Caution, Crime Scene Photos Below!
Earth Day was founded in 1970, and the very first Earth Day celebration was hosted by a man named Ira Einhorn. Ira was a college professor who dubbed himself “The Unicorn”, due to the fact that Einhorn translates to Unicorn in German. Many claim that he is one of the original founders of Earth Day, though the other founders staunchly deny this. But, considering what later transpired, it’s really no wonder that they deny Ira’s contributions – who would blame them?
Anyhow, Ira was a big deal back in the ’60’s through the ’70’s: he was Philadelphia’s best loved hippie guru, an environmental activist who preached of peace, love, and rock n’ roll – the man even ran for mayor! When Ira’s ex girlfriend, Holly Maddox, went missing on Septtember 9th of 1977, nobody ever dreamed Ira could be responsible; well, nobody except the police and his neighbor.
Holly and Ira had dated for years, but they had just separated as she’d decided to reconnect with an ex boyfriend. Understandably Ira was none too happy having been dumped for another man, he’d telephoned her with the threat that everything she owned would be thrown out to the curb unless she came to get it right away.
Holly was concerned, she begged several people to please accompany her to Ira’s house to collect her belongings, but nobody was available. That evening she traveled alone to Ira’s place, and Holly was never seen alive again. Ira’s story was that the young lady had left his place on a quick tofu run with the promise of returning quickly, but she’s never come back.
A neighbor did report hearing a very loud woman’s scream coming from Ira’s apartment on the night in question; a few days later, that same neighbor complained to the landlord about a brown, gooey substance coming from Ira’s place. This was determined to be bodily fluids; the landlord brought a plumber to fix the issue, but Ira refused them entry to his home. Soon people were talking about the smell coming from the guru’s apartment.
Police were sure they knew exactly what had become of Holly, and eventually they did obtain a warrant to search Ira’s home. Inside a padlocked closet they discovered a trunk; tucked inside this trunk was styrofoam padding, air fresheners, and Holly’s remains. The poor girl had been terribly beaten; Holly’s skull had a dozen different fractures and pieces of her skull were embedded in her brain. If that wasn’t bad enough, autopsy proved that Holly was still alive when she was locked inside said trunk.
Ira was promptly arrested and charged with 1st degree murder; at court there were many prominent supporters who stood up for the guru. Everyone told the judge the same thing: this absolutely must be a mistake as Ira was a kind and peaceful soul. Ira himself told the judge that he was anxious for the trial to begin so that he could prove his innocence. The judge said he’d never seen a person charged with murder receive such glowing reviews, and with that he set a $40,000. bail for this cold blooded murderer. Ira’s friends, who honest to goodness did believe him innocent, promptly bailed the killer out.
Of course Ira immediately disappeared, he fled to Europe and the trial transpired without the killer. The man was found guilty of first degree premeditated murder. Meanwhile, the guru had befriended wealthy people in France; eventually our killer met an exceedingly wealthy lady by the name of Annika Flodin and he moved to Sweden to live a life of privilege on her beautiful 5 acres.
For years the US desperately searched for Ira, and upon locating him it still took several more years to obtain extradition. France would not hand the killer over unless he was given a new trial with the death penalty taken off the table. When Ira realized that France and the US had come to an agreement and he was finally gonna have to face the music, he slit his own throat in protest! He did survive this, and after a hospital stay Ira was finally shipped back to Pennsylvania. Our cold blooded killer had been on the lam, living the good life for a whopping 24 years!
Now at court Ira claimed he was framed: the CIA had murdered Holly and planted her remains in Ira’s home! But exactly why would they do that? To harm the environmental movement and tarnish Earth Day, of course! Thankfully the jury didn’t buy it, and the Unicorn is currently serving his life sentence.
Below are the crime scene photos
