🩸 Famous Crimes of Old New Orleans

That Could Be Killer Mystery Plots

Because in New Orleans, history doesn’t just whisper—it screams “murder!”

New Orleans is a city steeped in mystery, scandal, and enough true crime to make even the most seasoned detective raise an eyebrow over their absinthe. From axe murderers to political cover-ups, the Crescent City’s past is practically begging to be turned into a dramatic, jazz-soaked murder mystery dinner party.

So if you’re looking for inspiration for your next killer plot, here are some of the most deliciously dark crimes from old New Orleans history—ready to be adapted, exaggerated, and served with a side of gumbo and suspicion.

🔨 1. The Axeman of New Orleans

Date: 1918–1919

The Crime: A mysterious figure terrorized the city, breaking into homes and brutally murdering victims with their own axes. He taunted the public with a letter saying he would spare any house playing jazz music.

The Mystery: He was never caught.

Plot Potential: A masked killer strikes again during a speakeasy’s opening night in 1919. Everyone has a reason to fear the music—and each other. Is the Axeman back… or is this a copycat with a vendetta?

⚖️ 2. The Murder of Judge Jean Louis Hécaudé

Date: 1830s

The Crime: A well-known Creole judge was found dead under suspicious circumstances, and rumors of political intrigue, jealousy, and forbidden love filled the gossip columns.

The Mystery: Was it revenge? A duel gone wrong? A cover-up?

Plot Potential: A high-society dinner ends in scandal when a magistrate drops dead before dessert. Hidden affairs, family secrets, and hush money swirl around the room. Can justice be served before someone else is?

🩸 3. Delphine LaLaurie’s House of Horrors

Date: 1834

The Crime: Socialite Madame LaLaurie’s mansion burned, revealing horrific abuse of enslaved people hidden behind closed doors. The public was shocked—but she fled before facing justice.

The Mystery: Who helped her escape? Who knew and stayed silent?

Plot Potential: At a glamorous masquerade in the French Quarter, a guest disappears—and rumors of a curse tied to the LaLaurie legacy emerge. Is it vengeance… or a killer hiding behind a mask?

🕵️‍♂️ 4. The Storyville Strangler (Urban Legend, But Still Spooky)

Date: Early 1900s

The Crime: During the heyday of Storyville, whispers of a serial killer stalking sex workers circulated, but no official records confirmed it—leading many to believe it was a cover-up or a boogeyman myth to control the district’s reputation.

Plot Potential: A brothel in Storyville is the scene of a chilling murder. Was it a jealous lover, a corrupt official, or something darker lurking in the jazz-soaked shadows?

🧪 5. The Case of the Arsenic Sisters

Date: Late 1800s

The Crime: Multiple wealthy men died under suspicious circumstances involving mysterious “tonics.” The wives were elegant, respected—and oddly calm.

The Mystery: No one was convicted.

Plot Potential: At a tea party hosted by New Orleans' elite, a guest keels over mid-toast. As the investigation unfolds, the ladies of the Garden District close ranks… but someone has a secret recipe for murder.

🕯️ 6. The Mysterious Death of William J. Seymour

Date: 1922

The Crime: A controversial figure in the spiritualist movement, Seymour’s death was sudden and surrounded by paranoia about rival practitioners, hexes, and “unnatural forces.”

Plot Potential: During a séance at a Marigny mansion, the psychic medium dies mid-ritual. Was it a spiritual backlash—or a mortal crime cloaked in mysticism?

🧥 7. The Great Absinthe Poisoning Panic

Date: Late 1800s

The Crime: As absinthe rose in popularity, so did rumors of hallucinations, madness, and mysterious deaths. Some were poisoned—but by whom? And why?

Plot Potential: A bohemian art salon turns deadly when one guest's absinthe is laced with a fatal ingredient. Was it an accident… or artistic sabotage?

🕌 8. The Massacre at the Sultan’s Palace

Date: 1830s

The Crime: At 716 Dauphine Street in the French Quarter stands the site of one of New Orleans’ most chilling legends. The mansion—now dubbed The Sultan’s Palace—was allegedly home to a mysterious man claiming to be a sultan (or his brother). He was said to have a harem, riches, and a dark aura. Then one morning, locals awoke to find the home’s iron gate dripping with blood. Inside, everyone had been murdered—the bodies hacked apart, the supposed sultan buried alive in the courtyard.

The Mystery: Who did it? A jealous rival? A betrayal from within? Pirates? The Turkish government? Or was the whole tale a ghost-fueled legend?

Plot Potential: A lavish masquerade at the so-called Sultan’s Palace ends in bloodshed. One guest dies mysteriously, and whispers of a long-dead curse resurface. Is the spirit of the Sultan taking revenge… or is someone using an old legend to cover a very real crime?

🎭 Plot Twist Bonus: Turn the Real History into Fiction

Don’t just retell the facts—take these stories and twist them:

• Change the time period

• Add fictional characters and motives

• Throw in red herrings, secret identities, or cursed heirlooms

• Let the guests uncover their own ties to the past

New Orleans history provides the bones—you provide the flair, the fashion, and the murder.

🩸 Final Thought: In New Orleans, the ghosts are real, the crimes are juicy, and the streets are paved with plot twists.

In New Orleans, the streets don’t just tell stories—they hide them. Behind every ornate balcony and candlelit corner is a tale of betrayal, obsession, jealousy, or vengeance just waiting to be turned into an unforgettable evening of immersive murder mystery theater.

So if you’re craving a killer plot with real historical flavor, look no further than the Crescent City’s past. It’s haunting, it’s glamorous, and it’s perfectly lethal.