Once she was diagnosed with tuberculosis, he took it upon himself to do whatever he could to cure her and offered services free of charge. He constantly applied disinfectants, deodorizer and formaldehyde to counteract the smells of putrefaction. No matter how hard Tanzler tried, he couldnt save Hoyos. Although reporters wrote that Carl Von Cosel died alone in 1952, this is somewhat untrue. When she passed away in 1931 from tuberculosis, Tanzler refused to leave her side. Not only were reporters sympathetic to Count Von Cosels May-December romance, jurors acquitted Von Cosel of the theft, preservation, and mistreatment of Elenas cadaver. Loathing. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loathing. [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). Though the story is known and historical, not all of the events therein are common knowledge and thus, so too is the true extent of the indignity that Elena suffered. Carl von Cosel was acquitted. While the story was first presented in the media as a tragic love story, something played up to a great extent by Tanzler, more information has slowly come to the surface in the eight decades since Elenas final burial that has given it a much darker turn. He wrote his autobiography in 1947, and received American citizenship in 1950, because whats more American than defiling a dead body? On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Key West, Monroe County, Florida, USA. Join Ghost City Tours on one of our Ghost Tours and see what the excitment is all about! Family members linked to this person will appear here. He would buy her gifts and dote on her, and did everything in his power to heal her, but she succumbed to the illness. With the consent of her family, Carl paid for Marias funeral and erected an elaborate mausoleum for her corpse. Once home, Tanzler stitched Hoyos decomposing body back together, attaching the corpses bones with wire and coat hangers. Tanzler never met this mysterious woman. Carl Von Cosel had consummated their marriage. However, he became interested in engineering and electrical work there, bought property, boats, an organ, an island in the Pacificso that he was still in Australia at the end of ten years. The first of many details was revealed by Dr. Julio DePoo in 1972. Tanzler immediately recognized Hoyos as the woman from his dream. The only thing she wanted from Tanzler was a proper medical treatment. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. These cookies do not store any personal information. [10] His body was discovered on the floor of his home three weeks after his death. The Count [Tanzler] is in love, hes a much older man in love with a young girl who wants nothing to do with him. Little did they know, Elena, my darling, we are alone on this shore. While he had a family of his own, he was still disappointed that he hadnt met the woman of his dreams. Separated from his obsession, Tanzler used a death mask to create a life-sized effigy of Elena, and lived with it until his death at age 75 on July 3, 1952. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? In 1940, it was finally over. The Countess had an interesting story herself; being the mistress of 18th century King Augustus II of Poland. A psychiatric evaluation determined that Tanzler was competent to stand trial, although some reports state that his ultimate plans involved flying Hoyos, high into the stratosphere so that radiation from outer space could penetrate her tissues and restore life to her somnolent form.. He even exaggerated his achievements to her parents, claiming he was Count von Cosel (even though he wasnt a count). Von Cosel (Carl Tanzler) in 1940 / Florida KeysPublic Libraries / Flickr / CC BY 2.0, The haunting history of La Pascualita History 101, John Dillingers body to be exhumed after 85 years History 101. 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. It was told back then and is still revered now as a love story, even with the more sinister evidence of necrophilia that came out after Tanzlers death. Thrive MarketTry Thrive Market and become a member risk-free! This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Fans of Tanzler travelled to give him treats, public sympathy portrayed him as an eccentric romantic, an attorney offered to represent him pro bono and Elenas body was put on public display to be viewed by over 6,850 people at the Dean-Lopez Funeral Home (Tanzler von Cosel 1947, Michelfelder 1982, Harrison 1996, Sloan 2012, Meek 2017). She was his soulmate and he would do whatever it took to always be by her side. The list is numerous and was all justified by Tanzler in the name of love. It was there in 1930 that Tanzler met the woman he believed was the love of his life; Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Although the affections were one sided, when Elena passed away a couple of months later, Karl just couldn't let his soulmate go. His negative publicity was a small price to pay for such an excessively grotesque desecration. Carl Tanzler. For nearly 22 years, she had been the focus of his life, alive or dead. The case was now the center of a media circus, and 6,800 spectators came to gawk at the macabre spectacle, paying $1 each for the privilege. Although some have described him as a mad scientist, others, a brilliant doctor, hes more likely a grotesque fetishist. Cosel fell in love with her despite the fact that she was legally married. Elenas consumptive condition meant little to Carl Von Cosel. Her father had driven home at breakneck speed instead of driving to the nearby hospital, where we doctors might have saved her life (p.34). He would briskly stroll around town with a cane and show off wristwatches claiming to be commissioned to him by the Czar of Russia. He once shouted at her