There have been several accounts of treasure hunters who were murdered for their secrets throughout history, including that of W.W. Brooks.
But before we take a look at a man who might have been murdered for a treasure map, here are some of the most notable cases of treasure hunters dying:
Oak Island Money Pit
In the late 1700s, a group of treasure hunters on Oak Island, Nova Scotia, discovered a pit filled with booby traps. Despite multiple attempts to uncover the treasure believed to be buried deep below, no one has been able to retrieve it to this day. There have been several theories suggesting that some of the treasure hunters who tried to uncover the secrets of the pit were murdered by other treasure hunters who wanted to keep the treasure for themselves.
Forrest Fenn Treasure
Forrest Fenn, an art collector and author, claimed to have hidden a treasure worth millions of dollars in the Rocky Mountains. He gave clues about its location in one of his books, and many people went on treasure hunts to find it. In 2017, a man named Randy Bilyeu went missing while searching for the treasure, and his remains were found several months later. It’s unclear whether his death was related to the treasure or not.
Beale Ciphers
In the late 1800s, a man named Thomas J. Beale claimed to have found a treasure worth millions of dollars and left behind three ciphers that would reveal the location of the treasure. To this day, only one of the ciphers has been decrypted, and the treasure remains unfound. Some people believe that Beale’s ciphers are a hoax, while others think that the treasure hunters who tried to decode the ciphers were murdered to keep the treasure’s location a secret.
While these cases have been shrouded in mystery and speculation, it’s important to note that there’s no concrete evidence linking any of these treasure hunters’ deaths to the secrets of the treasure they were searching for.
Old Prospector is Found Slain in New Mexico
SILVER CITY, N.M., January 31, 1933. – W.W. Brooks, aged 65 years, old-time prospector and treasure hunter, was found dead in the Burro Mountain region, southwest of here, last Saturday.
Officers believe he was killed for a treasure map he carried.
Brooks searched tirelessly for years for lost gold mines he believed were buried in the region.
A watch and $35 in cash were found in his pockets, eliminating the theory of robbery.
Source: The Daily Alaska empire. (Juneau, Alaska), 31 Jan. 1933.
