Nannie Doss
Female Serial Killer Case
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Oklahoma, United States
TIME PERIOD
1927-1954
VICTIMS
11 confirmed
Nannie Doss, also known as the Giggling Granny, was an American serial killer who confessed to murdering 11 individuals, including four husbands, two children, her mother, a sister, two grandsons, and a mother-in-law, between 1927 and 1954. Her crimes spanned multiple states, including Alabama, North Carolina, Kansas, and Oklahoma, with her apprehension occurring in October 1954 after the death of her fifth husband in a Tulsa hospital. Doss's motive was primarily financial, seeking life insurance payouts from her victims. She was sentenced to life imprisonment and died on June 2, 1965, at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. Significant evidence included her confessions and the suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths of her victims, which were initially attributed to natural causes.
Nannie Doss is believed to have killed for life insurance money, with investigators suggesting that financial gain was her primary motive. Many speculate that her charming demeanor as the "Giggling Granny" allowed her to evade suspicion for years, while some theorize that her troubled childhood and multiple failed marriages contributed to her violent behavior. Additionally, there is speculation about whether Doss may have suffered from psychological issues that influenced her actions.
The Giggling Granny: The Life and Crimes of Nannie Doss
In the hushed corridors of American criminal history, the story of Nannie Doss stands as a chilling testament to the darkness that can lurk behind a seemingly benign facade. Born Nancy Hazel on November 4, 1905, in Blue Mountain, Alabama, Nannie Doss would go on to earn a string of macabre nicknames including the "Giggling Granny," the "Lonely Hearts Killer," and the "Black Widow." Between the years of 1927 and 1954, she was responsible for the deaths of 11 people, a chilling roster that included four husbands, two children, her sister, her mother, two grandsons, and a mother-in-law.
Early Life: A Troubled Beginning
Nannie's childhood was anything but idyllic. The daughter of Louisa "Lou" Holder and James F. Hazel, she was one of five children living under the shadow of a father described as controlling and abusive. James Hazel's authoritarian grip over the family extended to forbidding his daughters from attending school, forcing them to work on the family farm instead. This deprived Nannie of a proper education, a deficiency further compounded by a traumatic train accident at the age of seven that left her with lifelong headaches, blackouts, and depression. She would later blame her mental instability on this incident.
Despite her troubled upbringing, Nannie found solace in her mother's romance magazines, particularly the lonely hearts columns, where she dreamt of a romantic escape from her oppressive life. Her father's strict rules against makeup and social events only fueled her desire for a different life.
The First Marriage: Charley Braggs
At 16, Nannie married Charley Braggs, a coworker at a linen factory, with her father's approval. Charley, who was under the thumb of his overbearing mother, brought Nannie into a household where her mother-in-law dictated the terms. The couple had four daughters between 1923 and 1927, but the marriage was fraught with suspicion and infidelity on both sides. In 1927, tragedy struck when their two middle daughters died of suspected food poisoning. Shortly thereafter, Charley left with their eldest daughter, Melvina, while Nannie was left with their newborn, Florine. Charley eventually returned with Melvina, accompanied by a new partner, leading to their divorce in 1928.
The Second Marriage: Robert Franklin Harrelson
In 1929, Nannie married Robert Franklin Harrelson, moving to Jacksonville with her daughters. This marriage, too, was marred by hardship. Harrelson was an alcoholic with a criminal past, yet their union endured for 16 tumultuous years.
Tragedy Among Grandchildren
Melvina, Nannie's eldest daughter, gave birth to two children during this time. The first, Robert Lee Haynes, was born in 1943, but the second child died shortly after birth in 1945. In a haze from labor, Melvina believed she saw Nannie stick a hatpin into the newborn's head, but no concrete evidence confirmed this suspicion. Nannie's disapproval of Melvina's relationships led to further tragedy when, on July 7, 1945, Robert died under Nannie's care. His death was attributed to asphyxia of unknown causes, and Nannie collected a $500 life insurance payout.
Death of Harrelson
The volatile marriage to Harrelson ended in 1945 when, following an alleged rape, Nannie poisoned his corn whiskey with rat poison, leading to his death.
