NEED TO KNOW

The Bender family killed at least eight people between 1870 and 1873

The family has become known as the "Bloody Benders," inspiring movies, television shows, books and more

There is renewed interest in the Bender family murders, including a University of Kansas archeology class searching for answers

It was one of the first mass murder cases in United States history — and more than 150 years later, there are still few answers about what happened at the “Bloody Benders'” cabin — and why.

Between 1870 and 1873, a Kansas family now known as the “Bloody Benders” terrorized travelers who stopped at their cabin looking for rest along the Osage Trail, killing their victims one-by-one after offering them a place to recoup and heal before heading back out in their search for land.

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