Boone Helm

Born in the year 1828, Boone Helm was a mountain man who was also known as the “Kentucky Cannibal”.  Boone Helm was a serial murderer who also committed an act of cannibalism on his enemies and sometimes his companions.  While others might do these during a desperate situation, Boone Helm claimed that he was collecting human flesh in order to prepare for that desperate situation.

Boone Helm was born in the state of Kentucky and by the year 1850, he decided to move to California to search for gold.  Helm was supposedly accompanied by his cousin Littlebury Shoot, but he backed out.  Helm was apparently angered on the backing out of Littlebury and started stabbing him to death.  Littlebury’s brother together with some of their friends pursued Helm.  They were able to capture him and sent him to prison.  But he was later transferred to a mental asylum due to the odd behavior that he is exhibiting while he is in prison.  While he was in an asylum, it seems that he has developed a good relationship with the guard.  But unknown to him, it is a part of Helm’s plan.  He apparently convinced him to walk him to the woods.  It became a daily routine that one day he tricked the guard and escaped.

He then headed to the West of California.  While on his journey, he apparently committed murder on several occasions and even eating some of them.  Helm apparently confided on his group that he has devoured some of his victims.  "Many's the poor devil I've killed, at one time or another... and the time has been that I've been obliged to feed on some of 'em."

They were attacked by the natives that forced them to take the path through the wilderness.  Short on food and starving, Helm and the remaining members of the vigilantes killed the horses and ate their meat.  They also made snowshoes out of its hides.  Eventually only two men were left, Helm and Burton.  Burton can no longer continue the journey; Helm allegedly left him for a while.  Helm heard a gunshot and returned to discover the dead body of Burton.  He ate one of Burton’s legs and he wrapped the other in cloth and took it to his journey.

Helm committed a series of murder and cannibalism after that until he was finally captured by the authority.  Helm was hanged together with a group of Outlaw that he teamed up with.  He apparently jumped on the hangman’s box before someone could kick it away.

Aside from while they were in the wilderness, it seems that the act of cannibalism committed by Helm was a sort of pleasure for him.  What drove a man who came from a well respected and hard working family to commit these gruesome murders?