parents, Will you take the responsibility to let your daughter die through your stupidity? (p. 32) and on finding their new residence recalled, if anyone had tried to stop me [from entering], I think, I would have used violence (p.28). The former corpse bride is now at rest. Elena remained with Carl Von Cosel for seven years. They were unaware that the doctor had found sperm inside Elenas corpse, clear evidence of necrophilia. On April 22, 1930, Maria Elena "Helen" Milagro de Hoyos came to him for an examination and he was persuaded that she was the lady in his dreams. Ten years before Elenas birth, Von Cosels ancestor had appeared to him as an apparition. As Meek (2017) puts it, [Elena is] paradoxically at the center of this story and utterly left out. He was proud of the excellent attention hed given to her preservation and thought mistakenly that Elenas sister would feel the same. Whether he meant me I did not know and cared less (p. 37). 7 9, 54 61. More than two years had already passed since Elena's death and her body had shown all the normal signs of decomposition. Ironically, the man who prevented Maria from decomposing was himself rotting alone on the floor of his home for several weeks. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Interestingly, Morrall (2006) uses the word mercy in love as a motivator for murder, as does Tanzler in the confession note I gave this to her mercifully (Michelfelder 1982, p.8). She repeatedly told him he was too old for her and additionally, she was not yet divorced from her husband (Perez 1952, Harrison 1996, Sloan 2012, Meek 2017). (p. 54). Separated from Elena, he used a death mask to create a life . All he had to do was find her. John Dillinger was a gangster during the Great Depression. "[1] After a preliminary hearing on October 9, 1940 at the Monroe County Courthouse in Key West, Tanzler was held to answer on the charge, but the case was eventually dropped, and he was released, as the statute of limitations for the crime had expired. Episode: Maria Elena Milagro De Hoyos, the Unwilling Corpse Bride w/ special guest @rachaelnobrien 1. Nevertheless, Elena refused Carl Von Cosels proposal. He was examined by doctors and found to be perfectly sane though it remains a mystery of how he lived with a corpse for so many years. Dr. Peter Morrall (2006) broadly summarises that motives for murder can be condensed into four sets of Ls: Lust; Love; Loathing; and Loot. Additionally, there is his threat towards Elenas father if there is not a wedding before Christmas, there will be a funeral (Michelfelder 1982, p.56) and his declaration to Perez that he would kill Elena if necessary (n.d., p 68). Because of his medical knowledge, Tanzler knew he could save Hoyos. He would personally transport her body by airplane, where Carl Von Cosel believed he could restore her life. There continued to be much conflict between him and Elenas family. To his absolute horror, Elenas putrefied body had begun to deteriorate. Unfortunately for Carl, Maria did not reciprocate his romantic feelings, and turned down his proposals of marriage. Tanzler quickly abandoned his brood after accepting a position as a radiologic technician in Key West, where he worked at the U.S. Marine Hospital under the name Count Carl von Cosel. All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. Hoyos body was placed on display at a local funeral home, where nearly 7,000 people came to see the corrupted corpse for themselves. One even died from diphtheria whilst these events were unfolding (Harrison 1996, Sloan 2012). The Mad Scientist of Key West. Carl Von Cosel had preserved her corpse for seven years. Carl had basically abandoned his wife and children, and was more content living with a dead body than a live woman. After he left Key West defeated, he returned to his wife and daughter in Zephyrhills, Florida. Learn how your comment data is processed. He slept with the body in his bed, but he kept a curtain between them because he was an extreme gentleman. He showered her with jewelry and clothing, and he frequently professed his love to her. It was estimated that she wouldnt have long to live, but Von Cosel disagreed. She was then buried in an unmarked grave by undertaker Benjamin Sawyer, cemetery sexton Otto Bethel and chief of police Bienvenido Perez, all of whom have taken this location to their own graves as a secret never to be revealed (Harrison 1996, Sloan 2012, Meek 2017). To her parents, this was a kind gesture, but this was only where the obsession began. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Elena Hoyos . Thats what happened between Carl Tanzler and Maria Elena Helen Milagro de Hoyos. 19: Count von Cosel & His Mummy Bride", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carl_Tanzler&oldid=1140915722, Articles needing additional references from October 2021, All articles needing additional references, Articles with trivia sections from October 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Portions of the original memorial plaque that was commissioned by Tanzler and affixed to Elena Hoyos's mausoleum have been reassembled and are on display at the, True Crime Kent Podcast Episode Karl Tanzler, A Haunted History of Pasco County (Haunted America) by Madonna Jervis Wise; Arcadia Publishing. Upon returning home, Tanzler married and had two children in 1920, and the family emigrated to Zephyrhills, Florida. 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. He died of an apparent suicide in his home in July of 1952 lying next to the death mask of his beloved. He had her coffin lined with formaldehyde and other preserving agents, and had a special key made for himself so he could come and go as he pleased. Still longing for his lost love, he created a "death mask" of her as the basis for a life-sized dummy, which he kept in his bed until . Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Police Officer Bienvenido Perez Only Living Person Who Knows Where Elena Buried. 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. [1] Tanzler paid for her funeral, and with the permission of her family, he then commissioned the construction of an above ground mausoleum in the Key West Cemetery, which he visited almost every night. Journalists reported that the judge denied Von Cosels request, screaming at Von Cosel with disgust. On February 18, 1926, Elena married Luis Mesa (19081974), the son of Caridad and Isaac Mesa. At the end of the war no prisoner was permitted to return to his former residence, but all were shipped to the prisoner's exchange in Holland. Carl Tanzler Fell In Love With His Patient, Then Lived With Her Corpse. Death . He was born as Karl Tnzler or Georg Karl Tnzler on February 8, 1877 in Dresden, Germany. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. [1][8] Tanzler showered Elena with gifts of jewelry and clothing, and allegedly professed his love to her, but no evidence has surfaced to show that any of his affection was reciprocated by Elena. He believed he had finally found her in Elena. Despite his best efforts, Hoyos succumbed to her illness in October 1931, leaving her family and newly-obsessed caretaker heartbroken. In Episode 44 of the NightMerica podcast, released 3rd February 2021, David L. Sloan gave an interview to Aaron Sagers about the story, and discusses an article he found in the Detective Cases magazine, published in 1982. Her family agreed to let Tanzler attempt to treat her with various medicines, x-rays and other experimental cures. Tanzler visited Hoyos grave every night for nearly two years, a habit that stopped abruptly after he lost his job for reasons unknown. Three years later a Cuban-American woman by the name of Maria Elena Milagro De Hoyos, was brought to the hospital by her mother for examination. Separated from his dead love, Tanzler used a death mask to create a life-sized effigy of Maria de Hoyos and lived with it until his death. Word caught on that Carl Von Cosel was acting erratically, so Elenas sister decided to investigate. Hoyos family didnt realize that the only key to the tomb would remain in Tanzlers possession. A psychiatric evaluation of Tanzler stated that he was in a borderline state but otherwise sane and mentally competent (Meek 2017). I mixed the root of wolfsbane (monkshood) with aconite diluted. According to Michelfelder (1982), Tanzler signed the cause on Elenas death certificate as [expiration] from a series of violent seizures clinically associated with dormant epilepsy (p.9). Mrs. C.S. The Lost Diary of Count Von Cosel. Von Cosel robbed her body from the grave. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Autopsy 6: Secrets of the Dead. He developed an obsession with a young Cuban-American tuberculosis patient, Elena "Helen" Milagro de Hoyos (July 31, 1909 October 25, 1931), that carried on well after her death. These transgressions, like the ones committed against Elena, have been shrouded in secrecy due to the cultural biases towards and positions of the instigators involved. 6, no. Tuesday, October 6, 2009 Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos Most people have never heard of her. However, the judge decreed that Tanzler should no longer have possession of Elenas remains (in spite of Tanzlers insistence that she should be returned to him). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Carl Tanzler had the corpse wrapped in a dress, gloves, and jewelry, and placed the body in his own bed, which he shared with the corpse for the next seven years. In fact, he had escaped from an Australian internment camp during WWI by building a makeshift sailboat after secretly studying engineering books. Mara Elena "Helen" Hoyos A principios del siglo XX nace una hija de inmigrantes cubanos llamada Mara Elena Milagro-Hoyos. Hoyos body was finally buried in a new cemetery at Key West Cemetery. [11], It has been written (most notably by Swicegood) that Tanzler had the bodies switched (or that Elena's remains were secretly returned to him), and that he died with the real body of Elena. In the early 1900s, approximately 110,000 Americans would die each year from tuberculosis. 3 Feb. 2021, https://redcircle.com/shows/nightmerica. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Shes not dying fast enough. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Tanzler immediately and obsessively fell in love with Elena. Sorry! Try again later. You accept the use of cookies or other identifiers by accepting, ignoring or dismissing this notice. Eventually, this was not enough. The additional findings presented in this article elevate this sinisterness yet again, as now there is evidence which strongly suggests that Tanzler had actually killed Elena himself. 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. Carl Von Cosel decided that he was in love. Heartbroken over his loss, Tanzler decided to pay for her funeral, and, with her familys permission, he commissioned the construction of an above-ground mausoleum in the Key West Cemetery. Authorities took Elena from him. Nosy neighbours who peered through Carls window saw him dancing with the figure of a woman, and some thought it was a large doll. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. He thought of everything to make sure he could continue living with her corpsefor seven years! The former three, as he describes them, are quite applicable to Tanzler. Tragically, de Hoyos died on October 25, 1931, at the age of 22. Like most patients, Hoyos was scared of the illness and the treatment. 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