Later Marriages and More Deaths
Seeking companionship, Nannie continued to marry. In 1946, she wed Arlie Lanning after meeting him through a lonely hearts column. Like his predecessors, Lanning was an alcoholic, but it was Nannie who often disappeared. Lanning's death was attributed to heart failure, and shortly after, the house they shared burned down, with the insurance money going to Nannie. She then moved on to her sister Dovie's house, who died soon after Nannie's arrival.
In 1952, Nannie married Richard L. Morton in Kansas. Though Morton wasn't a drinker, he was unfaithful, and Nannie poisoned him after first dispatching her own mother, Louisa, in January 1953. Morton died in May of that year.
The following year, Nannie married Samuel Doss in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A Nazarene minister, Samuel disapproved of Nannie's literary tastes. After a brief illness, he was hospitalized and later died on October 12, 1954, from arsenic poisoning. His suspicious death prompted an autopsy, which confirmed foul play. This led to Nannie's arrest.
Confession and Conviction
Under pressure, Nannie confessed to the murders of her husbands, mother, sister, grandson, and mother-in-law. However, the state of Oklahoma prosecuted her only for Samuel Doss's murder. On May 17, 1955, she pled guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment, avoiding the death penalty due to her gender. Nannie Doss spent the last decade of her life in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary before dying of leukemia on June 2, 1965. Her final resting place is Oak Hill Memorial Park in McAlester, Oklahoma.
Sources
For further reading, refer to the original Wikipedia entry on Nannie Doss: Wikipedia - Nannie Doss
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First Suspected Murders
Nannie Doss's two middle daughters die, suspected food poisoning.
Death of First Husband
Nannie poisons her second husband, Robert Harrelson, after he allegedly rapes her.
Mother Poisoned
Nannie poisons her mother, Louisa, before the death of her husband Richard Morton.
Death of Last Husband
Nannie kills her fifth husband, Samuel Doss, prompting an autopsy that reveals arsenic.
Arrest
Nannie Doss is arrested after the autopsy reveals arsenic in Samuel Doss's system.
Guilty Plea
Nannie Doss pleads guilty to the murder of Samuel Doss and is sentenced to life imprisonment.
Death in Prison
Nannie Doss dies from leukemia while serving her life sentence.
Nannie Doss, also known as the Giggling Granny, was an American serial killer who confessed to murdering 11 individuals, including four husbands, two children, her mother, a sister, two grandsons, and a mother-in-law, between 1927 and 1954. Her crimes spanned multiple states, including Alabama, North Carolina, Kansas, and Oklahoma, with her apprehension occurring in October 1954 after the death of her fifth husband in a Tulsa hospital. Doss's motive was primarily financial, seeking life insurance payouts from her victims. She was sentenced to life imprisonment and died on June 2, 1965, at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. Significant evidence included her confessions and the suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths of her victims, which were initially attributed to natural causes.
Nannie Doss is believed to have killed for life insurance money, with investigators suggesting that financial gain was her primary motive. Many speculate that her charming demeanor as the "Giggling Granny" allowed her to evade suspicion for years, while some theorize that her troubled childhood and multiple failed marriages contributed to her violent behavior. Additionally, there is speculation about whether Doss may have suffered from psychological issues that influenced her actions.
The Giggling Granny: The Life and Crimes of Nannie Doss
In the hushed corridors of American criminal history, the story of Nannie Doss stands as a chilling testament to the darkness that can lurk behind a seemingly benign facade. Born Nancy Hazel on November 4, 1905, in Blue Mountain, Alabama, Nannie Doss would go on to earn a string of macabre nicknames including the "Giggling Granny," the "Lonely Hearts Killer," and the "Black Widow." Between the years of 1927 and 1954, she was responsible for the deaths of 11 people, a chilling roster that included four husbands, two children, her sister, her mother, two grandsons, and a mother-in-law.
Early Life: A Troubled Beginning
Nannie's childhood was anything but idyllic. The daughter of Louisa "Lou" Holder and James F. Hazel, she was one of five children living under the shadow of a father described as controlling and abusive. James Hazel's authoritarian grip over the family extended to forbidding his daughters from attending school, forcing them to work on the family farm instead. This deprived Nannie of a proper education, a deficiency further compounded by a traumatic train accident at the age of seven that left her with lifelong headaches, blackouts, and depression. She would later blame her mental instability on this incident.
