George Hassell
Family Mass Murder Case
CLASSIFICATION: Mass Murder
LOCATION
Farwell, Texas
TIME PERIOD
1917-1926
VICTIMS
13 confirmed
On December 5, 1926, in Farwell, Texas, George Jefferson Hassell murdered his wife, Susan, and eight of their children, ages one to twenty-one, following a domestic dispute regarding his sexual abuse of his stepdaughter, Maudie. The murders were committed using various weapons, including a ballpeen hammer, straight razor, shotgun, and axe, with all bodies subsequently concealed in a root cellar. Hassell had previously killed his wife and three stepchildren in California in 1917. He was apprehended, tried, and executed by electrocution on February 10, 1928, at the Huntsville Unit in Texas, bringing a resolution to this heinous case involving thirteen victims over a span of nearly a decade. Significant evidence included the recovered bodies and Hassell's own confessions detailing the brutal nature of the crimes.
George Hassell is believed to have been motivated by a combination of personal grievances and psychological instability, particularly stemming from his tumultuous family background and his history of violence. Some speculate that his actions were driven by a desire to eliminate witnesses to his crimes, especially after the argument over his abuse of his stepdaughter. There are also theories that suggest his embezzlement past and feelings of betrayal contributed to his violent outburst against his family.
The Chilling Tale of George Hassell: A Family Annihilator's Reign of Terror
On July 5, 1888, in the small town of Smithville, Texas, George Jefferson Hassell entered the world as the youngest of seven children. Little did anyone know that this child would grow up to become one of America’s most notorious family annihilators, leaving a trail of devastation that spanned nearly a decade and claimed the lives of thirteen innocent souls.
A Troubled Beginning
Hassell’s early life was marked by tragedy and suspicion. After his brother Thomas met an untimely death—kicked in the head by a mule—George married Thomas's widow, Susan Ferguson, from Oklahoma. He harbored dark suspicions about his family, believing his stepmother had poisoned his father. Although he once contemplated killing her and others, he later claimed that whiskey dulled his resolve and kept him from following through. His criminal tendencies surfaced early, landing him in prison for embezzlement.
The Gruesome Crimes
The first known massacre unfolded in Whittier, California, in 1917. Hassell killed his common-law wife, Marie Vogel, and her three adopted children—an eight-year-old boy, a five-year-old girl, and an infant—after a heated argument over his potential enlistment in the Army during World War I. The family, living under the assumed name "Baker," became just the beginning of Hassell’s horrific spree.
On the night of December 5, 1926, the horrors continued in Farwell, Texas. An argument erupted between Hassell and his wife, Susan, over his assault and impregnation of Maudie, his niece and stepdaughter. Enraged, Hassell struck Susan repeatedly with a ballpeen hammer. Then, in a cold and calculated manner, he moved through the house, murdering his children from youngest to oldest using a straight razor and stockings. The two eldest boys, awakened by the noise, attempted to fight back, but Hassell silenced them with a shotgun and an axe. He concealed the bodies in a freshly dug root cellar, waiting for his eldest son, Alton, to return from work in Clovis, New Mexico. When Alton finally came home, Hassell spun a tale of a family visit to Shallowater, Texas, before getting drunk and shooting Alton in his sleep.
The Victims
Hassell’s victims spanned two locations and included the following:
- Susan, age 40
- Alton, age 21
- David, age 15
- Maudie, age 13
- Russell, age 11
- Virgil, age 7
- Johnnie, age 6
- Nannie Martha, age 4
- Samuel, age 1
- Marie Vogel (Whittier, CA)
- Vogel adopted son, 8 (Whittier, CA)
- Vogel adopted daughter, 5 (Whittier, CA)
- Vogel adopted daughter, 1 (Whittier, CA)
The Investigation and Arrest
With his family dead, Hassell attempted to sell their belongings under the guise of moving back to Oklahoma. However, the sale caught the attention of law enforcement when a wagon rolled over the sinkhole, raising suspicions. Following an unsuccessful suicide attempt, Hassell confessed to the murders as the bodies were unearthed from the root cellar. His confession included the earlier Whittier murders, and he led police to the burial site in California, ensuring no innocent party would be wrongfully accused.
