The Hex Hollow Murder Committed To Lift A Curse
A bizarre deadly crime took place in 1928 Pennsylvania that became a media sensation once the details about the motive emerged
It goes without saying that murder is a nasty business, especially those that are not solved or have murkey underpinnings leading up the grisly crime. That was certainly the case with the Hex Hollow Murders, also known as the Rehmeyer Hollow Murders, which occurred in York County, Pennsylvania in 1928. This was no run of the mill killing, as Nelson Rehmeyer, a local practitioner of folk magic, was killed by several men because they had been cursed by the unlucky victim.
Rehmeyer was notorious in his community for his practice of powwow, a type of folk magic that blends elements of Christianity with traditional European folk remedies. It was a harmless form of faith healing only meant to do good, but it still cast a light of suspicion on him. His reputation as a healer and a practitioner of this harmless form of magic was well established, which ended up becoming his downfall.
John Blymire was another local who also practiced powwow. However, his life became plagued by misfortune and sickness, which he came to believe were the result of a curse. Seeking a solution, he consulted with Emma Knopp (many call…
