The latest movie, dubbed “The Inhabitant,” is currently the talk of the town, possibly because a real-life story has inspired the film. Yes!! The movie isn’t 100% fiction and has ties to the real-life case of Lizzie Borden, who was scrutinized for killing her parents, Abby and Andrew Borden, in cold blood and mutilating their bodies with a hatchet. The movie also follows suit, but with a slight twist. So, let’s dig deep and learn more about Lizzie Borden, aka the woman who inspired the “Inhabitant.”
The real-life Lizzie Borden was born in Fall River, Massachusetts where she lived with her sister named Emma Borden. Andrew Borden had amassed a fortune in the millions of dollars. He was a successful businessman and landowner who was notoriously tight with cash. He fostered a dreary lifestyle for his household by keeping them in a cramped home with few luxuries. Both Lizzie and Emma detested their dreadful situation. Whenever they could, they would go to their cousin’s home for lunch and play with the posh toys she had collected. Lizzie’s desire for luxury goods drove her to steal. After being caught shoplifting, her father promised to pay back the store owners. The stores didn’t put up much resistance to Lizzie since everyone in Fall River knew they were rich.
Lizzie, albeit a habitual thief, was a devoted member of her congregation. She also worked as the church accountant and supervised the Sunday school class for immigrants. Her mother, Sarah, passed away while she was very young, and her father, Andrew, married another woman named Abby. Various accounts identify Abby Borden as a variety of things, like an unfaithful freeloader. However, many centers on her role as a wicked stepmother. Lizzie and Emma’s tolerance for their father’s stinginess diminished as they grew older. Andrew was making things worse by offering his possessions to other relatives as presents. Both sisters struggled to cope and eventually drifted apart as a result.
The Night Before The Horrific Murders
On the morning of August 3, John Morse knocked on the Bordens’ door and asked if he could spend the night there. He was in town for a business meeting and needed a place to hang his coat for the night. According to many sources, Morse was the brother of Andrew’s first wife, and the duo shared a special friendship. The Bordens were always welcoming to John. Several theories attribute his arrival to foul play, although it might have been just coincidental. There was nothing in it for John to kill the Bordens, no motive, nothing. The sisters had caught a fever, so Andrew had to skip work. Bridget, the housemaid, also called in sick. Abby had been vomiting since the morning. John was spared because the food poisoning came from something that the Borden family had eaten earlier.
The Day Of The Murder
Abby and Andrew Borden’s carcasses, both severely mutilated, were discovered the next day. Abby probably passed away at approximately 9 a.m., and Andrew somewhere between 10:30 and 11:10 a.m. The savagery of the homicides shocked the police officers who arrived on the scene. The authorities first believed that a crazed murderer had broken into the home and murdered the couple inside. Those in the neighborhood informed authorities that they had only seen the Bordens and their children at the residence. Afterward, it was claimed that a person had arrived and was screaming at the entrance in anger; however, this was never verified. In time, investigators started to speculate that Lizzie could have been the one responsible for Andrew and Abby Borden’s deaths. The news of the killings immediately circulated around the neighborhood, and a large crowd gathered in front of the home in the days that followed. Authorities somehow managed to piece together that Abby was murdered approximately an hour and a half before her husband, despite the heavily polluted murder scene.
Abby’s blood had congealed by the time her corpse was discovered, yet she was still somewhat warm. There was, surprisingly, very little bloodshed in the home. There was blood at the crime scene where the victims were discovered, but not a drop anywhere else. The authorities found a small amount of blood on Lizzie’s undergarments; however, she stated it was her menstrual blood. Police basically believed her story for it since they couldn’t analyze blood back then. The cops also discovered that Lizzi had attempted to torch her clothing. She said she attempted to set her clothing on fire because it was old and that her family often disposed of old items by setting them on fire. Andrew could certainly pay for his daughter’s gowns, but he was a miser, so it’s doubtful that he’d burn clothes very often. Police said Lizzie’s behavior was inconsistent with her story. However, it’s important to remember that people deal with trauma in various ways. She swore she went to the stable to get some irons but instead spent an hour staring out the windows and munching on three peaches before returning home and discovering Andrew. Upon entering the stable, detectives saw a suspicious imprint in the hayloft, suggesting that somebody had bedded there. However, nobody can say for sure who was the first to peep into the stables. Everybody who entered boasted that they were the first. Some soiled rags were found in a pail in the cellar. The cops also unearthed a potential murder weapon, which happens to be a hatchet soaked in blood, and Abby’s and Andrews’ wounds don’t affirm otherwise. It’s also important to note that, prior to the killings, Lizzie had tried to buy acid. She had lied to physicians in order to obtain the acid, claiming that she required it to wash seal coats. Her physician declined. However, the detectives began to doubt whether Lizzie had been plotting to murder her parents for months. Lizzie was arrested on August 8 on the charge of the murder of Abby and Andrew Borden. She would not provide any information that may have benefited her, and she constantly contradicted her own testimonies. The state argued that Lizzie was the lone suspect since no one else could have committed the murder. Andrew and Abby’s skeletons were hauled in, and upon seeing them, Lizzie passed out. Defense attorneys claimed that there wasn’t enough proof to establish guilt and demanded that Lizzie be acquitted at once.
Lizzie Was Found “Not Guilty”
After ten months of trial, Lizzi was found “not guilty” and exited the courtroom as a free woman. She remained in Fall River, where she shared a home with Emma. The siblings received an inheritance equivalent to around $10 million in modern money and used it to buy their perfect house. Lizzie was disapproved of by the majority of the congregation and was eventually expelled from the church, maybe because there were many who believed her to be the real murderer. The conflict between Lizzie and Emma led to the latter’s departure from the residence. Emma has been reported as stating that she and Lizzie experienced “things” when they were young; however, she did not elaborate on it. Many people speculate that the parents abused their children, although there is no evidence to support these claims.
Lizzie spent the remainder of her days in isolation with her furry friends. She devoted herself to animal welfare because of her deep affection for all creatures. She never spoke out about what happened and passed away in 1927 due to illness. Emma’s death from renal dysfunction came only nine days later. Andrew and Abby’s two daughters were interred close to their father and stepmother.
See more: ‘The Inhabitant’ Ending, Explained: Did Tara Really Kill Her Parents?
