The middle of three daughters to a cigar maker and homemaker, Elena had a beauty that didn't go unnoticed. 1982, pp. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Elena Hoyos I found on Findagrave.com. Carl Tanzler was a German immigrant working at a Key West, Florida, hospital in the early 1930s. Go to ThriveMarket.com/MORBID. This all seems like silly speculation, to get people to read an old story. She was only 22. Elenas consumptive condition meant little to Carl Von Cosel. However, a year later, he left his family behind to work as a radiology technician at the U.S. Marine Hospital in Key West, Florida. However, the case was eventually dropped and Tanzler was released from prison because the statute of limitations for the committed crime had expired. I own that tomb and everything that is inside, not you! (p.70). She passed away on 25 October 1931 in Key West, Monroe County, Florida. Join today and youll get up to twenty dollars in shopping credit toward your first order. Add to your scrapbook. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, Did the Wolves Ever Leave the Hen House? Learn about one of Key West's most haunted homes. Failed to remove flower. Her body belonged to him. On October 25, 1931, Elena died of tuberculosis at the age of twenty-two. Tanzler also used perfume, disinfectants, and preserving agents to mask the odor of Hoyos decomposition. The Count [Tanzler] is in love, hes a much older man in love with a young girl who wants nothing to do with him. It was there in 1930 that Tanzler met the woman he believed was the love of his life; Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos. He replaced her former beauty with ghoulish, frightening features. He showered her with jewelry and clothing, and he frequently professed his love to her. Marias life was not going well. Key West, Monroe County, Florida, USA. The Key West Citizen, 15 Aug. 1952, p. 1 + 4, Perez, B. Michelfelder (1982) goes on to describe how the demolition worker and his supervisor found bottles full of this golden elixir fallen from the collapsed wall of Tanzlers former residence. 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. Like some medieval wizard, Carl conjured up odd concoctions, potions, tonics, elixirs, and herbs in order to treat her TB. Carl Von Cosel had preserved her corpse for seven years. Carl Tanzler actually received quite a bit of compassion during his trial, with some even viewing him as a hopeless albeit eccentric romantic. He didnt see an issue with their differing ages or her nearly-dead, immobilized status. It was the biggest media frenzy of its day. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Enter Carl Tanzler von Cosel, a German-born radiology technician who worked at the hospital. He would personally transport her body by airplane, where Carl Von Cosel believed he could restore her life. His body was not discovered until three weeks after his death. Lets hope that theyre mistaken and that Elena Hoyos has finally found peace in her second grave. Little did they know, Elena, my darling, we are alone on this shore. Although some have described him as a mad scientist, others, a brilliant doctor, hes more likely a grotesque fetishist. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. He inserted glass eyes into her orbitals, and replaced her rotting skin with silk cloth coated by plaster of paris and wax. As long as she lived I never abandoned hope.. However, he managed to keep Marias body in his home for seven years without being discovered. 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. One night in 1933, he snuck her body out from the mausoleum in a toy wheelbarrow, and took her home with him. If youre craving for a new Lifetime movie to watch, look no further. Accounts show she led the normal life of a teenager in the 1920s. She was Methodist. Shortly after Elenas death, Tanzler talked the family into giving him residence in her room, paying them a fee of $20 a month (about $345 in todays money). Elena, having been referred to the Marine Hospital for tests, was overseen by one radiologist, Carl Tanzler (1877 1952). It isnt very far off to believe that necrophilia played a part in this twisted romance, but its important to remember these claims are not fully proven. Carl Von Cosel had preserved her corpse for seven years. He substituted her empty sockets with glass eyes. Hoyos body was finally buried in a new cemetery at Key West Cemetery. Swicegood, T. (2003). They vow to stay together, even after death. Tanzler (1947) tells of many arguments he had with Elenas parents about her condition, the Cuban culture of smoking cigars, having numerous visitors at the house and taking Elena for car rides. Her full name was Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos, a heaven-sent love of his life for Carl, and the moment he first saw her, the beginning of a long-lasting "loving" relationship with literally the woman of his dreams-of which she would know nothing about . His behaviour became too erratic to hold a job, and the hospital had found out he was stealing medical equipment from them. 3 Feb. 2021, https://redcircle.com/shows/nightmerica. For nearly 22 years, she had been the focus of his life, alive or dead. Marias sister heard weird rumours about Carl. A Fresh Look at the Impacts and Relevance of Colonialism in Southeast Asia, Purposeless Polls: How Soviet Citizens RebelledAgainst a Regime that Rejected Open Communication. Born on July 31, 1909, in Key West, Florida, Elena was a strikingly attractive girl with luxurious dark hair and an appealing shyness. In their ignorance, they asked if it was illegal to love too much. Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos (1910-1931) died of tuberculosis and her body was preserved by Carl Tanzler (1877-1952) who was one of her physicians. Tanzler emigrated to the United States from Germany in 1926, sailing from Rotterdam on February 6, 1926 to Havana, Cuba. She reported him to the police, and Carl was arrested. When she passed away in 1931 from tuberculosis, Tanzler refused to leave her side. More than two years had already passed since Elena's death and her body had shown all the normal signs of decomposition. The mummified body of Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos. When Carl von Cosel was released he set out to find his mother from whom he had not heard since the beginning of the war. A cousin revealed to The Tennessean Sun in 1940: [Elenas] two rescues from death [via electric shock by Tanzler / von Cosel] had been so painful that Elena finally died hating her rescuer and [begged] to be allowed to stay dead. Maria Elena lies in some unmarked Floridian grave, in an 18 inch casket. Carl Tanzler administered these treatments in Hoyos family home, showering her with gifts and declaring his love all the while. They were unaware that the doctor had found sperm inside Elenas corpse, clear evidence of necrophilia. It has been recounted that Tanzler was found in the arms of Elena's effigy upon discovery of his corpse, but his obituary reported that he died on the floor behind one of his organs. Tanzler immediately and obsessively fell in love with Elena. 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. He who has given you to me, will not reject our souls, united as they are in His undying love.. [1][8], Despite Tanzler's best efforts, Elena died of tuberculosis at her parents' home in Key West on October 25, 1931. St. Martins True Crime Classics. They even resisted Tanzlers ministrations to where they moved house, neglecting to tell him of their new residence. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. 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 moved to Miami, leaving Hoyos behind to her parents. Hoyos body was placed on display at a local funeral home, where nearly 7,000 people came to see the corrupted corpse for themselves. Carl was doing more than playing dress up with Elena. He lived with the doll in Pasco County, Florida until his death on July 3, 1952. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. The mausoleum Carl had Elena laid to rest in. Like most patients, Hoyos was scared of the illness and the treatment. Tennessean Sun. Tanzler added copious amounts of perfumes, flowers, disinfectants, and preserving agents to keep the rotting odor at bay, and routinely applied morticians wax to Hoyos face in an effort to keep her alive.. Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos Mesa. Please try again later. To use this feature, use a newer browser. For some reason, Marias mother possessed a wig made out of her daughters hair, and she gifted this to Carl. Separated from Elena, he used a death mask to create a life . 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). To some, it is the ultimate romance, and to others, it is a grotesque tale of violation. Tanzler was undeterred though and searched the streets every night until a sympathetic neighbour told him of the location. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Born in Key West in 1909, the daughter of a cigar maker and a homemaker, Hoyos was raised in a large family and was brought to the hospital by her mother after becoming ill. As a young boy in Germany, Tanzler would often have visions of a stunning, dark-haired woman who was predestined to be his one true love. She had come to the Marine Hospital for treatment of tuberculosis. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. But death was creeping up close and fast. Immortal Kisses Were His Goal. Death . Hoyos examination at the Marine Hospital confirmed her worst nightmare: she had tuberculosis, a fatal disease in 1930 that mainly affects the lungs. While Elena was undergoing agonizing death, Von Cosel supplied her with perfume, jewelry, fruits, and candies. Thanks for your help! Try again later. Michelfelder (1982) stated that DePoo never explained why he kept his autopsy [findings] secret, (p.61) but Harrison (1996) later speculated that he did not reveal this at the time in order not to cause uproar in an already scandalous plot and to keep things dignified for Elenas surviving family members. She had two sisters, Florinda "Nana" Milagro Hoyos (19061944), who married Mario Medina (c.19051944) and also succumbed to tuberculosis; and Celia Milagro Hoyos (19131934). Carl Tanzler Fell In Love With His Patient, Then Lived With Her Corpse. Unfortunately, this would be the beginning of many tragedies for Elena; she miscarried the child and gradually fell ill with a cough. He recognized her from a vision he had many years ago, when his dead ancestor Countess Anna Constantia von Brockdorff came to him in a dream and showed him the face of his true love and soulmate: a gorgeous dark-haired woman who looked exactly like Maria. Tuesday, October 6, 2009 Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos Most people have never heard of her. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Her location was to remain unknown to the creepy, controlling count. All of the sources that make claims about this are modern. Suffer no more, sweet Elena. They found police logs from the period which described the aforementioned seizure, Tanzlers threat to Elenas father and testimonies from people in her neighbourhood that in the week before Elenas death, he had persuaded her to swallow double doses of his elixir, whichMichelfelder (1982) writes to have contained: 70 percent distilled water, 20 percent gold shavings, fruit favouring and just enough deadly poison to effect [sic] a slow death. 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. He had just begun to build a trans-ocean flyer when the war broke out and the British military authorities placed him in a concentration camp for 'safe-keeping' along with many officers India and China who were prisoners of war. . Hey Spooksters! Despite her illness, she was still an attractive young woman, and her beauty didnt go unnoticed by Tanzler. The German-born Tanzler moved to the United States in 1926 and began working at a Key West hospital. Please enter your email and password to sign in. In 1931, Dr. Carl Tanzler fell in love with a patient he was treating for tuberculosis. . It motivated many of his actions from the day he met her to the day he died; giving her free and unproven medical treatments, naming his wingless plane after her, building the mausoleum, taking her body, trying to reconstruct and restore it to life, even using the tube for intercourse as Dr. DePoo revealed (a sexual payoff), publishing a memoir, being found dead with a wax replica. Even his penetrating stare and vandyke beard cant distract you from his obsession with the hospitalized woman in his care. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. At this point, Carl had lost his job at the hospital and was living in a remote shack which also housed his laboratory. 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 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. She was diagnosed with fast-acting tuberculosis. He was seen shopping for womens clothing, jewelry and perfumes, and everybody assumed Carl was seeing someone new and had finally moved on. Elena remained with Carl Von Cosel for seven years. He adopted his official nickname, Count Carl von Cosel. She came into the hospital he worked at due to contracting tuberculosis. John Dillinger was a gangster during the Great Depression. He was a radiologist or x-ray technician. Detective Cases, Jun. He was no longer her technician; she was the love of his life. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? She had dark hair, was beautiful and was a foreigner. Unfortunately for her, Tanzler immediately became besotted by her beauty. Born the daughter of a cigar maker she came from a large Cuban-American family. Once he arrived, he replaced her rotting flesh with oiled silk, bees wax, and balsam. Maria Elena Milagro De Hoyos, The Unwilling Corpse Bride With Special Guest Rachel O'Brien. Verify and try again. He reportedly said he felt her spirit come to him when he sat by her tomb and serenaded her with her favorite Spanish song. Not until recently. Nosy neighbours who peered through Carls window saw him dancing with the figure of a woman, and some thought it was a large doll. In April 1933, he removed her body from the mausoleum and transported it to his makeshift laboratory that also served as his home. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. In spite of his best efforts, Cosel could not save Elena and she succumbed to the illness on October 25, 1931 and entombed in a family crypt. An autopsy of the body revealed the intricacies of Tanzlers work, which included a paper tube inserted between her legs, forming a makeshift vagina, although Tanzler never admitted to committing any necrophiliac acts. On April 22, 1930, while working at the Marine Hospital, Tanzler met the one person in his life he had been searching for since he was 12 years old: his soulmate. Elena's body was reclaimed and buried by the family in a secret location so that neither Von Cosel or the curious could disturb her grave. 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