Terrifying Tales: Myrtle Hill Murderer

It is said this evil woman crawls out of her grave in search of her next victim.

Myrtle Hill Cemetery

Myrtle Hill Cemetery is located in Liverpool Township, Medina County, Ohio. 

An alarming legend surrounds this cemetery. It includes a haunting and an insane woman who reaches up and grabs people if they dare to stand near her grave.

This popular legend supposedly began in the 1920s. A middle-aged wife and mother found herself living in a nightmare. Both her husband and her three sons were abusive toward her.

With no support and nowhere to turn, it is said this wife and mother slowly went mad. Lost in her own world, she began to plot how to kill her family.

One day, drawing water from the family well, a plan came into her frenzied mind. She would poison the well. That evening at supper, her husband and sons drinking this water, dropped dead.

Since the water was now poisoned, she dragged each of the four men’s bodies to the well, she hoisted them over the edge and dropped them down into the contaminated water.

When her neighbors questioned where her family was, she told them that they were away helping a relative. But when she could not provide any specifics, these people became suspicious.

Their suspicions were confirmed when a foul smell was noticed by the family well. The mad woman was arrested and put on trial.

Her defense brought in several neighbors to testify that her family abused her cruelly. She was found not guilty, by reason of insanity, and placed in an insane asylum.

Years later, when she died, her body was returned to her old home and buried in the Myrtle Hill Cemetery.

It wasn’t long before rumors were spread. It was said this murderous woman could climb out of her grave and claim new victims. Many believed she was a witch. The locals now frightened paid to have a large ball-shaped stone placed over her grave.

This was to keep her buried and people away from her grave.

This marker actually does not mark a grave but
instead marks the Stoskopf family plot.

But their efforts to keep people away just attracted more thrill-seekers. This was when something odd was noticed about this round stone.

During the winter months, people reported this stone was scorching hot to the touch. And during the summer months, the stone was ice cold. The locals felt this stone was also warning people to stay away.

Beginning in the 1940s, people also stated they saw a ghostly woman walking around the Myrtle Hill Cemetery—rumors spread this was the insane murderer.

The above is just a legend but it is based upon the following true story.

In 1925, 45-year old Martha Wise –whose family lived near the Myrtle Hill Cemetery—prepared New Year’s dinner for her family. She included an extra helping of arsenic for everyone.

She had previously murdered her first husband, Albert Wise and her mother, Sophie Hasel. At her trial, Martha admitted to poisoning several of her children--they survived--but her aunt and uncle died.

She stated the devil told her to do it.

Wise was placed in a reformatory on a first-degree murder charge. But later this charge was reduced to second-degree murder. She was granted parole in 1962, at the age of 74. She died in 1971 at the age of 83.

Two of her victims were buried at Myrtle Hill Cemetery. Some believe the ghost that is seen wandering the cemetery is actually Sophie Hasel—Wise’s mother.