Trial and Execution
The trial in Farwell quickly became a spectacle, with the town and its neighbor, Texico, New Mexico, buzzing with morbid curiosity. Hassell was charged only with Alton’s murder, despite confessing to all thirteen killings. He claimed the murders were uncontrollable impulses, but a psychiatrist deemed him sane. Convicted of murder with malice, he was sentenced to death.
On February 10, 1928, George Hassell met his end in the electric chair at the Huntsville Unit, becoming the 37th man executed by electrical means in Texas. He now rests in Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery, leaving behind a legacy of terror and a chilling reminder of the darkness that can reside within.
A Killer's Mind
Throughout his life, Hassell exhibited signs of a sociopathic personality. He reportedly harbored murderous thoughts as early as age 17, long before joining the Army, and cultivated a long history of criminal behavior. His story serves as a grim case study in the depths of human depravity.
Sources
- State of Texas Electrocutions 1923 - 1973
- "George Jefferson Hassell: Serial Family Annihilator," June 21, 2021.
- "Hassell offered detailed confession," The Eastern New Mexico News.
- The Whittier News, February 2, 1927.
- "Man kills wife, 8 step-children," Horror History.net.
- Healdsburg Tribune, February 2, 1927 — California Digital Newspaper Collection.
- "George J. Hassell - Parmer County, Texas," genealogytrails.com.
- Bartlette, DeLani R. "George Jefferson Hassell: Serial Family Annihilator," Lessons from History.
- "Death Row Facts," Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
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First Family Murder
George Hassell kills his common-law wife and three adopted children in Whittier, California.
Mass Murder of Family
Hassell murders his wife and eight children in Farwell, Texas, using various weapons.
Bodies Discovered
Law enforcement discovers the bodies of Hassell's family buried in a root cellar after a suspicious yard sale.
Hassell's Confession
George Hassell confesses to the murders of his family and the earlier murders in California.
Trial Begins
George Hassell's trial commences, focusing on the murder of his son Alton.
Found Guilty
Hassell is found guilty of murder with malice and sentenced to death.
Execution
George Hassell is executed by electrocution at Huntsville Unit in Texas.
On December 5, 1926, in Farwell, Texas, George Jefferson Hassell murdered his wife, Susan, and eight of their children, ages one to twenty-one, following a domestic dispute regarding his sexual abuse of his stepdaughter, Maudie. The murders were committed using various weapons, including a ballpeen hammer, straight razor, shotgun, and axe, with all bodies subsequently concealed in a root cellar. Hassell had previously killed his wife and three stepchildren in California in 1917. He was apprehended, tried, and executed by electrocution on February 10, 1928, at the Huntsville Unit in Texas, bringing a resolution to this heinous case involving thirteen victims over a span of nearly a decade. Significant evidence included the recovered bodies and Hassell's own confessions detailing the brutal nature of the crimes.
George Hassell is believed to have been motivated by a combination of personal grievances and psychological instability, particularly stemming from his tumultuous family background and his history of violence. Some speculate that his actions were driven by a desire to eliminate witnesses to his crimes, especially after the argument over his abuse of his stepdaughter. There are also theories that suggest his embezzlement past and feelings of betrayal contributed to his violent outburst against his family.
The Chilling Tale of George Hassell: A Family Annihilator's Reign of Terror
On July 5, 1888, in the small town of Smithville, Texas, George Jefferson Hassell entered the world as the youngest of seven children. Little did anyone know that this child would grow up to become one of America’s most notorious family annihilators, leaving a trail of devastation that spanned nearly a decade and claimed the lives of thirteen innocent souls.
A Troubled Beginning
Hassell’s early life was marked by tragedy and suspicion. After his brother Thomas met an untimely death—kicked in the head by a mule—George married Thomas's widow, Susan Ferguson, from Oklahoma. He harbored dark suspicions about his family, believing his stepmother had poisoned his father. Although he once contemplated killing her and others, he later claimed that whiskey dulled his resolve and kept him from following through. His criminal tendencies surfaced early, landing him in prison for embezzlement.
