Mesa left for Miami, leaving Elena alone as her illness worsened (Harrison 1996). The jig was up, and authorities confiscated the corpse. Carl Von Cosels only solution was to steal her remains. (LogOut/ Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. As the skin of the corpse decomposed, Tanzler replaced it with silk cloth soaked in wax and plaster of paris. Happy for him, she decided to visit him and congratulate him on his relationship. Hes got this plan to be with her after shes dead. She passed away on 25 October 1931 in Key West, Monroe County, Florida. I have sent you to the angels with my golden elixir Perez also claimed Tanzler had once told him that he 'would kill Elena if necessary to fulfil [his] destiny'[12] The poison confession letter article was also cited by historian David L. Sloan on episode 44 of the NightMerica podcast.[14]. Word caught on that Carl Von Cosel was acting erratically, so Elenas sister decided to investigate. He adopted his official nickname, Count Carl von Cosel. He claimed to have 9 academic degrees (most likely false), and was also purported to have aristocratic blood, going by the title of Count whenever he could get away with it. A local Cuban- American woman by the name of Maria Elena "Helen" Milagro de Hoyos was brought into the hospital by her mother for an examination. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Now Ive found her, and Ill kill her, if necessary, to fulfil my destiny! (p. 68), There was this and another statement from Nana Medina in the Miami Herald where she told of how Tanzler had warned her father if there was not a wedding in the family soon, there would be a funeral. Authorities found a homemade spaceship outside of Carls lab. Many years ago, Carl von Cosel travelled from India to Australia with the intention of proceeding to the South Seas Islands. Maria was married at the age of 16 to a man named Luis Mesa, who abandoned her after she miscarried their child. I mixed the root of wolfsbane (monkshood) with aconite diluted. He dressed her corpse in a wedding gown after stuffing her body cavity with rags. 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. Marias family soon became puzzled when Carl stopped visiting her grave, but they just assumed that he had finally moved on. She told Von Cosel that he would marry a young woman who, Von Cosel decided, looked precisely like Elena Hoyos. It was estimated that she wouldnt have long to live, but Von Cosel disagreed. She was a devout Catholic who enjoyed Rudolph Valentino movies, cooking for family and friends, dancing at the social club La Brisa and looking forward to the technological developments of the 1930s (Weller 2019). Please reset your password. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Why, you are old enough to be my grandfather. His subsequent actions would be the ones that brought this story to public infamy. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. One night in 1933, he snuck her body out from the mausoleum in a toy wheelbarrow, and took her home with him. It turns out that Carl Von Cosel was married with children the entire time. 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). Eventually, this was not enough. When John Dorschner wrote the sordid details of the case, he was met with remarkable contention. Tennessean Sun. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The County Jail charged him of malicious and wanton disfigurement of a burial vault, yet the jurors found no law that he had broken. Hoyos family didnt realize that the only key to the tomb would remain in Tanzlers possession. His obituary said that a metal cylinder on a shelf above a table in it wrapped in silken cloth and a robe was a waxen image.. Resend Activation Email. The Journal of Critical Care Medicine, vol. However, the case was eventually dropped and Tanzler was released from prison because the statute of limitations for the committed crime had expired. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. For some reason, his wife Doris took pity on him and regularly mailed him money to help him survive his destitute situation. He was charged with wantonly and maliciously destroying a grave and removing a body without authorization.. After reading about the perverse love of Carl Tanzler, brush up on macabre marriages with the Chinese ritual of ghost brides. Finally, she suggested that her son return to his sister in the United States Tanzler's account of Trial Bay Gaol, his secret building of a sailboat, etc., is confirmed by Nyanatiloka Mahathera, who mentions that he planned to escape from the Gaol with "Count Carl von Cosel" in a sailboat, and provides other information about the internment of Germans in Australia during World War I. He was seen shopping for womens clothing, jewelry and perfumes, and everybody assumed Carl was seeing someone new and had finally moved on. Even though you start off the story, just as all others have recounted, as being fact. 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. and they were expecting their first child (Harrison 1996, Meek 2017, Weller 2019). He who has given you to me, will not reject our souls, united as they are in His undying love.. 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. 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). Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Maria Elena Milagro Hoyos (1909 - 1931), more commonly referred to as Elena, was the middle born Cuban-American child of Francisco Hoyos (1883 - 1934) and Aurora Milagro (1881 - 1940) in Key West, Florida. At least she got to keep her hair. In their ignorance, they asked if it was illegal to love too much. I had hopes that, when Elena was out of danger, we would get married. According to Atlas Obscura, de Hoyos was then a 21-year-old Cuban native suffering from tuberculosis and came to the hospital for treatment. Enter Carl Tanzler von Cosel, a German-born radiology technician who worked at the hospital. She was part of one of the most bizarre love stories in history. The family, considering Elena was fatally ill at this point, conceded. The topic she has chosen for us is about Carl Tanzler aka Count Carl von Cosel and his obsession with the beautiful Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos aka Elena. Not surprisingly, he was still obsessed. Weller, T. The Lost Diaries of Elena Hoyos Vols. As if this case wasnt already bizarre enough, it takes an added sci-fi turn. This all seems like silly speculation, to get people to read an old story. She was his soulmate, so he created a life-size doll from a death mask that closely resembled his favorite woman. This one had a story in it somebody was renovating a cottage and when they tore down the wall, they found a confession note. Most curiously, he had made a death mask of her face to preserve her beauty. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. While there is not much written in the way of Tanzler feeling anything described as loathing towards Elena directly, (extreme disgust as per the Merriam-Webster dictionary), his relationship with her family was often very adversarial. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. As the hair fell out of Elena's decomposing scalp, Tanzler fashioned a wig from her hair, which he had previously obtained from her mother. Tanzler immediately recognized Hoyos as the woman from his dream. A History of the Ottonian Dynasty The Rise of a Noble Family to the Death of the Dynasty and the 5 Great Kings of the Ottonians, Perceptions of Ottoman Military Slavery: Orientalism & the Zanj Rebellion, Science, Religion, and Racism in Philadelphia: the Impacts of the Works of Samuel Morton and Charles Darwin in Philadelphia during the mid-1800s, The Battle of Chaffins Farm: A Trial By Fire for the Unions Black Troops, British Signals Intelligence and the Shortening of World War Two. Before leaving, he dynamite bombed the mausoleum he had created for Maria, to spite authorities. This went on for two years. He also said that she would often tell him to take her from the grave. Those sensitive to spiritual energies claim that Elena Hoyos poltergeist haunts the funeral home of Bahama Lane. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Ironically, the man who prevented Maria from decomposing was himself rotting alone on the floor of his home for several weeks. He then placed Elena Hoyos on his canopied bed, serenading her with a small, church organ. To some, it is the ultimate romance, and to others, it is a grotesque tale of violation. Suffer no more sweet Elena. In 1940, nine years after Elenas death, Tanzler was discovered by Nana to have taken Elenas body from the grave, reconstructed it with plastered wax and kept it at his residences, which included his wingless plane, a shack on the beach and a cottage in Flagler Avenue. The Countess had an interesting story herself; being the mistress of 18th century King Augustus II of Poland. His behaviour became too erratic to hold a job, and the hospital had found out he was stealing medical equipment from them. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. That seems extremely dubious. Carl Tanzler actually received quite a bit of compassion during his trial, with some even viewing him as a hopeless albeit eccentric romantic. She was not someone important, and she never did anything of note other than die young of tuberculosis. 6, no. They were comforted by his invention, hoping that perhaps Elena could survive. Tanzler immediately recognized Hoyos as the woman from his dream. From 1930 to 1952, he had endlessly obsessed over this woman. 1910 - d. October 25, 1931; Key West, Florida, USA) Contents 1 Parents 2 Siblings 3 Marriage 4 Death Parents Francisco Hoyos (1883-1934), aka Pancho Hoyos Aurora Milagro (1881-1940) Siblings He was cradling Hoyos doll. Swicegood, T. (2003). Elena was dying of tuberculosis, but Tanzler felt that she was his destinydespite having already having a wife and children. 0 cemeteries found in Key West, Monroe County, Florida, USA. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? She was said to be extremely beautiful, shy and an accomplished singer, to the point where tourists would ask for pictures with her in the street. 