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Lindbergh kidnapping

Charles Lindbergh and his wife, aviator and author Anne Morrow Lindbergh, was murdered after being abducted from his crib in the upper floor of the Lindberghs' home, Highfields, in East Amwell, New Jersey, United States.

Place
East Amwell, New Jersey, United States
Date
1 Mar 1932
Status
SolvedAuthorities consider the case resolved, usually after identifying or convicting the responsible person.
Sources
2 cited sources

Updated 23 Aug 2026

Overview

Case overview

Charles Lindbergh and his wife, aviator and author Anne Morrow Lindbergh, was murdered after being abducted from his crib in the upper floor of the Lindberghs' home, Highfields, in East Amwell, New Jersey, United States. In September 1934, a German immigrant carpenter named Bruno Richard Hauptmann was arrested for the crime. [1]

After a trial that lasted from January 2 to February 13, 1935, he was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. This was later a key element in the trial of the man who was charged with the kidnapping. Hauptmann was convicted on February 13, 1935, and immediately sentenced to death. [2]

A poster seeking information on the whereabouts of Charles Lindbergh Jr.
A poster seeking information on the whereabouts of Charles Lindbergh Jr.Unknown author Unknown author · Public domain · View original ↗
Standard chronology

Key events

5 sourced milestones

Major events in the case, shown in chronological order.

  1. The investigation develops

    The FBI did not have federal jurisdiction until May 13, 1932, when the president declared that the FBI was at the disposal of the New Jersey Police Department and that the FBI should coordinate and conduct the investigation.

    Source: Wikipedia ↗

  2. A major development follows

    Suspicion fell upon Violet Sharpe, a British household servant at the Morrow home who had given contradictory information regarding her whereabouts on the night of the kidnapping.

    Source: Wikipedia ↗

  3. A central event is documented

    In his testimony, Hauptmann denied being guilty, insisting that the box of gold certificates had been left in his garage by a friend, Isidor Fisch, who had returned to Germany in December 1933 and died there in March 1934.

    Source: Wikipedia ↗

  4. Prosecutors file charges

    On September 24, 1934, Hauptmann was indicted in the Bronx for extorting the $50,000 ransom from Charles Lindbergh.

    Source: Wikipedia ↗

  5. The investigation develops

    The New Jersey State police offered a $25,000 reward, equivalent to $590,000 in 2025, for anyone who could provide information pertaining to the case.

    Source: Wikipedia ↗
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