Despite her troubled upbringing, Nannie found solace in her mother's romance magazines, particularly the lonely hearts columns, where she dreamt of a romantic escape from her oppressive life. Her father's strict rules against makeup and social events only fueled her desire for a different life.
The First Marriage: Charley Braggs
At 16, Nannie married Charley Braggs, a coworker at a linen factory, with her father's approval. Charley, who was under the thumb of his overbearing mother, brought Nannie into a household where her mother-in-law dictated the terms. The couple had four daughters between 1923 and 1927, but the marriage was fraught with suspicion and infidelity on both sides. In 1927, tragedy struck when their two middle daughters died of suspected food poisoning. Shortly thereafter, Charley left with their eldest daughter, Melvina, while Nannie was left with their newborn, Florine. Charley eventually returned with Melvina, accompanied by a new partner, leading to their divorce in 1928.
The Second Marriage: Robert Franklin Harrelson
In 1929, Nannie married Robert Franklin Harrelson, moving to Jacksonville with her daughters. This marriage, too, was marred by hardship. Harrelson was an alcoholic with a criminal past, yet their union endured for 16 tumultuous years.
Tragedy Among Grandchildren
Melvina, Nannie's eldest daughter, gave birth to two children during this time. The first, Robert Lee Haynes, was born in 1943, but the second child died shortly after birth in 1945. In a haze from labor, Melvina believed she saw Nannie stick a hatpin into the newborn's head, but no concrete evidence confirmed this suspicion. Nannie's disapproval of Melvina's relationships led to further tragedy when, on July 7, 1945, Robert died under Nannie's care. His death was attributed to asphyxia of unknown causes, and Nannie collected a $500 life insurance payout.
Death of Harrelson
The volatile marriage to Harrelson ended in 1945 when, following an alleged rape, Nannie poisoned his corn whiskey with rat poison, leading to his death.
Later Marriages and More Deaths
Seeking companionship, Nannie continued to marry. In 1946, she wed Arlie Lanning after meeting him through a lonely hearts column. Like his predecessors, Lanning was an alcoholic, but it was Nannie who often disappeared. Lanning's death was attributed to heart failure, and shortly after, the house they shared burned down, with the insurance money going to Nannie. She then moved on to her sister Dovie's house, who died soon after Nannie's arrival.
In 1952, Nannie married Richard L. Morton in Kansas. Though Morton wasn't a drinker, he was unfaithful, and Nannie poisoned him after first dispatching her own mother, Louisa, in January 1953. Morton died in May of that year.
The following year, Nannie married Samuel Doss in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A Nazarene minister, Samuel disapproved of Nannie's literary tastes. After a brief illness, he was hospitalized and later died on October 12, 1954, from arsenic poisoning. His suspicious death prompted an autopsy, which confirmed foul play. This led to Nannie's arrest.
Confession and Conviction
Under pressure, Nannie confessed to the murders of her husbands, mother, sister, grandson, and mother-in-law. However, the state of Oklahoma prosecuted her only for Samuel Doss's murder. On May 17, 1955, she pled guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment, avoiding the death penalty due to her gender. Nannie Doss spent the last decade of her life in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary before dying of leukemia on June 2, 1965. Her final resting place is Oak Hill Memorial Park in McAlester, Oklahoma.
Sources
For further reading, refer to the original Wikipedia entry on Nannie Doss: Wikipedia - Nannie Doss
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
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First Suspected Murders
Nannie Doss's two middle daughters die, suspected food poisoning.
Death of First Husband
Nannie poisons her second husband, Robert Harrelson, after he allegedly rapes her.
Mother Poisoned
Nannie poisons her mother, Louisa, before the death of her husband Richard Morton.
Death of Last Husband
Nannie kills her fifth husband, Samuel Doss, prompting an autopsy that reveals arsenic.
Arrest
Nannie Doss is arrested after the autopsy reveals arsenic in Samuel Doss's system.
Guilty Plea
Nannie Doss pleads guilty to the murder of Samuel Doss and is sentenced to life imprisonment.
Death in Prison
Nannie Doss dies from leukemia while serving her life sentence.