Born Eliza Margaret McNally in County Antrim, Ireland, around 1859, Lizzie Halliday became one of America’s first female serial killers. After emigrating with her family, she faced a tumultuous life marked by a series of tumultuous marriages; including two husbands whose deaths remain a mystery. In the 1890s, Halliday was responsible for the deaths of four people in upstate New York, including her husband Paul Halliday.

A Troubled History
Lizzie’s first marriage, to Charles Hopkins, ended with his death in 1881, and was followed by a brief union with Artemus Brewer, who also died shortly afterwards. After marrying Paul Halliday, she settled in Burlingham, a small community in the Hudson Valley. Their home was destroyed by fire and their mentally disabled son, John, died. Halliday claimed that she died trying to save him, but evidence shows that he locked her inside. Later, as he burned down his barns, suspicions surrounded him, raising questions about his mental state.

murders
In August 1891, Paul Halliday disappeared and authorities found the bodies of two women, Margaret and Sarah McQuillan, buried on their property. Halliday was arrested after erratic behavior during interrogation raised suspicions. His case gained national attention, with sensational reports linking him to the Jack the Ripper murders, despite no hard evidence being found.

Conviction and Insanity
On June 21, 1894, Halliday was convicted of murder and became the first woman to be sentenced to death by electric chair. However, his sentence was commuted to life in a mental institution, where he later stabbed an attendant 200 times to death. Lizzie Halliday died of Bright’s disease on June 28, 1918, leaving behind a legacy as a chilling figure in American criminal history.