Haunted southern Illinois

Pulse gets haunted

Seventy-nine years ago, a former mayor of Carbondale and his wife were murdered at their home in downtown Carbondale. The double murder remains unsolved.

According to local lore, the victims now presumably haunt the house.

The Hundley House is the site of the best ghost story in town, said local ghost researcher Scott Thorne.

"It is the best building we have in town with a story behind it," Thorne said. "It's an unsolved murder; the activities may have been attached to the story."

Charles and Luella Hundley were shot to death at approximately 11:45 p.m. on Dec. 12, 1928.

Charles was killed in his bedroom by a close-range gunshot to the back of his head. Luella's body was found at the base of the staircase leading to the bedrooms. She was shot three times - once in the heart and twice in the head.

A bullet hole can still be felt in one of the steps in the house, though it is now covered by glued-down carpet.

Police at the time concluded the suspect was familiar with the house, as all the lights were off.

The primary suspect was Luella's son, Victor Hundley, but not enough evidence was found to convict him.

Victor and Charles had experienced a falling out due to a failed business partnership shortly before the murders, said Dr. Henry Nicolaides, one of the chiropractors who now own the chiropractic center in the Hundley House.

This may provide an explanation for the motive, he said.

Blood was found on Victor's coat, he said, but police at the time didn't have the technology to perform a DNA test to compare the blood with samples from the victims.

Today, several unexplained occurrences at the house may be evidence of paranormal activity.

A swing on the front porch swings of its own volition, and there have been reports of the sound of gunfire and a flash of light coming from the bedroom in which Hundley was shot, Thorne said.

"The porch swing would rock back and forth in the summertime, even if there was no wind," Thorne said.

Another mystery surrounds an unopened wall safe located on the lower level of the house. The Hundley's took the combination to the grave, Nicolaides said.

Paranormal investigators tested the Hundley House for spiritual activity in December 2006. The group used infrared sensing devices and motion sensors, but didn't find any unusual activity, Nicolaides said.

Nicolaides said he has never experienced any paranormal activity and is skeptical as to whether the house is actually haunted, but still enjoys the stories and history of the house.

"It makes a real good story, whether the hauntings are true or not," he said.

Audra Ord can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 275 or at aord@siude.com.