GHENT, WV (WVNS)– There are at least five disturbing unsolved mysteries regarding deaths, murders, and disappearances right here in our Mountain State.
According to onlyinyourstate.com, these are just five of the more troubling unsolved mysteries in West Virginia.
#1 The murder of Sister Roberta Elam:
Sister Roberta was found raped and strangled to death at Mount St. Joseph up in Wheeling. When she was killed, Sister Roberta was on a silent retreat and was in a secluded area to meditate. No one was charged for her death, and the incident was rattling for the community due to her status as a nun. It also didn’t help that her body was found in broad daylight and the crime took place on the convent’s property, a place that is seen as a safe refuge.
#2 The murder of Irene Wilson:
In 1963, Irene Wilson, age 52, was brutally stabbed over 50 times in her home at Broomstick in Calhoun County. Many suspected her husband was guilty of her murder, but no one was ever charged for her death. Her husband died just a few months later. Irene was described as Christian woman who was well-liked by the community. She was killed while her husband was working as a nightwatchman, and when he called Irene there was no response. Being worried about his wife, he called their neighbors to check in on her and they sent two teenage girls, who found the gruesome state of her body.
#3 The Sodder children disappearance:
On Christmas Eve in 1945, the Sodder home was burned down in Fayetteville. Four of the nine children survived, but the other five was missing with no sign of their remains in the house. Their parents thought the fire was a cover for their abduction, and the coroner declared them all dead. Investigators were hired to find the missing children, and they speculated that a child-selling agency grabbed them, but nothing was ever found. The las surviving Sodder child did not believe they died in the fire, but that something else happened to them.
#4 The murder of LaRoy Earl Gorman:
Gorman, age 63, was shot execution style while getting into his car at the Steak & Ale Restaurant. The Police believed that the car had been waiting for him for over an hour and was then shot after le left the restaurant while arguing with the person in the car. Four witnesses came forward, but it was believed that there were more that didn’t come forward.
#5 The death of Danny Casolaro:
In 1991, Martinsburg native and freelance writer/reporter Danny Casolaro was found dead in his bathtub with his wrists slashed 10 to 12 times with a note that was found. His brother stated that Danny was getting threatening phone calls, and that Danny was too squeamish about blood to commit suicide in that manner. Some believe that he was murdered by a government agency, but no evidence was found.
If you would like to check out the source material for yourself, visit onlyinyourstate.com. For more chilling stories, you can find the 59News ‘Crime In the Coalfields’ Podcast on our website!
