Trigger warning: This story contains mentions of suicide and murder.

On the second floor of the Old Hays County Jail, serial killer Anna Hauptreif was found hanging from the bars of her jail cell by a waistband of her underclothing, on Oct. 31, 1924; just five months before going to trial for the murder of her first husband and four step kids and the attempted murder of her second husband. 

Oct. 31 will mark the 100th anniversary of her death.

Her story

When Anna was 27 she married Kurt Schroeder, a German immigrant, in June 1921. In September 1921, Schroeder died. At the time it was believed to be due to anesthetics during an appendectomy.

At his funeral, Anna cried and wailed hysterically over his coffin. Several community members and friends of Anna attended the funeral, including the Hauptreif family. 

The Hauptreif family consisted of 11 children. In 1916, William Hauptreif’s wife died during child- birth and a week later so did William’s 12th child. Willam’s property was valued at about $12,000.

Anna had gone to school with the Hauptreiffamily while growing up and was close to the family. Because they had known each other so well, William and Anna got married in 1922 and Anna immediately fell pregnant.

“Finding a new spouse is a little slim and they didn’t have a whole lot of pickings,” Peggy Jones, writer of “Mourning Murderess,” said. “They were neighbors. He had known her forever. She was friends with his kids, and he had four young children at home that needed a mother. And guess what? She needed support. A marriage made in heaven, right?”

Between April and May of 1923, three of the four Hauptreif kids still living at home mysteriously died. 10-year-old Lydia Hauptreif was the first to succumb to the unknown illness on April 7, 1923. Four days later 14-year-old Walter Hauptreif died.

After weeks of severe pain, vomiting and diarrhea, the youngest Hubert Hauptreif died at eight years old on May 4, 1923.

Similar to her actions at her late husband’s funeral, Anna mourned the death of her stepchildren and wailed at their funerals. The youngest daughter, Annie Hauptreif, was sent to live with her grandparents at this time.

While Annie was away, Anna and William welcomed their first child on June 21, 1923. After returning from her grandparent’s house, Annie died of the same illness as her siblings on November 11, 1923.

Due to suspicions of the Hauptreif family illness, an autopsy was conducted on Annie, and her body was laden with arsenic.

“People suspected maybe William did it,” Jones said. “William suspected maybe a discerned family member did it because of the fact that his estate might go to Anna, his second wife… nothing came of it.”

In summer 1924, William experienced the same vomiting and convulsions as his late children while working out in the field. He was taken to the Soldiers, Sailors and Marines Memorial Hospital.

On the way to the hospital, William vomited. The vomit was collected and tested. It was confirmed to have traces of arsenic. Anna was arrested and taken to the Old Hays County jail with her one-year-old daughter Lenora. Soon after, Lenora came into the care of her uncle.

After searching their family home, a bag of arsenic was found under the house as well as a jar of arsenic in water in the pie pantry. Anna confessed to the attempted murder of William and the murder of her four stepchildren and her brother was released from jail.

“I don’t know why I have done it,” Anna said, “The children wouldn’t mind me. I put arsenic in coffee I had left on the stove for them.”

She gave no reason for attempting to kill William but emphasized in her confession he had offered to will her his 180 acres of land. William later changed his mind and wanted to split the property and Anna called to change the testament just before William left for the hospital.

A few days after her first confession, Anna confessed to killing her first husband as well.

The trial of Anna was extended two times. First because of the disappearance of her attorney and secondly because of the discovery of her second pregnancy with William.

The trial was to continue in February but on Oct. 31, 1924, Anna hung herself and her unborn baby on the second floor of the Old Hays County Jail.

Anna is buried in Uhland next to her family members.

Many people believe the Old Hays County Jail is haunted by Anna. As the anniversary of her death draws closer, Frank Gonzales, head investigator of the San Marcos Paranormal Society, anticipates her energy to be strong. Gonzales visited the Old Hays County Jail, located on Fredericksburg Street, on Oct. 27. He believes the Old Hays County Jail is one of the more haunted places in San Marcos.

“A lot of people don’t know the history,” Gonzales said. “They know the building, but they don’t know the history behind it. So that’s part of our thing is we try to educate people on, you know, history is a big part of paranormal investigating.”

The San Marcos Paranormal Society visits the Old Hays County Jail periodically. They were first invited to investigate the jail in its natural state before renovations began in 2018. According to Gonzales, renovations were never completed due to the difficulty of keeping a construction company.

“Periodically we go in every few months and just document the progression of it,” Gonzales said. “After a while, they would get one construction company. They would last maybe a week or two before they would quit because of the paranormal activity… It would take them a few months before they could get another construction company… So the building never did get finished…It’s now been six years and it still hasn’t been worked on.” 

According to Linda Coker, San Marcos Historical Commission Chair, Anna mostly messes with men and will touch them if they are upstairs where she died.

The University Star gathered information through Peggy Jones and Linda Coker.