Tanzler moved from Key West to Zephyrhills near where his wife and sister lived, but not before according to Perez (1952, n.d.), using a time-bomb to blow up the tomb the night he left. Perez, B. Additionally, he dressed her remains in stockings, jewelry, and gloves. Even his penetrating stare and vandyke beard cant distract you from his obsession with the hospitalized woman in his care. Which theory do you think best explains the Iraq War? Hoyos body was placed on display at a local funeral home, where nearly 7,000 people came to see the corrupted corpse for themselves. The former three, as he describes them, are quite applicable to Tanzler. Before she died, Carl wrote in his journal how he had hopes that, despite the extensive damage, the lesions would heal again. Hoyos family didnt realize that the only key to the tomb would remain in Tanzlers possession. He hoped she would return the same feelings. Carl Von Cosel had preserved her corpse for seven years. Enter Carl Tanzler von Cosel, a German-born radiology technician who worked at the hospital. She was a devout Catholic who enjoyed Rudolph Valentino movies, cooking for family and friends, dancing at the social club La Brisa and looking forward to the technological developments of the 1930s (Weller 2019). Surprisingly, there are no contemporary sources that mention anything about necrophilia. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Elena Hoyos died of tuberculosis at the age of twenty-two. Just 21 years old, and 32 years younger than Tanzler, Maria Elena Helen Milagro de Hoyos was brought to the hospital for an examination. When she passed away in 1931 from tuberculosis, Tanzler refused to leave her side. The charges against Tanzler were dropped as the statute of limitations on the crime had expired. St. Martins True Crime Classics. The Journal of Critical Care Medicine, vol. Try again. I have sent you to the angels with my golden elixir Perez also claimed Tanzler had once told him that he 'would kill Elena if necessary to fulfil [his] destiny'[12] The poison confession letter article was also cited by historian David L. Sloan on episode 44 of the NightMerica podcast.[14]. Like most patients, Hoyos was scared of the illness and the treatment. Join Ghost City Tours on one of our Ghost Tours and see what the excitment is all about! Years later he was found living in a house near the sea and through an investigation by Elena's sister, it was found that he had been living with her corpse, preserving it with oiled silk and wax to slow the decomposition. Whether he meant me I did not know and cared less (p. 37). To some, it is the ultimate romance, and to others, it is a grotesque tale of violation. Accounts show she led the normal life of a teenager in the 1920s. This turned into one of the most unusual, bizarre stories of all time. He was charged with wantonly and maliciously destroying a grave and removing a body without authorization.. She had come to the Marine Hospital for treatment of tuberculosis. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Bienvenido Perez, in a later interview for Men True Adventure magazine (n.d.), would reveal much darker intentions on Tanzlers part. p. 1 + 19. 2022 Ghost City, Ghost City Tours. I foremost would like to acknowledge writer and historian David L. Sloan. The County Jail charged him of malicious and wanton disfigurement of a burial vault, yet the jurors found no law that he had broken. Autopsy 6: Secrets of the Dead. Strong words from a man who was already technically rejected by Maria several times. Victorians described consumption as an illness that heightened the elegance and refinement of its victim, and that it was tragically beautiful to waste away with pallor and fragility. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Elena was in unbearable pain, but her parents approved of Von Cosel's arrangement. Failed to report flower. [10], In October 1940, Elena's sister Florinda heard rumors of Tanzler sleeping with the disinterred body of her sister and confronted Tanzler at his home, where Elena's body was eventually discovered (he was also caught dancing with her corpse in front of an open window). Today's episode is dedicated to our Patron, Jacqueline! Doris continued to support her deranged and estranged husband financially. He wrote his autobiography in 1947, and received American citizenship in 1950, because whats more American than defiling a dead body? Michelfelder (1982) stated that DePoo never explained why he kept his autopsy [findings] secret, (p.61) but Harrison (1996) later speculated that he did not reveal this at the time in order not to cause uproar in an already scandalous plot and to keep things dignified for Elenas surviving family members. As they autopsy her body, for a second time, they discovered that she was removed from her tomb two years after her burial. Ten years before Elenas birth, Von Cosels ancestor had appeared to him as an apparition. He then placed Elena Hoyos on his canopied bed, serenading her with a small, church organ. 