Italian serial killer Leonarda Cianciulli (April 14, 1894 – October 15, 1970) murdered three middle-aged women between 1939 and 1940. She turned her victims’ bodies into soap and teacakes. This monster became known as the “Soap-Maker of Correggio.”

Warning: The following content may be extremely disturbing to some viewers.

This post was updated on May 23, 2021.

The Early Years

Cianciulli was born into an abusive household in Montella, Avellino, Italy. At a young age, she was already on her way towards a very tough life. She was often depressed, and attempted suicide twice. read more

Nikki Catsouras (March 4, 1988 – October 31, 2006) was killed in a horrific accident after speeding in her father’s Porsche. Extremely disturbing photographs of her mutilated body quickly leaked and spread on many websites where she was dubbed “Porsche Girl.”    

Warning: Some material contained in this post may be too disturbing for some viewers.

This post was updated by Trina McMillin. Read Trina’s fascinating piece on “The Goriest Deaths In History.” read more

This is an article on the story of Mike the Headless Chicken (also known as Miracle Mike). It is an unbelievable, but true story about a chicken that lived for nearly two years without its head. Of course, being very difficult to believe, it was once thought to be nothing but a funny hoax.

However, Mike’s owner took him to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City to prove it was a fact. Despite having a very unusual type of abnormality, Mike was resilient and lived for 18 months after being decapitated. read more

Bereavement specialist Sharon Maher answers interesting questions about her experience in working with the dead. Some of the following content may be disturbing for some viewers.

1. In the mummification process, Egyptians pulled out the brain through the nostrils. Do embalmers remove the brain?

I do not remove the brain, however if a body is autopsied, it is likely the brain would be removed during that process for studying. When the removal of the brain has occurred, than the embalmer will have to pack the empty cavity before suturing the skull back together, otherwise it can settle strangely and will not have a natural look. There is also potential for fluids to leak out. Packing the cavity with cotton creates the “brain” and then we reconstruct the cranium by suture or by using skull clamps. We use cotton in the nose and throat as well in order to avoid purging. read more

Angelo Hays (born c. 1918, died January 12, 2008) was a Frenchman who became famous for surviving an alleged two-day premature burial, and inventing his own security coffin.

This article was updated on September 27, 2020.

September 1, 1937: The Motorcycle Crash

On September 1, 1937 (age 19), Hays took a joyride on his motorcycle and fractured his skull. After skidding out of control, he was thrown from the vehicle headfirst into a brick wall. The impact was so severe, his own parents were not aloud to view his body. When doctors examined Hays, they could not find a pulse. He was declared dead, and was laid to rest. read more