Harry Powers
The Mail-order Bluebeard, The West Virginia Bluebeard
Active for 1 year
(1931) in United States
5
CONFIRMED
VICTIMS
5
POSSIBLE
VICTIMS
Jump to:
- Summary
- Serial Killer Profile
- Serial Killer Type
- General Information
- Characteristics
- Childhood
- Cognitive Ability
- Incarceration
- Death
- 4 Timeline Events
- Serial Killers Active During Spree
- Boolean Statistical Questions
- 11 Books Written About Harry Powers
- 5 External References
- Internal References
Harry Powers (born Herman Drenth) a Dutch-American serial killer known as The Mail-order Bluebeard and The West Virginia Bluebeard. Powers also used the alias' of John Schroeder, Cornelius O. Pierson and A.R. Weaver. Powers killed two women and three children in Quiet Dell, West Virginia in 1931. He would lure victims through Lonely Hearts ads, claiming he was looking for love. He was arrested after the five bodies were found buried near his garage in 1931. Powers was sentenced to death in 1931 and executed by hanging in 1932.
Harry Powers Serial Killer Profile
Serial Killer Harry Powers (aka) The Mail-order Bluebeard, The West Virginia Bluebeard, was active for 1 year in 1931, known to have ( 5 confirmed / 5 possible ) victims. This Serial Killer was active in the following countries: United States
Harry Powers was born in Beerta, Netherlands. He was born 3rd of 4 children and raised by both parents. Powers was raised as a middle child and had three brothers or sisters, two of which passed away very young. His father, Hiram Drenth, a Dutch immigrant. His mother, a Dutch immigrant.
Powers a heterosexual male citizen of Kingdom of the Netherlands. Powers married Luella Strother in 1927, Harry (Age 34/35). He had no children.
Prior to his spree he had commited crimes, served time in jail, and served time in prison.
In 1931 Harry Powers started his killing spree, during his crimes as a serial killer he was known to rob, torture, strangle, and murder his victims. He was known to kill victims at his own home. He would keep personal items from the victim after the crime. At least one victim was tied, bound, or otherwise restrained during the crime. At the time of his crimes he was living with his wife in Quiet Dell, Harrison County, West Virginia, US, where Powers was known to work as a serial killer.
He was convicted on December 12th 1931, sentenced to death by hanging at West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville, West Virginia, US. Powers was convicted on charges of murder and other possible charges during his lifetime. Harry Powers was executed on March 18th 1932.
Harry Powers died on March 18th 1932, cause of death: capital punishment, executed by hanging at West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville, West Virginia, US.
Profile Completeness: 79%
serial killers by profile completenessHarry Powers has been listed on Killer.Cloud since November of 2016 and was last updated 6 years ago.
Harry Powers a known:
( 651 killers ) SERIAL KILLER
The unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender(s), in separate events. Serial Killer as defined by the FBI at the 2005 symposium.
( 89 killers ) TORTURER
Torture is when someone puts another person in pain. This pain may be physical or psychological. Tourturers touture their victims.
( 251 killers ) STRANGLER
Strangulation is death by compressing the neck until the supply of oxygen is cut off. Stranglers kill by Strangulation.
Harry Powers
Serial Killer Profile:
Updated: 2018-12-16 Collected by Killer.Cloud
| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Harry Powers |
| Nickname: | The Mail-order Bluebeard, The West Virginia Bluebeard |
| Victims: | 5 - 5 |
| Years Active: | 1931 - 1931 |
| Active Countries: | United States |
| Convicted Of: | murder |
| Life Span: | - 1932 |
| Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Gender: | Male |
| Citizenship: | Kingdom of the Netherlands |
| Sexual Preference: | heterosexual |
| Marital Status: | married Luella Strother in 1927, Harry (Age 34/35) |
| Children: | no children |
| Living With: | his wife in Quiet Dell, Harrison County, West Virginia, US |
| Occupation: | serial killer |
| Childhood Information | |
|---|---|
| D.O.B.: | N/A |
| Family Name: | Powers |
| Given Name: | Harry |
| Birth Location: | Beerta, Netherlands |
| Birth Order: | 3rd of 4 |
| Siblings: | three brothers or sisters, two of which passed away very young |
| Raised By: | both parents |
| Birth Category: | middle child |
| Mother: | a Dutch immigrant |
| Father: | Hiram Drenth, a Dutch immigrant |
| Cognitive Ability | |
|---|---|
| IQ: | N/A |
| Highest School: | N/A |
| Highest Degree: | |
| Incarceration | |
|---|---|
| Arrested: | N/A |
| Convicted: | Dec 12, 1931 |
| Sentence: | death by hanging |
| Prison Location: | West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville, West Virginia, US |
| Executed: | Mar 18, 1932 |
| Previous Crimes: | TRUE |
| Previous Jail: | TRUE |
| Previous Prison: | TRUE |
| Death Information | |
|---|---|
| Death Date: | Mar 18, 1932 |
| Manner of Death: | capital punishment |
| Cause of Death: | executed by hanging |
| Death Location: | West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville, West Virginia, US |
| Killed In Prison: | FALSE |
| Suicide: | FALSE |
4 Timeline Events of Serial Killer
Harry Powers
The 4 dates listed below represent a timeline of the life and crimes of serial killer Harry Powers. A complete collection of serial killer events can be found on our Serial Killer Timeline.
| Date | Event Description |
|---|---|
| 1931 | Harry Powers started his serial killing spree. #1931 |
| Dec 12 1931 | Harry Powers was convictedand sentenced to death by hanging at West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville, West Virginia, US. #19311212 |
| 1931 | Harry Powers ended his serial killing spree. #1931 |
| Mar 18 1932 | Harry Powerswas executed.cause of death:capital punishment,executed by hangingat West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville, West Virginia, US. #19320318 |
Back to top Serial Killers Active During
The following serial killers were active during the same time span as Harry Powers (1931-1931).
