World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most. On october 26, 1965, sylvia likens torture finally came to an end, albeit at the cost of her life. The torture and murder of sylvia likens the indiana torture. The horrific, tragic death of 16yearold sylvia marie likens. Sylvia likens was a happy, beautiful 16yearold when her parents left her and her sister in the care of gertrude baniszewski while they went on the road for work. Sylvia likens the complete picture house of evil book.
Sylvia likens and her sister jenny were left in the care of a family friend who tortured sylvia mercilessly until the young woman died of her extensive, gruesome, injuries. I would just do the book here serene or start a new topic under the sylvia likens story or the complete picture. Sylvia likens would have been 16 years old at the time of death or 66 years old today. She originally read this poem at the dedication ceremony of the sylvia likens memorial at willard park in indianapolis back in 2001. The book justice from within why gertrude baniszewski killed sylvia likens. The brutal murder of sylvia likens the scare chamber. The poor girl was tortured to death and no one would help her. Feb 15, 2019 the murder of 16yearold sylvia likens in 1965 is called the most terrible crime ever committed in the state of indiana. In the heart of indianapolis in the mid 1960s, through a twist of fate and fortune, a pretty young girl came to live with a thirtysevenyearold mother and her seven children.
Oct 25, 20 this included torture, rape, and beatings. Jul 29, 2008 when police found sylvias emaciated body, with a chilling message carved into her flesh, they knew that she had suffered tremendously before her death. I have never read a true crime book before where the author claims to be. This book is not well paced and it jumps a lot which can make it quite confusing. If gertrude wright looked drawn and exhausted, there were reasons, not the least of which were thirteen pregnancies, and 6 miscarriages. The likens trial, presents a thorough, inside, daybyday recollection of a trial that captivated and horrified the state in 1966. The murder of 16yearold sylvia likens in 1965 is called the most terrible crime ever committed in the state of indiana. Poor sylvia likens was the daughter of betty and lester likens. When their parents left sylvia and her sister jenny in the care of gertrude baniszewski, they had.
Elvis presley and his girlfriend julie locke wendy 25,017 views. Sylvia likens the complete picture house of evil book here. Gertrude baniszewski, who came to be known as the torture mother, was an indiana divorcee who oversaw and facilitated the prolonged torture, mutilation, rapes and eventual murder of sylvia likens, a teenage girl she had taken into her home the case is unique in that, while gertrude baniszewski did play an active role in sylvia. It is a completely different take with a darker twist that an american crime, but it is loosely based on the sylvia likens case. Over the past two columns weve revisited the crime, its impact on the likens family, and the astonishing postscript that seems to defy reality. It has been the most enduring nightmare in indianapolis true crime history. Jack is an author who has brought attention to the sylvia likens case through his book and movie the girl next door. The novel is loosely based on the murder of sylvia likens, in indianapolis, indiana in 1965, although the names of the people involved, as well as the location, time and details of the crime itself have been changed. She encouraged her kids and the neighborhood children to hurt sylvia. My first exposure to sylvia was the book the basement by kate millett, and it was so horrible that i almost couldnt finish it. An iowa teachers aide is fired after her school district unravels her link to the torture and death of a girl in 1965.
Oct 24, 2012 john dean, now known as natty bumppo, covered the killing for the indianapolis star and later wrote a book, the indiana torture slaying. In loving memory of sylvia marie likens home facebook. I first found out about sylvia likens while doing research on the life and death of lisa steinberg in 2004, and this story is one of the most depressing and unjust stories ive read in my entire life. Nov 19, 2015 the sad saga of the october 26, 1965 sylvia likens torture murder passed its 50th anniversary recently. It all began in july 1965, with sylvia likens and her younger sister jenny left by their carny parents in the care of 37yearold gertrude baniszewski and her seven children. While i was reporting on the sylvia likens murder case for the indianapolis star, i fantasized about writing a book on it.
The book s opening half covers the particulars of the case. What began as a temporary childcare arrangement between sylvia likenss parents and gertrude. A republication of the 1965 beeline books nonfiction thriller that shocked the world. Sylvia likens ordeal and death by john dean 189pp borf books 0960489479 after hearing of the story, and watching the movies, the indiana torture slaying was a hard book to pick up and start. The sylvia likens story the original paperback book was passed. Gertrude baniszewski oversaw and facilitated the torture and eventual murder of sylvia likens. Theres not much but theres house of evil by john dean and the. She and her siblings diana, danny, jenny, and benny were born in lebanon, indiana, to betty grimes likens and lester cecil likens. This book is the interpretation of the torture, and eventual murder of a young girl named sylvia likens.
The girls would be beaten when the check did not come in the mail. It has been the most enduring nightmare in indianapolis true crime history the oct. Resident gertrude baniszewski told authorities that a group of boys had beaten and killed likens. Likens, aged 16, was held captive and subjected to increasing levels of child abuse and torturecommitted over a period of almost three monthsby her caregiver, gertrude baniszewski, many of baniszewskis children, and several other neighborhood children, before ultimately succumbing to. Gertrude baniszewski, who came to be known as the torture mother, was an indiana divorcee who oversaw and facilitated the prolonged torture, mutilation, rapes and eventual murder of sylvia likens, a teenage girl she had taken into her home.
I wish we had more membersyou should be a moderator leading this story in all fairness. Sylvia likens was the abandoned child, left to a local family, with her sister, in the hopes of the children living a righteous life. Oct 21, 2014 almost 50 years later, forrest bowman jr. Al hunter is the author of the haunted indianapolis and coauthor of the haunted irvington and indiana national road book series.
Books available on the torture and murder of sylvia likens. Prior to starting this book, millett had put on several sculptural exhibitions inspired by the likens case. Read house of evil online by john dean books free 30day trial. After their mother got busted for shoplifting, sylvia likens and her sister. Disturbing books inspired by the 1960s murder of sylvia likens. Hadnt the likens family seen enough sorrow already. This book is written in a journalistic and very literal manner. The torture and murder of sylvia likens the indiana. Both her older siblings, diana and danny, and her younger siblings, jenny and benny, were fraternal twins. The death of sylvia likens is the most depressing story i have ever heard in my life.
For four weeks the girl, sylvia likens, who had been left by her parents to board in the home of 37yearold gertrude baniszewski and her seven. Lawyers book retraces indys infamous sylvia likens. Three months later, on october 26, sylvia died following a prolonged regime of torture. So this book felt more like fictionalized torture erotica than an actual true crime novel. Sylvia likens and the wm3 are still the two cases that infuriate me the most, even all these years later. The true story of suburban housewife gertrude baniszewski, who kept a teenage girl locked in the basement of her indiana home during the 1960s. The murder of sylvia likens was a child murder which occurred in indianapolis, indiana in october 1965. A compelling true story about the tortured life and death of sylvia likens.
Up at daybreak, lester likens found his wife at her parents home at 333 south temple avenue, and told her of the carnival plans. The sad saga of the october 26, 1965 sylvia likens torture murder passed its 50th anniversary recently. The easiest to get hold of is the basement by feminist kate millett. Sylvia likens, the teenager murdered by her caretaker and.
The teens body had over 100 cuts and bruises and the words i am a prostitute were carved into her body. Soon they would learn how many othersincluding some of baniszewskis own childrenparticipated in sylvias murder, and just how much torture had been inflicted in one house of evil. In october 1965, the body of sylvia likens was found in the basement of the baniszewski home, where she had been imprisoned. She was starved, beaten, burned and had the words i am a prostitute and proud of it carved into her stomach. The torture and murder of 16yearold sylvia likens at the hands of the woman entrusted to care for her stands as one of the most harrowing and unthinkable atrocities in the annals of american crime. After a few months, sylvia died from her injuries and malnutrition. Teenage children and neighborhood kids were involved in torturing, beating, mutilating, mentally and physically abusing sylvia likens with baniszewskis instructions.
