; it
continued "Police Cling to eory of
Insane Slayer".
It seems the only way that the au-
thorities way back then could conceive
of a murder as horrible as those of Nels
Anderson, a barber, and his wife Anna,
was to assume that only a madman could
have carried it out.
ey were found with their coats and
gloves on, as if they were nearly ready to
leave their shop. Both had been killed with
an ax. Reports emphasize the enormous
quantity of blood present at the scene, and
yet there was no sign of a struggle. e
ax was the Anderson's own, previously
used to cut wood. ere was also evidence
that the murders were not committed in
a rage, but were methodically considered,
since fingerprints had been wiped off of the
ax handle, and the killer had cleaned his hands (as police
assumed it was a man) in a wash basin at the scene.
In the relatively-small community of Billings in the first
quarter of the 20th century, it is extremely unlikely that
someone could commit a crime of that savagery without
being detected. It was therefore assumed that the killer
had escaped via the local train, the tracks of which ran
very near the Anderson's shop.
To this day, there have been no suspects in the murders,
although unfounded rumors persisted for years, until the
crime became, simply, part of Billings history.
Turning Real Estate
into Relationships
The Freedom
of Choice is Yours…
We offer a range of customizable compensation
and marketing packages to fit your needs.
Contact your Treasure State Home representative for details.
205 Haggerty Lane, Suite 260 Bozeman MT 59715 (406) 577-2378
www.treasurestatehomes.com info@treasurestatehomes.com
Call us for an in-depth evaluation
to find out what your home is worth
in today's real estate environment.
