In 1938, the small town of Eastern Kentucky was haunted by the stories of a malevolent ghost, referred to as the “killer ghost”. Although no one had ever seen this ghostly figure, it was believed to have caused five similar and mysterious deaths. These events have since been regarded as one of the most spine-chilling legends in the area.
The legend began with the death of a man named Carl Pruitt, who killed his wife and committed suicide after finding her with another man. Pruitt was buried in a separate cemetery from his wife, and it was not long before strange things began to happen. Visitors to the cemetery noticed an unusual discoloration on Pruitt’s gravestone, which slowly formed into the shape of a chain and eventually stopped growing. Despite suggestions from local residents to remove the tombstone, officials dismissed these claims and nothing was done.
A group of boys riding their bicycles past the cemetery threw stones at Pruitt’s tombstone, but the stone remained unscathed. A boy, James Collins, threw a rock at the grave, causing a piece of it to chip off. Tragically, on his way home, lost control of his bicycle, and his neck became entangled in the sprocket chain, strangling him. James’s mother, heartbroken over her son’s death, destroyed Pruitt’s gravestone with an axe, but the following day, she became entangled in a chain while hanging laundry and died by strangling.
News of the accident spread, and it was believed to be the work of Pruitt’s ghost. As the legend continued to grow a farmer and his family members drove past the cemetery, and the farmer fired shots at Pruitt’s tombstone. The horses pulling the wagon ran out of control, and the farmer’s neck became snagged on one of the trace chains, killing him.
Two police officers were sent to the cemetery to investigate these events, but as they were leaving, they saw a bright light coming from the direction of the Pruitt tombstone. The car crashed, and the driver was killed by a chain that shattered the car’s windshield and wrapped around his neck.
After these events, residents avoided the cemetery altogether, but one man, Arthur Lewis, went to the cemetery to prove that the stories of the “cursed” tombstone were just superstition. Arthur Lewis was a man who took matters into his own hands. One night, armed with a hammer and chisel, he set out to destroy a gravestone. The sounds of metal striking stone echoed throughout the area as Arthur chipped away at the monument. However, the sounds suddenly stopped and were replaced with Arthur’s frightened screams.
Upon hearing the commotion, a group of men quickly gathered with lanterns in hand and rushed to the cemetery. When they arrived, they discovered Arthur’s lifeless body, strangled by the chain that was used to secure the cemetery gates. Surprisingly, the gravestone of Carl Pruitt was left untouched and unscathed, despite Arthur’s efforts.
The legend of the “killer ghost” of Eastern Kentucky continues to be told, and visitors to the cemetery report strange occurrences, such as hearing ghostly laughter and seeing chains moving on their own. To this day, the events surrounding the “cursed” tombstone remain a mystery, leaving many to believe that the ghost of Carl Pruitt still haunts the area.
The cemetery was abandoned, with the remaining bodies exhumed and transferred to other burial grounds. The memory of Carl Pruitt was lost, along with the land that once housed the cemetery. In 1958, the land was subjected to strip-mining, effectively destroying any remnants of Carl Pruitt’s grave.
In conclusion, the legend of the “killer ghost” of Eastern Kentucky is one of the most chilling tales in the area and continues to be a source of intrigue and fear for many generations. The mysterious deaths surrounding Carl Pruitt’s tombstone have never been fully explained, and the tale of the “cursed” tombstone remains a haunting reminder of the unknown and the supernatural.