The original link to SWPRG no longer works as they have changed servers.
sorry the original picture does not transfer over either, I suggest checking out the original post at http://villiscaiowa.com/
I found this at www.villiscaiowa.com. I was looking up this house to see if they allowed groups to do investigations.
Southern Wisconsin Paranormal Research Group
The Southern Wisconsin Paranormal Research Group is based in Janesville, WI. SWPRG conducted an investigation at the Villisca Axe Murder House on June 5th of 2004. This team did not use psychics in their investigation and asked that no prior information be provided to them before their visit. We did have the opportunity to place two people on this team for the duration of their investigation. Their comments on posted along with the investigation report and our comments.
To be quite honest, we were disappointed by the results submitted by this team. Conversations with members of this team were contradictory to the information provided in their investigation report. One member of the group claims to have photographs that distinctly show paranormal activity, however, as he was not an official member of the team - SWPRG claims they cannot include these photographs. Another member of the team left the group shortly after the Villisca Investigation, conversations with this former team member confirmed the existance of EVP's and other photographs that were also not included in their final report.
Investigators: : Jennifer Lauer, Amanda Otto, Rob Johnson, Nathan Thomas, Deb Skinvik, Jeff Leisher
THE VILLISCA AXE MURDER HOUSE - Villisca, Iowa Date: June 5, 2004Location: Lot 410, Villisca, Iowa Equipment Used: Tri-Field Natural EMF Meter, Analog EMF Gauss Meter, 3 Video recorders with Night vision, 3 camera video recording surveillance equipment, (3) 35 mm cameras, Digital audio recorders, Audio enhancing devices & Non-contact Thermal Scanners Film Speed: 400 ASA / DigitalMoon Phase: Waxing Crescent Start Time: 11:00 p.m. End Time: 6:30 p.m.
THE INVESTIGATION
Upon arriving at the house, we took a quick tour of the grounds inside and out. A detailed map was drawn of the house and grounds as a quick reference for later on in the night. The owners, Martha and Darwin Linn, were there to greet us. Darwin gave us a tour of the home accounting the murders, evidence and suspects in great detail. Equipment was brought in and we began the initial setting up our surveillance equipment. Three wireless cameras were setup throughout the house with a monitor outside in the barn. Two air temperature gauges were placed in the children's rooms. One downstairs where the Stillinger girls slept and one upstairs in the Moore Children's Bedroom.
We split our team up into 2 groups. Group one (1) Amanda, Nathan, Chad and Jennifer Group two (2) Rob, Jeff & Deb. Group 2 entered the home first while group 1 remained outside monitoring group 2 from the barn. Group one (1) started upstairs in the parent's room taking EVP's. After an hour, one member of a group would document the current, high and low temperature of each of the children's rooms. A detailed hourly account of the temperature in each of the bedrooms were taken throughout the entire night. Each room was investigated thoroughly by team members during the night.
Several times throughout the night the group tried to energize the house by bringing in EVERYONE in the group and expelling energy. Our hopes were to bring out anything that would draw on our energy and make it more apparent. Unfortunately, this didn't work.
IN CONCLUSION
Although our attempts at capturing paranormal activity wasn't working out as we had hoped that night, we were pleased at a couple of things we did collect and document as actual paranormal activity collected on the property.
EVIDENCE:
Photo:While taking photos of the outside of the house during the middle of the night, Amanda Otto shot a very odd photo. Her camera was not moving and there was no apparent light source located in the front of the house.
Data:
A huge temperature drop was caught in the small blue child's room on the first floor. The high was 71.2, the low was 47.1, and the current temperature taken at the time it was recorded was 70.5. That means between the hours of 12:00 (midnight and 1:00 am) the temperature dropped 24 degree's to 47.1 then came back up to 70.5. This would be a considered a Major COLD SPOT.
You may recall that we also had two folks from Missouri win the opportunity to participate in this investigation. Interesting enough, the story we got from them was contradictory to the information provided to us by SWPRG. You'll find Mike's version of the evening below.
