Lizzie Borden secured her place in history after the notorious axe murders, but her life continued after her 1893 acquittal.
Following the trial, Lizzie changed her name, left the family home and moved into a lavish residence in Fall River, Mass.’s most affluent neighborhood. She also became a passionate supporter of the theater, though public suspicion never entirely faded.
By the time she died in 1927, Lizzie—who had spent her later years estranged from her sister, Emma Borden—was living largely as a recluse. Even after death, however, she made one final decision involving her father, more than 30 years after he was brutally murdered in the home they had shared.
Here is what to know about Lizzie Borden’s life after the murders, as well as the circumstances surrounding her death:
What Happened to Andrew Borden and Abby Borden?
Lizzie’s father, Andrew Borden, was a prosperous banker and prominent property owner in Fall River.
His life ended violently on Aug. 4, 1892, when he was murdered alongside his wife—and Lizzie’s stepmother—Abby Borden.
Authorities believe Abby was killed first, at about 9:30 a.m., in an upstairs bedroom while Andrew was out for a walk, 48 Hours reported. She suffered 19 blows, most of them to the back of her head.
Lizzie, who was 32 and still living at home, said she “did not hear anything,” according to Cara Robertson, author of The Trial of Lizzie Borden, in comments to the outlet.
Andrew returned home at approximately 10:45 a.m. and went to the living room to nap. Lizzie later told police that she found him dead on the couch a short time afterward. He had been struck 10 or 11 times, according to History.com.
Did Lizzie Borden Go to Jail After Andrew Borden, Abby Borden’s Murders?
Although investigators considered other possibilities, Lizzie quickly emerged as the main suspect.
She was arrested on Aug. 11, 1892, and transferred to a jail in Taunton, Massachusetts, according to Biography. After nine months in a small cell, the former Sunday School teacher went on trial in June 1893 for the killings in a case that became known as the “trial of the century.”
During the two-week proceeding, prosecutors could not produce physical evidence definitively linking Lizzie to the murders. She was acquitted and released, Biography reported.
What Happened to Lizzie Borden’s House?
After the trial, Lizzie and her older sister, Emma, left the modest house where the murders took place. The property is now a historic bed-and-breakfast that promises visitors a “hauntingly fun time,” according to its website.
The sisters settled in a grand Queen Anne Victorian home in The Hill, an affluent section of Fall River.
Known as Maplecroft, the ornate 3,935-square-foot house featured seven bedrooms and six fireplaces, according to Boston Magazine.
Lizzie also owned one of Fall River’s earliest automobiles: a black Ford Model T kept in the home’s carriage house, according to Time.
What Happened to Lizzie Borden After the Murder Trials?
According to The New York Times, Lizzie began using the name Lisbeth, or Lizbeth, A. Borden as she attempted to build a new identity. Still, the shadow of her past remained difficult to escape.
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Suspicion continued to follow her. Lizzie endured neighborhood taunts, was rejected by some members of Fall River’s conservative community and eventually stopped attending church, Time reported.
She returned to the headlines in 1897 after being accused of shoplifting, though she was never convicted.
Lizzie also embraced the theater world, frequently traveling to Boston, New York and Washington, D.C. During those trips, she met Nance O’Neil, a successful stage actress, according to Biography.
According to The Historic Lizzie Borden House, the two women formed a close friendship. The bond allowed Lizzie to embrace a more active social life, often hosting parties and dinners for those in the theatrical circle.
What Happened Between Lizzie Borden and Her Sister Emma Borden?
Around the same time, Lizzie and her sister Emma had a falling out and the older sibling moved from the home in 1905.
“The happenings in the French Street house that caused me to leave I must refuse to talk about,” Emma once explained, according to The New York Times. “I did not go until conditions became absolutely unbearable.”
The pair never repaired their bond and remained estranged until their deaths.
Still, when Emma was asked in 1913 whether she still believed in Lizzie’s innocence, she remained supportive of her sister, saying, “as for her being guilty I say ‘no’ and decidedly ‘no,’” The New York Times reported.
How Did Lizzie Borden Die?
Eventually, the relationship between Lizzie and Nance also broke down. Though the exact reason remains unclear, there were reports that Nance may have taken advantage of Lizzie’s wealth, per The Historic Lizzie Borden House.
In her later years, Lizzie became more reclusive.
She died at home at the age of 66 on June 1, 1927. The New York Times reported that about a year before her death, Lizzie underwent an operation and “never had fully recovered.”
The Historic Lizzie Borden House listed her cause of death as pneumonia. Her sister Emma died nine days later in New Hampshire.
They were both buried in the family’s plot alongside Andrew and Abby.
Lizzie Borden Made Provision For Her Father in Her Will
After her death, Lizzie left about $30,000 to the Animal Rescue League of Fall River, along with smaller amounts for her servants, cousins, her executor and others, the outlet reported.
She specified in her will that nothing would be left to her sister.
“I have not given my sister anything,” she wrote, “as she had her share of her father’s estate and is supposed to have enough to make her comfortable.”
Lizzie also made a provision in honor of her father, leaving $500 in a perpetual trust for the care of his grave, The New York Times reported. She made no mention of the grave of her stepmother.