14 Reasons Why Lizzie Actually Did It

We created a podcast on June 8, 2016, discussing 14 different reasons we believe Lizzie actually committed the murders. This was well before we had any established digital documentation; however, we do have some below and you can listen to the podcast.

In our podcast, we covered 14 different points as to why Lizzie would have committed the murders, but listed below are only five of those talking points we discussed. Please listen to the podcast for more reasons.

The case of Lizzie Borden remains one of America’s most debated murder mysteries, but many historians and true-crime researchers believe there were compelling reasons she may have killed her father and stepmother in 1892. People often cite financial tension as the first factor. Andrew Borden was wealthy but notoriously frugal, and there were long-standing disputes over property transfers. He had given valuable real estate to relatives on his wife’s side of the family, which reportedly angered Lizzie and her sister, Emma. The fear that their inheritance was being diminished could have created a powerful motive rooted in resentment and financial insecurity.

Second, there was deep personal hostility between Lizzie and her stepmother, Abby Borden. Lizzie allegedly refused to call Abby “Mother,” instead referring to her as “Mrs. Borden.” Tension in the household had reportedly been building for years. Some accounts suggest Lizzie believed Abby was trying to secure more of Andrew’s estate for her family. If Lizzie felt displaced or threatened within her home, that emotional friction could have escalated into violence.

Third, the timing of Andrew’s death was financially advantageous. Upon his death, Lizzie and Emma inherited a significant estate, including property that had previously been a point of contention. Within a year of the murders and her acquittal, Lizzie purchased a large house in a more fashionable neighborhood in Fall River. Critics argue that this sudden improvement in lifestyle suggests motive and opportunity converged in a calculated act.

Fourth, Lizzie’s inconsistent statements raised suspicion. During the investigation, she gave conflicting accounts about her whereabouts in the house at the time of the murders. She also claimed to have been in the barn for an extended period in intense summer heat, a detail some investigators found improbable. Additionally, she attempted to purchase prussic acid shortly before the murders, allegedly claiming it was for cleaning a sealskin cape. Although the purchase was never completed, prosecutors later used this claim as evidence of possible premeditation.

Fifth, there was no clear evidence of an intruder. The Bordens’ home showed no signs of forced entry, and it would have been risky for an outsider to commit such brutal murders in broad daylight without being noticed. The weapon, believed to be a hatchet, was found in the house. Lizzie was the only other person known to be present at the time of the killings. While she was acquitted at trial, the combination of financial motive, family tension, suspicious behavior, and lack of alternative suspects continues to fuel the argument that Lizzie Borden may indeed have committed the crime.