Hi everyone. My name is Mike and I won the Ebay auction to join the Wisconsin team for their overnight investigation back in June. (Thanks to all who ran up the bids!! Ha!) I invited Jan, a friend from Cape Girardeau, MO, who drove seven hours, to be a part of this investigation.
I will now give you my summary of the events on June 5, 2004 as a guest investigator at the Moore house.
I arrived at the museum at 6 pm and saw a van with Wisconsin plates loaded with people. The museum was locked so I went over to introduce myself. Their team leader's response to me was "what is your role here?" I won the Ebay auction, etc., I answered. I then volunteered to take them over to the Moore house. They followed me there. Darwin and Carol were inside in the kitchen videotaping an interview with an elderly man as he looked through old yearbook pictures. That's what I most admire about Darwin - his love of the local history and his commitment to preserve it.
The team members wanted to stretch their legs after their long drive and Carol offered to show them the cemetery. I tagged along. Jan had not yet arrived. It was an enlightening hike. Carol's narrative about past paranormal investigation findings seemed to be controversial to several of the team members, as their scientific philosophy was now being aired by innuendos and wry comments. Very subtle, very polite, mind you. (exception was one guy who said: "abracadabra-pull a rabbit out of a hat" in a mock loony tune voice after I said something about the supernatural) I commented to Carol that they seemed to be all science and didn't want to hear about past investigations. But you got to love Carol - let the stories be told! So we hiked and got to know each other better. It was surreal -surrounded by skeptic paranormal investigators, so it seemed. This will be interesting.
We did the cemetery tour, took pictures, and got back. Darwin and the old man had left. I went to the museum to see if Jan had arrived. Darwin and Jan were there. After eating a quick supper at the cafe, we soon returned to the house.
The group was busy setting up headquarters in the barn. They were then given the history and tour by Darwin and Martha. Darwin, as always, gave a very thorough and interesting historical overview - past and present.
The team had very professional equipment. They had a scientific agenda.They said that they did not believe in using psychics. They looked for evidence that they could scientifically prove. I believe they had 8 or 9 on their team. They split the team into 2 groups who rotated in and out of the house at steady intervals. A voice monitor was placed inside the house to announce team rotations. Jan and I had jobs to do with the teams. I asked the team leader if Jan and I could have the house to ourselves at 12:30 a.m. for about an hour. She agreed, saying they would use that time to review their data. I'm not sure if they were aware of the residual haunting theory; if so, they may have discounted it as a non-event. I am just speculating. No one asked me, "why that time?" And I don't recall explaining.
The first part of the night's investigation consisted of temperature measurements taken throughout the house. We were searching for anomalies, spikes, etc. There was an interesting, if not slightly bizarre event where the team "rushed" the house's interior, jumping up and down, laughing,yelling, running all over the place - as they call it - expelling energy.Trying to energize the place, to bring out anything that might draw on their energy, as they called it in their report. They did it twice, I think. It seemed odd and disrespectful. Were they looking for a payback? Is it that simple? I felt that the "rush" may have even freaked out the "locals". 
EVPs: Their report suggests that they struck out. My memory differs. We were upstairs in the children's room sitting in a circle on the floor. I think they had 3 recorders on. After 10-15 minutes of questions-don't quote me as I did not check my watch, they reviewed their recorders, still seated. Several team members thought they heard some giggling. The group got excited about this. I remember 2 of the team members expressing that they sensed that they were being touched. I think one of them thought they felt something had sat or leaned on their leg. Later outside I mentioned that some people had gotten good EVPs when they were confrontational with the killer who was sometimes referred to as Blackie Mansfield. One of the members seemed skeptical at my suggestion, but they did another EVP session with the focus on intimidating the killer. Lots of cursing from one team member. I do not know if they got any EVPs from that.
Jan and I did our 12:30 time as was scheduled. The train was very late. I had a sad time that hour. Time flew by fast. I felt some cold spots. I cried spontaneously. It was an odd hour in there. We were then paged that our time was up.
From the backyard later in the night, Jan and I witnessed several members running out of the house. I've always called it "fleeing". They were very animated and vocal - something had happened upstairs. There had been a confrontation of some kind. The group was very excited. One of the members was cursing loudly - seemed defensive. I think that picture they posted was taken about then, but it might have been earlier. Who knows? I remember that when it was taken it caused quite a sensation for the team, as it should have--it is awesome!
My report does not follow a precise investigation timeline, as I did not take any notes.
Summary: We waited 3 long months for the Southern Wisconsin Paranormal Research Group to post their results. I checked the website alot, being excited and all. Must be something very important to reveal, or else lots of data to correlate. When I read it, I immediately emailed Carol "Wow,what a letdown!"
I've probably been to the Moore house 6 or 7 times on overnights, and yes, there have been a few almost "quiet nights" up there. Had I not been there with the Wisconsin team, their report could have been interpreted as just that, an almost quiet night. No mention that Jan and I were there. No fleeing? No touching? No unusual sensations? No possible or even inconclusive EVPs? No mention of the power grid across the street that they hinted to be suspect? No photos to debunk orbs? No dust stories to stir up the faithful? Wow. Was I dreaming I was there?
As they say, inquiring minds want to know.
To the members of the SWPR Group:
My opinion is that your credibility as a paranormal research team is only as valid as your detailed summary. I have read five of your most recent investigations, and never did your team report doing any energy "rushes" during those. Was Villisca the first? Those summaries state that your team is asking questions from tenants, neighbors, etc. Your group seems to sift through the evidence as it sees fit, at least as it applied to the Moore house. The Villisca website IS teeming with evidence - enough to at least be aware to be in the house when the train goes through around 1 a.m for crying out loud! You can't debunk it if you aren't there! You tell the public to draw their own conclusions. Does your team have an opinion? If I see an orb with my naked eye, is it fiction or fact to you? If another on your team sees an orb, do you believe? Will anyone on your team try to explain that incredible photo you took? What time was the photo taken? Were all the other photos duds? How many photos were taken? Too bad you can't measure fear, anxiety, impressions, or repression. What about denial?
Maybe I'm being too hard on your team...maybe not. I would like to think that maybe just one of your members has a different perspective to share.
I am an amateur investigator without any high-tech gear. I like to read about all the data a professional investigation team has collected, however mundane it may appear to be. I'm sure other people feel the same way too. Was this report a consensus from your group? I left that night with many impressions and a few good photos. I watched your team at work. Care to refute, clarify, or challenge my "amateur" summary? I urge everyone to read their summaries of past investigations as posted on their website. And draw YOUR own conclusions~ Mike Smith
By the way, I left my AA battery charger there that night by mistake. The following weekend was the anniversary event that I attended. I had to leave a little early - it was about 8:30 pm - and asked Darwin if I could go over there and pick the charger up. He told me he had put it in the kitchen in a crock. He gave me the key and I got there, unlocked the house, and went into the kitchen. Immediately I heard some walking sounds upstairs and I rushed to get my charger and got the heck out of there! How many of you would have gone upstairs to check it out?! There IS safety in numbers. Have always been curious as to how the overnight group fared that night.
Mike's letter to SWPRG did generate a response from two members of the team and Jennifer Lauer, Team Leader. Apparently other photographs and EVP's did exist, however the departure of a team member made those inaccessible to SWPRG. Photographs taken by a non-teammember also show paranormal activity, however, this person has refused to allow SWPRG or anyone from Villisca access to these photographs. The posting of Mike's letter drew varied responses from our site visitors. A few challenged the fact that we expressed disappointment in the report itself and even suggested that we challenged the report because it was not favorable. As mentioned elsewhere on this site - we invite investigators to the house and encourage them to share their findings. We have nothing to hide. Our dissatisfaction was in the fact that we do not feel all the information they collected was released to the public. There often are nights in the house with no activity, we did not, however, feel that was the case here. The thirty degree temperature drop documented by SWPRG is extreme and unexplainable. The conflicting reports from their own team members, however, caused our concern. We do not feel, at this time that the SWPRG report contains all the evidence or non-evidence they uncovered.