The Gruesome Crimes
The first known massacre unfolded in Whittier, California, in 1917. Hassell killed his common-law wife, Marie Vogel, and her three adopted children—an eight-year-old boy, a five-year-old girl, and an infant—after a heated argument over his potential enlistment in the Army during World War I. The family, living under the assumed name "Baker," became just the beginning of Hassell’s horrific spree.
On the night of December 5, 1926, the horrors continued in Farwell, Texas. An argument erupted between Hassell and his wife, Susan, over his assault and impregnation of Maudie, his niece and stepdaughter. Enraged, Hassell struck Susan repeatedly with a ballpeen hammer. Then, in a cold and calculated manner, he moved through the house, murdering his children from youngest to oldest using a straight razor and stockings. The two eldest boys, awakened by the noise, attempted to fight back, but Hassell silenced them with a shotgun and an axe. He concealed the bodies in a freshly dug root cellar, waiting for his eldest son, Alton, to return from work in Clovis, New Mexico. When Alton finally came home, Hassell spun a tale of a family visit to Shallowater, Texas, before getting drunk and shooting Alton in his sleep.
The Victims
Hassell’s victims spanned two locations and included the following:
- Susan, age 40
- Alton, age 21
- David, age 15
- Maudie, age 13
- Russell, age 11
- Virgil, age 7
- Johnnie, age 6
- Nannie Martha, age 4
- Samuel, age 1
- Marie Vogel (Whittier, CA)
- Vogel adopted son, 8 (Whittier, CA)
- Vogel adopted daughter, 5 (Whittier, CA)
- Vogel adopted daughter, 1 (Whittier, CA)
The Investigation and Arrest
With his family dead, Hassell attempted to sell their belongings under the guise of moving back to Oklahoma. However, the sale caught the attention of law enforcement when a wagon rolled over the sinkhole, raising suspicions. Following an unsuccessful suicide attempt, Hassell confessed to the murders as the bodies were unearthed from the root cellar. His confession included the earlier Whittier murders, and he led police to the burial site in California, ensuring no innocent party would be wrongfully accused.
Trial and Execution
The trial in Farwell quickly became a spectacle, with the town and its neighbor, Texico, New Mexico, buzzing with morbid curiosity. Hassell was charged only with Alton’s murder, despite confessing to all thirteen killings. He claimed the murders were uncontrollable impulses, but a psychiatrist deemed him sane. Convicted of murder with malice, he was sentenced to death.
On February 10, 1928, George Hassell met his end in the electric chair at the Huntsville Unit, becoming the 37th man executed by electrical means in Texas. He now rests in Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery, leaving behind a legacy of terror and a chilling reminder of the darkness that can reside within.
A Killer's Mind
Throughout his life, Hassell exhibited signs of a sociopathic personality. He reportedly harbored murderous thoughts as early as age 17, long before joining the Army, and cultivated a long history of criminal behavior. His story serves as a grim case study in the depths of human depravity.
Sources
- State of Texas Electrocutions 1923 - 1973
- "George Jefferson Hassell: Serial Family Annihilator," June 21, 2021.
- "Hassell offered detailed confession," The Eastern New Mexico News.
- The Whittier News, February 2, 1927.
- "Man kills wife, 8 step-children," Horror History.net.
- Healdsburg Tribune, February 2, 1927 — California Digital Newspaper Collection.
- "George J. Hassell - Parmer County, Texas," genealogytrails.com.
- Bartlette, DeLani R. "George Jefferson Hassell: Serial Family Annihilator," Lessons from History.
- "Death Row Facts," Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
First Family Murder
George Hassell kills his common-law wife and three adopted children in Whittier, California.
Mass Murder of Family
Hassell murders his wife and eight children in Farwell, Texas, using various weapons.
Bodies Discovered
Law enforcement discovers the bodies of Hassell's family buried in a root cellar after a suspicious yard sale.
Hassell's Confession
George Hassell confesses to the murders of his family and the earlier murders in California.
Trial Begins
George Hassell's trial commences, focusing on the murder of his son Alton.
Found Guilty
Hassell is found guilty of murder with malice and sentenced to death.
Execution
George Hassell is executed by electrocution at Huntsville Unit in Texas.