Serial Killers By Active Year
| 24 / 40 ANSWEREDSerial Killer Boolean Questions: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Killer Question | Killer Answer | Total Answered | ||
| previous crimes | TRUE | 367 | ||
| previous jail | TRUE | 352 | ||
| previous prision | TRUE | 336 | ||
| kill at killers home | TRUE | 320 | ||
| used weapon | TRUE | 453 | ||
| torture | TRUE | 426 | ||
| bound | TRUE | 406 | ||
| strangle | TRUE | 443 | ||
| totem personal item | TRUE | 354 | ||
| robbed | TRUE | 418 | ||
| suicide | FALSE | 225 | ||
| killed in prison | FALSE | 218 | ||
| previous killed | FALSE | 208 | ||
| kill at victims home | FALSE | 323 | ||
| used gun | FALSE | 451 | ||
| rape | FALSE | 453 | ||
| stalk | FALSE | 418 | ||
| blindfold | FALSE | 363 | ||
| sex with body | FALSE | 430 | ||
| mutilated | FALSE | 447 | ||
| ate part of body | FALSE | 451 | ||
| drank blood | FALSE | 442 | ||
| posed body | FALSE | 365 | ||
| totem body part | FALSE | 365 | ||
Books that Mention Harry Powers
Kevin Smith
Serial Killer Stranglers
Harold Schechter
The Serial Killer Files
Jayne Anne Phillips
Quiet Dell
Jayne Anne Phillips
Quiet Dell
Davis Grubb
The Night of the Hunter
Harry Lorayne
Secrets of Mind Power
Vance McLaughlin Phd
The Mail Order Serial Killer: The Life and De...
Hal Erickson
Any Resemblance to Actual Persons
11 Books that mention Serial Killer
Harry Powers
| ISBN10 | Book Title | Author | Killers Mentioned | Killers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1733630600 | Serial Killer Stranglers | Kevin Smith | 164 Total Including Juana Barraza | 164 |
| 0345472004 | The Serial Killer Files | Harold Schechter | 20 Total Including Anatoly Onoprienko | 20 |
| 1439172552 | Quiet Dell | Jayne Anne Phillips | Harry Powers | 1 |
| 1439172536 | Quiet Dell | Jayne Anne Phillips | Harry Powers | 1 |
| 1101910062 | The Night of the Hunter | Davis Grubb | Harry Powers | 1 |
| 088391008x | Secrets of Mind Power | Harry Lorayne | Harry Powers | 1 |
| 1981629440 | 50 American Serial Killer... | Robert Keller | 14 Total Including Chester Turner | 14 |
| 0615480128 | The Mail Order Serial Kil... | Vance McLaughlin Phd | Harry Powers | 1 |
| 1476666059 | Any Resemblance to Actual... | Hal Erickson | Harry Powers | 2 |
| 1624880088 | The Naked Beach | Grant Flint | Harry Powers | 1 |
| 1315472635 | China Steps Out | Joshua Eisenman | Harry Powers | 1 |
Harry F. Powers (born Herman Drenth; 1892 - March 18, 1932) - also known as Cornelius O. Pierson and A. R. Weaver - was a convicted Dutch-American serial killer who was hanged in Moundsville, West Virginia.Powers lured his victims through "Lonely Hearts" ads, claiming he was looking for love, but ultimately murdering them for their money. Davis Grubb's 1953 novel The Night of the Hunter and its 1955 film adaptation were based on these crimes.
External References
- Q3127892 on www.wikidata.org, Retrieved on Dec 15, 2018.
- Harry Powers on en.wikipedia.org, Retrieved on Dec 15, 2018.
- Juan Ignacio Blanco, Harry F. POWERS on murderpedia.org, Retrieved on Dec 15, 2018.
- Brittany Hiben, Jessica Jenkins, Harry Powers on maamodt.asp.radford.edu, Retrieved on Dec 15, 2018.
- Juan Ignacio Blanco, Herman DRENTH on murderpedia.org, Retrieved on Dec 16, 2018.
Internal References
Harry Powers is included in the following pages on Killer.Cloud the Serial Killer Database
- #61 of 89[ Page 5 ] of Serial Killer Torturers sorted by Confirmed Victims
- #158 of 250[ Page 11 ] of Serial Killer Stranglers sorted by Confirmed Victims
- #192 of 327[ Page 13 ] of Serial Killers active in the United States
- #235 of 651[ Page 16 ] of serial killers sorted by Profile Completeness
- #392 of 651[ Page 27 ] of serial killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
- #471 of 651[ Page 32 ] of the A-Z List of Serial Killers
- #616 of 651[ Page 42 ] of serial killers sorted by Years Active
- Statistics:
- Serial Killers Statistics, charts Harry Powers is included in: Active Serial Killers by Country, Serial Killers By Gender, Sexual Preference, Birth Category, Mannor of Death, Active Serial Killers by Year and Statistical Boolean Questions.
- Years Active: