Diana and danny two years older, and jenny and benny one year younger, jenny disabled by polio. I first found out about sylvia likens while doing research on the life and death of lisa steinberg in 2004, and this story is one of the most depressing and unjust stories ive read in my entire life. She originally read this poem at the dedication ceremony of the sylvia likens memorial at willard park in indianapolis back in 2001. Lawyers book retraces indys infamous sylvia likens. Gertrude baniszewski, who came to be known as the torture mother, was an indiana divorcee who oversaw and facilitated the prolonged torture, mutilation, rapes and eventual murder of sylvia likens, a teenage girl she had taken into her home.
Reinstalling the trial of sylvia likens the devils tale. It is a completely different take with a darker twist that an american crime, but it is loosely based on the sylvia likens case. A compelling true story about the tortured life and death of sylvia likens. For the first time since its initial exhibition in 1978, kate milletts chilling installation, the trial of sylvia likens, has been reassembled. Lets go play at the adams is one example of facttofiction crime. Sylvia likens murder is one of the most atrocious cases of child abuse ever. At the defendants trial, deputy prosecutor leroy new, described the case as the most diabolical case to ever come before a court or jury and gertrudes. The horrific, tragic death of 16yearold sylvia marie likens page. The children who helped her to torture and kill sylvia likens were given incredibly short sentences.
Actual crime scene photos of sylvia likens images about sylvia likens graphic content on. Sylvias carnival worker parents boarded her and her sister jenny with. How did sylvia liken s parents react to her murder. The murder of sylvia likens was a child murder which occurred in indianapolis, indiana in october 1965. This book is the interpretation of the torture, and eventual murder of a young girl named sylvia likens. The murder of 16yearold sylvia likens in 1965 is called the most terrible crime ever committed in the state of indiana. Sylvia likens the complete picture house of evil book.
Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new. Three movies have been made about her and her tragic life. In loving memory of sylvia marie likens home facebook. Lawyers book retraces indys infamous sylvia likens murder case. This book offers the only insiders account of what happened i the courtroom.
Teenage children and neighborhood kids were involved in torturing, beating, mutilating, mentally. Sylvias carnivalworker parents boarded her and her sister jenny with. Forrest bowman represented coy hubbard and john baniszewski. The trial, which lasted a month, was front page news on a daily basis in indianapolis and attracted media attention throughtout the country and occasionally internationally. The 16yearold likens was tortured to death by gertrude baniszewski, baniszewskis children, and other young people from their neighborhood. The sylvia likens murder was called the single worst crime perpetrated against an individual in. Although not about the sylvia likens case, a book called dear. In july 1965, lester likens decided to take up with the carnival again while his wife was jailed for shoplifting that summer.
At the defendants trial, deputy prosecutor leroy new, described the case as the most diabolical case to ever. An iowa teachers aide is fired after her school district unravels her link to the torture and death of a girl in 1965. Forrest bowman is a certified indiana super lawyer and the last link to one of this states most famous tragedies. Sylvia and her sister jenny were subjected to emotional and physical torture and abuse at the hands of gertrude baniszewski banishevski during the summer and fall of 1965. The fiveweek trial of the divorcee and four children two of them her own on charges of first degree murder gave complacent indiana citizens their most searing courtroom drama in years. The murder of sylvia likens was a child murder which occurred in indianapolis, indiana in. A 16yearold girl named sylvia marie likens had been found dead in a house on the east side of town. As a teenager, i grew up in indianapolis, indiana which is also the location of indianas most disturbing murder. In this book, written by a newspaperman who covered the trial, the whole story. The murder of sylvia likens, as told over 50 years ago. In the heart of indianapolis in the mid 1960s, through a twist of fate and fortune, a pretty young girl came to live with a thirtysevenyearold mother and her seven children. The likens trial at the best online prices at ebay. An account of the sylvia likens murder trial, told from the point of view of one of the defense attorneys on the case. Three months later, on october 26, sylvia died following a prolonged regime of torture.
Read at least 100 newspaper articles covering the trial. Ive since bought and read this book and im finally ready to relay some thoughts on it. The murder as told through indianapolis news archives. This forum is a place to discuss sylvia marie likens and defend her agianst the baniszewski family members on the old yuku forum. They used lies and manipulation to shut our other board down, but we are back. Instead, she was severely abused and killed at the hands of the ferocious murder of sylvia likens, the true story horror galore. Although the crime happened decades ago, many people who have lived in indianapolis for any significant time know about the sylvia likens homicide. Gertrude baniszewski the murder case of sylvia likens the baniszewskis crime has been enduring nightmare of a true crime in the history of indianapolis. The murder of sylvia likens took place in indianapolis, indiana, united states in october 1965. Sylvia likens was the abandoned child, left to a local family, with her sister, in the hopes of the children living a righteous life. For weeks, even months, the torture of sylvia likens was casual. Sylvia started to begin the note like the one she had previously been forced to write, dear mom and dad, but mrs. The torture and murder of sylvia likens the indiana torture slaying.
