By Issac Piper
Many people in Cleveland know the story of the Torso Murderer. In the early 1900s when Cleveland and the surrounding area were less developed, a killer was loose. With twelve confirmed bodies it’s no wonder that he remained infamous. So infamous in fact that Dr Matthew Phillips, Dr Jessica McLaughlin, along with David Bernatowicz, all Tri-C professors, discussed this famed killer’s history and psychology. This event was held on March 19, 2025 as a part of Dr Matthew Phillips interview series “Navigating a Polarized World.”
The history of Torso Murderer was told by Professor David Bernatowicz, who is uniquely qualified as he teaches Cleveland history. As both his classes and the event teach, Cleveland in the early 1900s, specifically 1932-1940s, was significantly underdeveloped compared to modern day. One of the biggest factors was the large homeless population. These homeless people created a shanty town which is essentially a homeless city. As many of the victims of the killer were homeless, Bernatowicz explains how the police suspected a homeless man must be the killer. This led to the shanty town being torched to deter the killer.
Dr Jessica McLaughlin led the section on the psychology of the Torso Murderer. While history deals in more objective facts with records, psychology of a historical figure is more theoretical. This is applied when the victims are discussed. While twelve bodies were officially attributed to this killer, Dr McLaughlin shows how up to twenty or more victims found through the early 1900s fit the methods used by the confirmed Torso victims.
Dr McLaughlin also spoke on the taunting nature of the killer. Eliot Ness, known for taking down Al Capone, was brought to Cleveland to catch the Torso Murderer. Through the years, the killer sent Ness a number of postcards. These postcards all had taunting messages. Dr McLaughlin attributes this to something most killers have, a need for attention.
The professors also speak on suspects for the Torso Murderer. As Bernatowicz outlined, the police first thought that the killer must be homeless as many of the victims are homeless. However as the murders went on they found the methods of killing no longer fit a homeless person. The Torso Murderer was known for dismembering his victims, often surgically removing entire limbs and organs. Due to this, the prevailing theory was that the killer must be a butcher or a doctor. This leads to a man named Francis, Frank, Sweeney. Frank was a wartime doctor with heavy substance abuse problems. While he had some circumstantial evidence, Sweeney’s substance abuse caused his story to shift. As well as this, Sweeney was related to a political opponent of Ness and was generally considered a higher class person. This led to no suspect ever being convicted.
Today, the Torso Murderer is famed in history and popular culture. A film in 2018 along with another in the horizon are both based on these deaths. Books and even games have been created using the Torso Murderer as inspiration.
Perhaps the most profound part of the interview was Dr McLaughlin’s viewpoint on the victims. While we as people have a tendency to idolize these killers in a way, seeing them as stories more than tragedies, we can not forget the fact. These deaths were very real and very tragic. As they were less than 100 years ago, there are some alive today who do not see these victims as a story, but instead family. The Torso Murderer was a sick twisted individual whose devastating impact can still be felt today.
