7 Chilling Facts About The Axeman Of New Orleans: The Jazz-Loving Serial Killer Who Vanished

The Axeman of New Orleans remains one of American history's most terrifying and bizarre cold cases, a century-old mystery that continues to haunt the Crescent City. This unidentified serial killer terrorized the city and its surrounding parishes between May 1918 and October 1919, using axes, chisels, and straight razors to brutally attack mostly Italian-American families. As of today, December 10, 2025, the case is still officially unsolved, with new historical analyses and theories continuing to surface, particularly concerning the killer's strange connection to the burgeoning New Orleans jazz scene. The Axeman’s reign of terror coincided with the devastating Spanish Flu pandemic and the final stages of World War I, plunging the already strained city into a state of unprecedented fear. The killer's signature was a forced entry, usually by prying open a back door panel, and leaving the victim's own axe or chisel at the scene. The attacks were relentless, targeting grocers and immigrants, fueling a climate of xenophobia and suspicion that complicated the police investigation.

Profile of the Unidentified Killer and Key Suspects

The true identity of the Axeman remains one of the most intriguing aspects of the case, with no single individual ever being definitively linked to all the crimes. The investigation generated several theories and suspects, though none were ever conclusively proven to be the serial killer.

• The Unidentified Axeman (The Profile)
  • Activity Period: May 1918 – October 1919.
  • Victim Profile: Primarily Italian-American immigrants, many of whom were grocers. This led to theories of a personal vendetta, extortion racket, or anti-Italian xenophobia.
  • Modus Operandi: Forced entry through back doors, attacking victims while they slept, and using the victim's own tools (axes or chisels) as the murder weapon.
  • Total Victims: At least 6 confirmed deaths and 6 severe injuries.
  • Last Attack: October 27, 1919, against Mike Pepitone's wife.
• Suspect 1: Joseph Mumfre (Manfre/Monfre/Momfre)
  • Background: A known criminal with connections to the New Orleans mob and a history involving extortion rackets.
  • Theory: The most popular and enduring theory, championed by crime writer Colin Wilson. Mumfre was allegedly the target of the final attack in 1919, where his wife was killed.
  • Fate: Mumfre was later shot and killed in Los Angeles in 1920 by a woman claiming to be the widow of the last Axeman victim, Mike Pepitone, potentially ending the killing spree.
• Suspect 2: Andrew Maggio
  • Background: Brother of the first two victims, Joseph and Catherine Maggio. He was a barber.
  • Theory: Andrew was briefly the prime suspect in the murder of his brother and sister-in-law because the murder weapon was believed to be his straight razor. He claimed to have been intoxicated and unable to hear the attack in the adjoining room. He was eventually released due to insufficient evidence.

The Victims: A Target on Italian-American Grocers

The attacks were concentrated in neighborhoods with large populations of Italian immigrants, such as Gretna, the Lower Ninth Ward, and the Gentilly area, fostering a belief that the killer was specifically targeting the community. This pattern of violence against a specific ethnic group amplified the terror and the community's distrust of the police, who struggled to make sense of the seemingly random yet ethnically focused brutality. The first known victims were the Maggio family in May 1918. Joseph Maggio and his wife, Catherine Maggio, were brutally attacked, with Joseph dying almost instantly. The horror continued with the murders of Rosie Cortimiglia and her husband Charles in the Gretna neighborhood, where their young daughter, Mary, survived and later provided a description of the killer that proved unhelpful. The final, and perhaps most telling, attack occurred in October 1919, when the killer murdered Mike Pepitone's wife. This event is often cited as the potential end of the Axeman's reign, especially given the later shooting of Joseph Mumfre, suggesting a possible revenge motive or a connection to the mob.

The Chilling Jazz Ultimatum: "Jazz It Out—or Get the Axe"

The most bizarre and famous twist in the Axeman saga came on March 13, 1919, when a letter, purportedly from the killer himself, was published in several New Orleans newspapers, including *The Times-Picayune*. The letter was a taunting challenge to the police and a lifeline to the public. The Axeman declared he was "not a human being" but a "spirit from the hottest hell." He promised to strike again on the following Tuesday night, precisely fifteen minutes past midnight. However, he offered a strange, musical reprieve:

"I swear by all the devils in the regions of Hades that every person shall be spared in whose home a jazz band is in full swing at the time I have just mentioned. If everyone has a jazz band going, well, then, so much the better for the people. One thing is certain and that is that some of your people who do not jazz it out on that Tuesday night (if there be any) will get the axe."

This unprecedented ultimatum created a city-wide frenzy. On the night of March 19, 1919, New Orleans exploded with music. Dance halls, saloons, and private homes across the city—from the French Quarter to the suburban parishes—blared "hot jazz" music. The sound was a shield against death. The result was extraordinary: The following morning, no attacks were reported. The Axeman, true to his word, had spared the city, cementing an unbreakable link between the city's unique musical culture and its darkest true crime legend. This event is a powerful piece of evidence suggesting the killer was either a lover of jazz, a musician himself, or someone intimately familiar with the local culture and the power of the press. The letter's emphasis on jazz is a key reason why the case remains a favorite among true crime historians and a unique cultural artifact.

Lingering Questions and The End of the Terror

The Axeman's reign of terror abruptly ended after the October 1919 attack on the Pepitone family. The sudden cessation of the murders has led to several theories:

• The Joseph Mumfre Theory: The most compelling theory suggests that the Axeman was indeed Joseph Mumfre, and he was killed in Los Angeles in 1920 by Mike Pepitone's widow, who sought revenge for the murder of her husband's wife. If true, this act of vigilante justice closed the case forever.
• Incarceration or Institutionalization: Another possibility is that the killer was arrested for an unrelated crime, institutionalized, or died from natural causes, such as the Spanish Flu, which was rampant during that period.
• Leaving New Orleans: The killer may have simply moved on, perhaps fearing the intensified police scrutiny or the vigilante atmosphere among the Italian-American community.

Despite the passage of over a century, the Axeman of New Orleans remains an officially unidentified serial killer. The historical record, however, paints a vivid picture of a city gripped by fear, xenophobia, and a killer who used a combination of brutal violence and a strange, almost theatrical, love of jazz to manipulate the public and baffle the authorities. The case is a chilling reminder of the dark side of New Orleans history and the enduring power of an unsolved mystery.