Ive read the girl next door by jack ketchum and lets go play at the adams by mendal w. Neither he nor his wife so much as inspected the house. The murder of sylvia likens, as told over 50 years ago. Have a strong stomach before reading this, but people need. Sep 09, 1979 for four weeks the girl, sylvia likens, who had been left by her parents to board in the home of 37yearold gertrude baniszewski and her seven children, was routinely scalded, kicked, beaten with. Sylvia marie likens 19491965 find a grave memorial. Jun 16, 2008 sylvia likens crime scene photo 1960 duration. Teenage children and neighborhood kids were involved in torturing, beating, mutilating, mentally. Youtube 16yearold sylvia likens before staying with gertrude bansizewski and after being tortured to death.
On october 26, 1965, sylvia likens, a 16yearold teenager was found dead on a filthy mattress at 3850 east new york street. Lets go play at the adams is one example of facttofiction crime. For four weeks the girl, sylvia likens, who had been left by her parents. Sylvia marie likens january 3, 1949 october 26, 1965 was the third child of carnival workers lester cecil likens and his wife elizabeth betty frances. Nov 05, 2015 it wasnt looking good for a safe return. How did sylvia liken s parents react to her murder. In 2007 it was made into a feature film, the girl next door. With ellen page, hayley mcfarland, nick searcy, romy rosemont. Sylvia likens was born on january 3, 1949 and died on october 26, 1965.
Ive since bought and read this book and im finally ready to relay some thoughts on it. Instead, she was severely abused and killed at the hands of gertrude baniszewski. The ferocious murder of sylvia likens, the true story. A prosecutor in baniszewskis murder trial called the death of sylvia likens the worst violent crime in indianas history. She was the odd child because she was born in between two sets of twins. The story of how gertrude baniszewski and a coterie of neighborhood children tortured 16yearold sylvia likens to death in a lower middle class indianapolis home. See more ideas about sylvia likens, true crime and serial killers. What began as a temporary childcare arrangement between sylvia likenss parents and gertrude baniszewski turned into a crime that would haunt cops, prosecutors, and a community for decades to. On october 26, 1965, the body of a sixteenyearold girl named sylvia likens was. The murder of sylvia likens has been dealt with in at least five, and possibly six, works. They didnt want to kill sylvia likens, they just wanted to torture her daily, and no one knows why. School district fires aide upon learning of secret past. May 03, 2018 sylvia likens was born january 3, 1949 the third child of five to carnival workers lester cecil likens and elizabeth, betty, frances. Sylvia died blindfolded and tied up in a basement, succumbing to her months of abuse with an official cause of death listed as brain hemorrhage, shock, and malnutrition.
Have a strong stomach before reading this, but people need to remember her the torture begins in august 1965, baniszewski began to verbally and physically abuse sylvia likens, allowing her older children to beat her, and push her down stairs. Sylvia and her sister jenny were subjected to emotional and physical torture and abuse at the hands of gertrude baniszewski banishevski during the summer and fall of 1965. Diana and danny two years older, and jenny and benny one year younger, jenny disabled by polio. I doubt you will meet anyone here who actually knew sylvia likens or anyone connected with the case, because it happened so many years ago. Lawyers book retraces indys infamous sylvia likens murder. Nov 27, 2008 these conversations shed further light into the 1965 torture and murder of sylvia marie likens that shook the community of indianapolis and shocked the rest of the country. Sylvia likens project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Their family was poor, and her parents marriage was rocky. The murder of sylvia likens became an item of daily conversation as people read how she was beaten, burned, starved, scalded, tattooed and branded until death mercifully stepped in. Gertrude baniszewski the murder case of sylvia likens the baniszewskis crime has been enduring nightmare of a true crime in the history of indianapolis. I first heard about this book when the movie was on showtime, with ellen page. See more ideas about sylvia likens, true crime and crime.