The Psychology of People Who Are Fascinated by Murder
What is it about mysterious tales of murder that intrigues the mind? In October of 2017, Psychology today had an article that said, “killers are for adults what monster movies are for children—that is, scary fun!” The author went on to say that their research revealed people with a fascination with murder claimed it to be a guilty pleasure. A tale of murder appeals to our instinctual need to survive. We want to understand so that maybe we could—Heaven forbid—avoid ending up as another cautionary tale.
Or maybe it’s just an adrenaline rush, watching, listening, or reading someone else’s misfortune leaves us as a sort of survivor. One who lives on to tell the tale. To pass on the wisdom we learned. To protect ourselves in whatever ways we can because of what we’ve learned.
As adults, we get some sort of strange enjoyment from flirting with fear, even if though it terrifies us. We like our minds to be challenged, engaged by something we don’t yet understand.
No matter the reason for our curiosity, we all walk away feeling thankful we’re alive. Perhaps, that’s the real reason we’re interested in these dark, twisted tales—we want that surge of relief that our life is still safe.
For now.
The Frankie Silver Story
Frankie Stewart Silver was born in 1814 and died July 12th, 1833. She was hanged in Burke County North Carolina for the gruesome murder of her husband Charles Silver. Accused of axing him to pieces and burning his body, the mystery surrounding this story has survived for decades and has become a popular piece of folklore in North Carolina.
Charles had gone missing after a hunting trip with Frankie, and a hunter found human remains in the Silver’s mountainside cabin. Other parts of his body were found around the premises and some even under the cabin’s floorboards.
She was convicted of 1st degree murder even though there was almost no evidence against her.
The motive for the murder is unclear, but there are several theories. It’s believed that her husband may have beaten her, and the axe murder was an act of self-defense. It’s also possible that she was jealous of some affair that her husband may have been having, which is what the prosecution suggested. Another theory, and the one I’ve chosen to write about, is that she and her family wanted to move out West but needed Charles to sell his property to do it, but he refused to leave. Getting rid of him, they’d obtain the deed and sell it themselves.
The trial lasted only two days. Frankie never confessed to the murder and never discussed any sort of motive.
Before she could be hanged, her father and brother broke her out of jail, but they were all later apprehended.
When asked if she had any last words, her father yelled from the crowd, “Die with it in you, Frankie!” This leads people to believe that her family may have—or in my opinion—most likely took part in the killing.
Charles and Frankie’s real daughter, Nancy, was only 13 months old at the time. And Frankie, herself, was only eighteen at the time of her death.
Frankie is believed to be the first white woman to have been executed in Burke County.
