The Lovers of Modena

In 2009 archeologists found a pair of skeletons in present-day Modena, Italy. The skeletons were buried with their hands interlocked. It's believed that two had died between the 4th and 6th century CE. It's believed the area they were found may have been a war cemetery.

It was an unusual grave as at the time people were not typically buried holding hands. It is not unheard of though as there were many other similar burials that went against the norm throughout history. Initially, because of the pose, it was believed that it was a man and a woman in the grave, but later testings on the enamel peptides by the University of Bologna proved it wrong. Both people in the grave were middle-aged men. It's unknown what the relationship was between the two. It's possible instead of lovers, they could have been, siblings, cousins, or close friends. All is known is that they would not have been buried this way without some sort of close relationship.

SOURCES:
Wikipedia

The Guardian

CNN

BBC

Rai News

Murder of Margaret and Bruce Moser

 

On Jan. 4 1978 20-year-old Bruce Moser left work to pick up his wife, 22-year-old Margaret, at their home located at State Road 3, 1/8 mile north of Wells and Blackford County Line in Indiana. No one would hear from the couple for a couple of days.

When they were found both Margaret and Bruce had been murdered, but their 2-year-old daughter was unharmed. Bruce's hands were tied behind his back with boot laces in the living room near the front door. He had been shot in the head. It's believed that the killer was interrupted by Bruce when he came home.  Margaret was tied to the bed with only a torn shirt on. She had been raped and shot in the head. The gun used was Bruce's .22 caliber single-shot rifle. The home was also robbed. It's unknown if the killer or killers initially intended to kill the couple.

SOURCES:

Indiana State Police (Margaret)

Indiana State Police (Bruce)

Find a Grave (Bruce)

Find a Grave (Margaret)

Medium

South Bend Tribune Jan 7, 1978

The Daily Journal Jan. 7, 1978

The Star Press Jan. 10, 1978

Murder of Albert and Joan Musalo

On March 28, 2006, Joanne Kohls tried to call her parents at their home at a gated community in Montreux, Nevada just South of Reno. Albert and Joan Musalo typically kept in touch with their daughter daily, but in the last couple of days, she had not heard anything from them. The couple was in their 70's and their daughter feared that they may have had a power outage, so she called security at the gated community to go check on them. They knocked, but there were no answers.

Joanne not knowing what was going on decided to head over there herself with her husband. When she arrived she expected the power to either be out or both were sick. When they entered the home Joanne's heart dropped there was mud tracked in the house and she knew her mother to keep everything clean.

Joanne asked her husband to go to the master bedroom and check if they were there. Sadly the couple had been shot to death in their home. It was known that the couple was targeted, but for what reason is unknown. Whoever killed them cut the phone lines to the home before coming in and murdering them.

The muddied footprints were lead from and back to a walking trail just beyond their fence. There was male DNA found and ballistics on the bullets could make a match to a firearm.

The family is offering a $35,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible.

SOURCES:
Washoe County Sheriff's Office

Reno Gazette-Journal 

News 2

Murder of John and Michelle Klein

In March of 1981 28-year-old John Klein and his wife 25-year-old, Michelle went from California to Kaua'i, Hawaii for vacation. John was working as a California Attorney and Michelle was working as a publicist for Sunkist. The couple was supposed to leave on March 21st after a week of being there. They did not check out of their hotel, all of their stuff was still inside and their rental car wasn't returned.

A search began for the couple. Their car was found at the base of Kuilau Trail. On March 25 the couple's bodies were found by searchers with dogs. The couple had both been shot to death. He was found lying face up with his hiking boots, and short without a shirt and Michelle was found laying on top of him. There were several theories on the motive or who had killed the couple.

SOURCES:
County of Kaua'i
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
The Honolulu Advertiser 

Murder of Terry and Darleen Anderson

On October 21, 2005, a coworker of 60-year-old Terry Anderson went to pick him up for work at his home in LaGrange, Indiana. She walked into the home and first found Terry's wife 57-year-old Darleen. She was on the couch dead covered in blood. Inside the pole barn was Terry. Both had been beaten to death with a hatchet. There were items stolen from the home also including a rifle, crossbow, and some coins.

The two did what they typically did after work the night before. Terry was in the barn working on a tractor and Darleen stayed inside the home relaxing. She briefly went to visit with her mother at the trailer she was staying at on the property. Darleen's mother noted that she noticed headlights that night, but the dogs didn't bark so she assumed it was someone they knew.

When they were attacked it was fast and swift as there were no signs of defensive wounds. It's believed that they also had their guard down around the murderer and knew them. Darleen was in a comfortable position with her legs up and reading a book and eating popcorn.  Terry had been attacked from the back, but possibly felt comfortable enough to turn his back to the killer.

SOURCES:
Indiana State Police (Terry)
Indiana State Police (Darleen)
WNDU
Huffington Post 
ABC 57

Murder of Maurice and Ellen Wilkinson

On the morning of August 16, 1974 around 7:30 a.m. one of Maurice and Ellen Wilkinson's young children discovered their bodies in their home on Route 16 in Center Ossipee, New Hampshire. 48-year-old Maurice was found sitting in a chair in the living room and 39-year-old Ellen was laying in bed. They had been shot to death by a 9mm weapon. Maurice was shot once while Ellen was shot multiple times.

None of the four children were harmed and there was no evidence of a break-in.

SOURCES:
New Hampshire Department of Justice (Maurice)
New Hampshire Department of Justice (Ellen)

Nashua Telegraph 

The Portsmouth Herald

Murder of Thomas and Elizabeth Whittemore

On August 24, 1968 32 year old Thomas Whittemore and his wife 30 year old Elizabeth Whittemore were last seen in their filling station. It was found that two days worth of receipts and a bag of money were missing from the station. The couple were from Rutland City.

On September 4. 1968 a couple taking walk in the woods found the Whittmore's car Fire Hill Rd., in Pittsford Vt. The road they were found on was considered abandoned. Mr. Whittemore was in the passenger seat and Mrs. Whittemore was found slumped against the right side of the vehicle. It was determined that the two died from multiple gunshot wounds to the back of the head. The gun used was a .22 caliber revolver and was never recovered.

It could be possible the couple were abducted from the filling station and robbery was a motive. As the two days of receipts and money were never found. Money in Mr. Whittemore's wallet and Mrs. Whittemore's purse was untouched. Another theory is that the motive was murder, but made it look like robbery of the filling station.

According to the older news reports two New Jersey women were the last to see the couple at the filling station. It is unknown to me if these two women were found.



SOURCES:
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15731045/thomas_and_elizabeth_whittmore/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15908554/thomas_and_elizabeth_whittemore/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15908545/thomas_and_elizabeth_whittemore/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15908536/thomas_and_elizabeth_whittemore/
http://vsp.vermont.gov/unsolved/homicide/whittemore
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15908526/thomas_and_elizabeth_whittemore/