At 3:30 a.m. on April 11, 1933, neighbors and firefighters arrived at
the farmhouse of Albin and Alvira Johnson to find a smoldering heap
where a seemingly happy home once stood. Beneath the ruins,
investigators found the bodies of Alvira and her seven children, but
Albin's remains were nowhere to be seen. The authorities determined that
Alvira and the children were dead before the fire, and fingers
immediately pointed to Albin. Hundreds of searchers, including the
illustrious Pinkerton Agency, combed the area and even crossed into
Canada in pursuit of Johnson, who was indicted in absentia for murder.
But he was never found, dead or alive. What happened to the Johnson
family and what part, if any, Albin played in the tragedy remain a
mystery. Twin Cities journalist Brian Johnson tells the story that has
beguiled the community for generations.