The murder of sylvia likens has been dealt with in at least five, and possibly six, works. The likens trial, presents a thorough, inside, daybyday recollection of a trial that captivated and horrified the state in 1966. The horrific, tragic death of 16yearold sylvia marie likens. The details of her demise, revealed at the 1966 trial, defy belief. The murder of sylvia likens became an item of daily conversa tion as people. My first exposure to sylvia was the book the basement by kate millett, and it was so horrible that i almost couldnt finish it. I have pushed sylvia likens, several times down the stairs steps, i knocked her down the stairs once. Sylvia likens ordeal and death by john dean 189pp borf books 0960489479 after hearing of the story, and watching the movies, the indiana torture slaying was a hard book to pick up and start. School district fires aide upon learning of secret past. The easiest to get hold of is the basement by feminist kate millett.
Her parents, carnival workers, had left likens and her sister jenny in the care of the baniszewski family three months before her death in exchange for. Have a strong stomach before reading this, but people need to remember her the torture begins in august 1965, baniszewski began to verbally and physically abuse sylvia likens, allowing her older children to beat her, and push her down stairs. The murder of sylvia likens became an item of daily conversation as people read how she was beaten, burned, starved, scalded. I wish we had more membersyou should be a moderator leading this story in all fairness. On monday, the staff of the sallie bingham center for womens history and culture and art history instructor laurel fredrickson joined with filmmakers sophie keirthompson and. Sylvia likens, the teenager murdered by her caretaker and. Harriet luella sanders, a witness called on behalf of the defendant john stephan baniszewski, being duly sworn by the court, testified as follows. Have a strong stomach before reading this, but people need.
What began as a temporary childcare arrangement between sylvia likenss parents and gertrude baniszewski turned into a crime that would haunt cops, prosecutors, and a community for decades to. Sylvia marie likens january 3, 1949 october 26, 1965 was the third child of carnival workers lester cecil likens and his wife elizabeth betty frances. Likens, aged 16, was held captive and subjected to increasing levels of child abuse and torturecommitted over a period of almost three monthsby her caregiver, gertrude baniszewski, many of baniszewskis children, and several other neighborhood children, before ultimately succumbing to her injuries on october 26. This book is written in a journalistic and very literal manner. The evidence introduced at the trial indicated that the victim, sylvia marie likens, died on october 26, 1965 from a. This is a criminal charge brought in the marion county criminal court upon an indictment charging the appellant with the crime of first degree murder. Ghost of indianapolis, 50th anniversary strange to note. Instead, she was severely abused and killed at the hands of gertrude baniszewski. After sylvias death, this letter would be turned over to a cop by mrs. I would just do the book here serene or start a new topic under the sylvia likens story or the complete picture.
The following is an addendum to a previous introductory post i penned earlier this year. The murder of sylvia maria likens on 26 october indianapolis police found the body of sylvia likens, covered in wounds, many of them cigarette burns. Below are the books, that are available on amazon, if you are interested in reading more. The first step in reconstructing the trial of sylvia likens was locating. An account of the sylvia likens murder trial, told from the point of view of one of. While i did not intend to do a followup posting on sylvia, this past weekend marked the official 50th anniversary date since her tragic passing october 26, 1965. Sylvia likens was a happy, beautiful 16yearold when her parents left her and her sister in the care of gertrude baniszewski while they went on the road for work. Likens by bathing her and her own efforts of twice striking likens face with a book to revive her were unsuccessful. The basement is partly an account of the trial of gertrude baniszewski and her family for the murder of sylvia likens, partly a brooding discourse by kate millen author of the controversial.
Sylvia likens and the wm3 are still the two cases that infuriate me the most, even all these years later. Prior to starting this book, millett had put on several sculptural exhibitions inspired by the likens case. Wright told her to stop and made her start over with the peculiar salutation, to mr. The book s opening half covers the particulars of the case. The girls would be beaten when the check did not come in the mail. Over a period of three months shed been starved, beaten, burned with cigarettes, scalded in a tub of hot water.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Sylvia likens, a young girl who was held captive, tortured for three months and eventually killed by a woman and her children. Jenny likens, the 16year old sister of murdered sylvia likens and one of the principal states witnesses in the murder trial, boarded a plane for a. Paula baniszewski a new trial due to prejudicial atmosphere, but gertrude. The torture and murder of sylvia likens the indiana. It all began in july 1965, with sylvia likens and her younger sister jenny left by their carny parents in the care of 37yearold gertrude baniszewski and her seven children. Sylvia likens project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. The ferocious murder of sylvia likens, the true story. Jack is an author who has brought attention to the sylvia likens case through his book and movie the girl next door. In 1966 star reporter john dean, who covered the trial, wrote a book. Stephanie baniszewskis attorney got her a separate trial and later the murder. I doubt you will meet anyone here who actually knew sylvia likens or anyone connected with the case, because it happened so many years ago.