6, no. Carl Tanzler Fell In Love With His Patient, Then Lived With Her Corpse. A cousin revealed to The Tennessean Sun in 1940: [Elenas] two rescues from death [via electric shock by Tanzler / von Cosel] had been so painful that Elena finally died hating her rescuer and [begged] to be allowed to stay dead. How can these immense, unfounded claims be made? Carls madness was discovered. In 1952, Tanzler was found dead by police on the floor of his home next to a wax replica of Elena. In 2009, Mike Glendinning released two songs inspired by Tanzler's story, "Elena" and "Dust Off My Bride," on his "Psychotic America: Lullabies & Necrophilia" album. Mesa left for Miami, leaving Elena alone as her illness worsened (Harrison 1996). By all appearances, she was an attractive dark haired beauty queen who often wore red roses in her hair, drawing the attention of strangers who desired to photograph and court her. Maria Elena had a bit of a tragic life. He searched for her, but he could never meet the woman he saw in his dream. All right reserved. Tanzler immediately recognized her as the woman of his dreams. He showered her with luxurious treats, hoping that Elena would accept his hand in marriage. The family, considering Elena was fatally ill at this point, conceded. Tragically, de Hoyos died on October 25, 1931, at the age of 22. Tanzler became enamored with her, and took an overly keen interest in her care, despite not having any idea on how to treat tuberculosis. Hes got this plan to be with her after shes dead. Interested in learning more about the most haunted places on the Island? Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Back to Carl: despite being in his 50s and resembling Sigmund Freud, he did not inhibit himself from making strong advances towards young Maria. Sorry! He was born as Karl Tnzler or Georg Karl Tnzler on February 8, 1877 in Dresden, Germany. Thus, they found it odd that Tanzler stopped visiting the mausoleum two years after her death. [1], On April 22, 1930, while working at the Marine Hospital in Key West, Tanzler met Maria Elena "Helen" Milagro de Hoyos (19091931), a local Cuban-American woman who had been brought to the hospital by her mother for an examination. He slept with the body in his bed, but he kept a curtain between them because he was an extreme gentleman. Elena Hoyos. Instead of a cure, she found a radiologist named Karl Tanzler who instantly became obsessed with her. In 1944, Tanzler moved to Pasco County, Florida, close to Zephyrhills, where he wrote an autobiography that appeared in the pulp publication, Fantastic Adventures, in 1947. Tanzler grew up in Imperial Germany, but, at some point, wound up in Australia just prior to the outbreak of World War I. Tanzler added copious amounts of perfumes, flowers, disinfectants, and preserving agents to keep the rotting odor at bay, and routinely applied morticians wax to Hoyos face in an effort to keep her alive.. There is sufficient evidence to state that Tanzler, if not experiencing loathing towards Elena herself, experienced much loathing towards the people and situations around her. This would not be the end of Tanzlers obsession. Carl claimed Maria began talking to him from the other side, telling him she was afraid of decaying and rotting. He even installed a telephone line to Elenas crypt so that he could continue speaking to her. He provided free radiation treatments to Elena Hoyos, and a promise of marriage. He dressed her corpse in a wedding gown after stuffing her body cavity with rags. Despite everything, the statute of limitations had expired for the crime he was accused of committing, leaving Tanzler free to go. Tanzler loved everything about Hoyos. She came here 71 years ago from her native Dresden, Germany. Oddly enough, the public found Carl to be a sympathetic figure; a tragic romantic who had lost his beloved to cruel fate. Today, it seems even the dead body is no longer respected. This is a carousel with slides. She was not someone important, and she never did anything of note other than die young of tuberculosis. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? That seems extremely dubious. GREAT NEWS! In October 1940, Hoyos sister, Florinda, heard conflicting rumors about Tanzlers budding romance with a mysterious woman. Born in Key West in 1909, the daughter of a cigar maker and a homemaker, Hoyos was raised in a large family and was brought to the hospital by her mother after becoming ill. [1][8], One evening in April 1933, Tanzler crept through the cemetery where Elena was buried and removed her body from the mausoleum, carting it through the cemetery after dark on a toy wagon, and transported it to his home. She had dark hair, was beautiful and was a foreigner. Elena was legally married to Mesa at the time of her death. This all seems like silly speculation, to get people to read an old story. He created a life-like effigy and mask of her face, to replace the confiscated cadaver. He died of an apparent suicide in his home in July of 1952 lying next to the death mask of his beloved. He also made countless proposals of marriage towards Elena, starting the night her older sister Florinda Nana Medina (1906 1944) was wed. Elenas mother protested and kicked Tanzler out of the family home (Tanzler von Cosel 1947, Harrison 1996, Sloan 2012). (Yes, to a real, live, breathing woman.). He had also used flowers and other scents to keep out the odor. Design a site like this with WordPress.com, The Strange Afterlife of Maria Elena Milagro deHoyos, Odd Oldies: A Vampire, A Romance & A Friendship from Hell Criminally Clueless Podcast. But the curious began wondering why Von Cosel visited her night after night and when his visits stopped all assumed he had died. Later he was removed to Trial Bay to a castle-like prison on the cliffs, and there the work in this narrative was accomplished. Love: the mercy killing of a baby with a major deformity or partner with incurable cancer. They were unaware that the doctor had found sperm inside Elenas corpse, clear evidence of necrophilia. Finding her safe, he remained with her for three years, witnessing the chaos that followed in the wake of the war. She died on October 25, 1931 at the age of 22. . In April of 1933, Carl Tanzler removed Hoyos body from the mausoleum, no longer requiring him to make his nightly visits to the graveyard as she would now be housed in his own home. Su padre, Francisco Pancho Hoyos, haba amasado una fortuna. Tanzler also used perfume, disinfectants, and preserving agents to mask the odor of Hoyos decomposition. Carl spent hours at Marias gravesite everyday, talking to her corpse, singing songs to her, reading stories, and other crazy activities that are best left unspoken. 3 Feb. 2021, https://redcircle.com/shows/nightmerica. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Just 21 years old, and 32 years younger than Tanzler, Maria Elena "Helen" Milagro de Hoyos was brought to the hospital for an examination. Nosy neighbours who peered through Carls window saw him dancing with the figure of a woman, and some thought it was a large doll. There, he met Cuban-American Maria Elena "Helen" Milagro de Hoyos and became instantly infatuated. Tanzler was undeterred though and searched the streets every night until a sympathetic neighbour told him of the location. He even bought her a mahogany bed, which would become her deathbed. Carl Von Cosel was nevertheless unsatisfied with the outcome of his trial. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Thanks for your help! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram You can be sure that everything that you did was sane. This engraving with Elenas name can now be found at the Fort Martello Museum in Key West. With the consent of her family, Carl paid for Marias funeral and erected an elaborate mausoleum for her corpse. She forbade the family to let von Cosel know until she was too far across the border to be recalled (p.1). His home was near his wife Doris, who apparently helped to support Tanzler in his later years. A local Cuban- American woman by the name of Maria Elena "Helen" Milagro de Hoyos was brought into the hospital by her mother for an examination. Try again later. Born the daughter of a cigar maker she came from a large Cuban-American family. Forever and ever, she is with me.. Tanzler immediately recognized Hoyos as the woman from his dream. Bizzarrepedia . Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos was a 21-year-old Cuban American beauty. Helen had . If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. [6], Around 1920, following his return to Germany, Tanzler married Doris Schfer (18891977). She was a waitress and homemaker. 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