The haunting true story of the Anna Hauptrief murders

(From Page A1)

Her lifeless body hung from the bars of the jail cell door in San Marcos.

After five months awaiting trial and risking the possibility of a highly publicized walk to the gallows, 30-year-old Anna Hauptreif, one of Texas’ most prolific serial killers, took a cord from the waistband of a dress and ended her life and that of her unborn child.

ANNA

By all accounts, Anna Schultz appeared to have the life she’d always wanted. Growing up in Hays County she was the daughter of a prominent, respected family of Niederwald, a community just east of San Marcos. At the age of 26, she married Kurt Schroeder, a handsome German immigrant.

Unfortunately, the couple’s story ends almost as soon as it began. Tragically, Anna found herself the grieving widow following the loss of Kurt who died from a mysterious illness just three months into their union. Attending Kurt’s funeral was good friend William Hauptreif, a successful farmer in the Goforth community.

It was during the funeral of his friend, Hauptreif was said to have been so moved by the grieving widow, he fell in love with her.

Not long after, the two became one in marriage. Hauptreif, a widower himself, had several children from a previous marriage, but only four - the youngest - lived at home.

Coming together wasn’t a difficult transition. The children knew Anna, even playing with her when they were younger. They knew her by her maiden name, Schultz and continued to stay in touch when she became Mrs. Schroder. So, it appeared things would be even better as she assumed her new name – mother.

But like the mysterious illness that claimed the life of her first husband, all four children came down with an unidentified sickness - simultaneously. Lydia, just 12-years-old, followed by big brother Walter, died within four days of each other. Lydia passed away on April 7, Walter on April 11.

Unfortunately, it didn’t stop there. In May, Herbert, the youngest at just 8-years-old died. Anna, the remaining sibling fought for her life as best she could but passed away on Nov. 11.

Though the deaths seemed “suspicious” an investigation wasn’t launched until Hauptreif himself was stricken with the same illness. Doctor’s at the Soldier, Sailors and Marine’s Memorial Hospital in San Marcos, later known as the Pike House, soon discovered he had been the unknowing victim of arsenic poisoning. His curiosity hit an all-time high when before his illness, Anna coaxed him into signing over the farm, a 180-acre spread worth $12,000.

Hauptreif also had an analysis performed on a drink she had made for him which showed signs of arsenic.

LOOKING DEEPER

It’s mid-summer, July 29, just two days earlier Anna had been arrested and confessed to District Attorney Fred Bundell of not only poisoning Hauptreif but also administering lethal doses of the odorless and tasteless arsenic to four of her 10 stepchildren.

According to a statement issued by Anna she placed the poison in cold coffee the children would drink when they came home from school. “They made trouble for me,” she said complaining. “They refused to do chores and wanting to just sit and drink coffee.”

She never gave a reason why she wanted to kill Hauptreif.

A few days later the bodies of the Hauptreif children were exhumed and the cause of death was confirmed, arsenic poisoning. Later, it was discovered that Kurt Schroder’s demise was met with a similar conclusion.

Anna was taken into custody where she spent the next five months in jail. During further investigation, two containers of the lethal poison were discovered under the front porch of the home.

As evidence and testimony were being prepared for what people called the “trial of the century,” Hauptreif laid in bed fighting for life since his poisoning. Convalescing in the hospital, feeling betrayed by the woman he’d been married to for two years, Hauptreif filed for divorce and custody of the couple’s one-year-old daughter, Lenora. Oddly enough, Lenora was being cared for by Anna while in jail awaiting trial.

If that wasn’t enough it was discovered Anna was expecting another baby and the trial had been postponed until February allowing time for the accused to have the child.

II’S OVER

Word was out; prosecutors were seeking the death penalty for the heinous crimes Anna had perpetrated. Richard Shultz, Anna’s brother, a suspect early in the evidence-gathering phase but later dismissed, was concerned about his sister’s wellbeing in jail. Perhaps he was on to something.

On the morning, Oct. 31 her body was discovered around 7 a.m. Sheriff George M. Allen ruled the cause of death as strangulation.

Anna had made her cot, packed her belongings in a small bag and dressed herself properly.

She walked over the jail door and fastened a waistband from another garment to a jail door bar. Anna then tied the other end around her neck and lifted her feet off the ground, hanging herself.

Sheriff Allen said she could have saved her life by simply lowering her feet to the ground.

A note addressed to family members was found by her bed asking that her husband and one-year-old be treated well.

IT’S OVER?

“Not to be macabre - because it’s Halloween, but it’s believed Anna is still in her cell,” said Linda Coker, Vice-Chair for the Hays County Historical Commission. “It is not uncommon for men to be touched. A local paranormal group that has investigated the jail a couple of times has some pretty compelling EVP’s.”

EVP’s are Electronic Voice Phenomena, sounds found on electronic recordings and interpreted as spirit voices, that have been either unintentionally recorded or intentionally requested and recorded.

Coker said she was asked once if she wanted to help “moving her on.”

“I am not sure there’s a fire and brimstone hell, but I could not participate in the idea that she could possibly go there,” Coker added. “Something had to be off with her, no one just does what she did ‘willy-nilly.’”

This all happened in Hays County 95-years ago today – Happy Halloween.