Hey there, DETECTIVES! DETECTIVE WRITER here to tell you all about another unsolved crime that took place in New Jersey, 1922, the case of the Hall-Mills murder case. 

Edward Wheeler Hall and Eleanor Mills

In Somerset County, New Jersey, on September 16th, the bodies of Edward Wheeler Hall and Eleanor Mills were found in a field near a farm. 

TRIGGER WARNING: My cohost and I will be discussing the manner of death as well as the crime scene and how the bodies were discovered. The bodies were both on their backs, they had been shot in the right side of the head, Mills was shot three times and Hall was shot one time. It is also essential to note that Hall, an Episcopal priest, was having an affair with Mills. Both victims were married to other people. Mills was shot under her right eye, her throat had been severed. Maggots were also found on her wound – so the police believed that they were murdered over 24 hours prior. Hill had a hat covering his face, his business card was placed on his feet. 

At the time of her death, Mills was wearing a blue dress with red polka dots, stockings, and shoes, as well as her blue velvet hat was on the ground by her feet, and her brown silk scarf was wrapped around her neck. One of her arms had a bruise, with a cut on her lip. Someone had placed her left hand to touch Hill’s right thigh. 

At the scene, Hills had glasses on his face, he had a bruise on the tip of his ear, his gold watch was missing, he had coins in his pocket, and someone had positioned his right arm to touch Mill’s neck. 

Soon after, Hall’s wife, Frances Noel Stevens, her two brothers, Henry Hewgill Stevens and William “Willie” Carpender Stevens, and a cousin, Henry de la Bruyere Carpender were suspected to have had a role in the role but no one was indicted. Carpenter had bid to be tried separately from everyone else but he was never tried. Although Hill’s wife and brothers in law had motive for the murder, they were acquitted and there was not enough evidence to convict them. To this day, the murders remain unsolved.

I hope you have enjoyed this storytime as much as we did, DETECTIVES! I hope you all have enjoyed our 100th episode, DETECTIVES! I can’t thank you enough for all of your support. Please let us know in the comments if you want to have more storytime! Have a great day, night, afternoon, or evening, DETECTIVES! Stay tuned for next week’s post; until then, keep on sleuthing, DETECTIVES!