2, 2020, pp. Her mother was worried about her declining health, but neither of them probably thought Tanzler would take an interest in her. This love made him determined to keep his patient alive, which he attempted to do quite literally by removing her corpse from the mausoleum it was housed in and holding it together with coat hangers, wax, and silk. Tanzler was not even with Elena at the time she died. Key West, Monroe County, Florida, USA. Thus, they found it odd that Tanzler stopped visiting the mausoleum two years after her death. Thanks for your help! Harrison (1996) adds that Countess damsel (what the Ct. d. stood for) is not an actual title, just something again self-created by Tanzler to further tie Elena and himself together. Design a site like this with WordPress.com, The Strange Afterlife of Maria Elena Milagro deHoyos, Odd Oldies: A Vampire, A Romance & A Friendship from Hell Criminally Clueless Podcast. He replaced Marias brittle broken bones with coat hanger wire, and stuffed her torso with rags to keep her body in its original shape. based on information from your browser. Sources differ (Tanzler von Cosel 1947, Perez 1952, Michelfelder 1982, Swicegood 2003) on when exactly he did this but the more respected tellings of this story (Harrison 1996, Sloan 2012) state this occurred in 1933. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. As long as she lived I never abandoned hope.. Maria Elena "Helen" Milagro de Hoyos (1909 - 1931) Photos: 4 Records: 23 Born in Key West, Monroe County, Florida on 31 July 1909 to Francisco "Pancho" Frank Hoyos and Aurora Sifontes. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. 1982, pp. This would not be the end of Tanzlers obsession. All of Elenas immediate family had also passed away from tuberculosis by this point (Harrison 1996). We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. It was palatable and my loved one departed this miserable world on October 25, 1931. To his absolute horror, Elenas putrefied body had begun to deteriorate. Hoyos was suffering from tuberculosis, and despite Tanzler's efforts, she passed at 22 years old. St. Martins True Crime Classics. There was a problem getting your location. Instead of a cure, she found a radiologist named Karl Tanzler who instantly became obsessed with her. Instead, he found plenty of things to do, including fashioning a wig for her once her hair fell out of her decomposing scalp. [12][13] An article written by Michelfelder in 1982 tells of how renovation workers found a note allegedly written by Tanzler, confessing to have killed Elena by poisoning her:[13]. Loathing: Lethal hate directed towards one person, group, culture or nation (Morrall 2006, p. 36). Considered one of the most toxic herbs, it has been used as a deadly poison throughout history (Wood, Coulson, Thompson and Bonner 2020). It was there that he fell in love with a young Cuban-American woman named Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos. All he had to do was find her. In 1944, Tanzler moved to Pasco County, Florida, close to Zephyrhills, where he wrote an autobiography that appeared in the pulp publication, Fantastic Adventures, in 1947. By all appearances, she was an attractive dark haired beauty queen who often wore red roses in her hair, drawing the attention of strangers who desired to photograph and court her. Tanzler, an eccentric character, carried himself with a high sense of self-importance. Not until recently. In 2003, two bands released their musical interpretations of the Tanzler story, In 2008, the Swedish band ChansoNoir released the EP. File photo of Carl Tanzler when he worked as a . She came here 71 years ago from her native Dresden, Germany. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? He was born as Karl Tnzler or Georg Karl Tnzler on February 8, 1877 in Dresden, Germany. Tanzler didnt seem to get bored living with Hoyos corpse. Determined to save his newfound paramour, Von Cosel connected her wasting body to his homemade contraption. [1], The story of Tanzler and Elena would be reproduced in pulp magazines in the years following his death, with various parties adding new details to the case. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Image credit: Florida KeysPublic Libraries, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Some of his hospital records were signed Count Carl Tanzler von Cosel. Aconite is a plant native to Northern Asia and Europe. The Second Autopsy of Elena Hoyos Carl's madness was discovered. What is is known for is for having a love affair that lasted 7 years after her death. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. She died because I gave this to her mercifully. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Suffer no more, sweet Elena. It was 1930 in sunny Key West, Florida, and Maria de Hoyos was dying of tuberculosis. She was only 22. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Maria Elena Milagro De Hoyos Birth 31 Jul 1909. Human jealousy has robbed me of the body of my Elena, yet divine happiness is flowing through me, for she has survived death. It should be stated, he too had a wife and two young kids albeit he neglected to mention this in any of his writings. The name aconite itself is derived from the Ancient Greek word akontion, meaning dart, as arrows were often mixed with aconite to create a poisonous weapon. (b. He kept her body in his bed, where he slept beside her every night. Death . In 1930, while living in Key West, Florida, her mother took her to a hospital after she had taken ill. She was diagnosed with tuberculosis (which was then incurable) and checked into a facility where she stayed with other patients suffering the same disease. Standing above him as he died was a wax figure of Maria. 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