The Lawson Murders Warning Graphic Content On Christmas Day 1929 Charlie Lawson, a 43 year old tobacco farmer slaughtered almost his entire family before turning his gun on himself in the woods of his Stokes County farm. Lawson shot 2 of his daughters, Carrie Lee ,12 and Maybell ,7 near the family’s barn. He then made his way to the porch of their cabin and shot his wife, Fannie, 38. Once inside the cabin he gunned down daughter Marie, 17, then bludgeoned his tiny sons, James, 4, and Raymond, 2, before doing the same to Mary Lou, 3 months. Lawson slaughtered all but one of his children, his16 year old son Arthur, who with his father’s permission had walked with a friend to Walnut Cove to buy ammunition for rabbit hunting. Some speculate Lawson feared that Arthur would intervene and interrupt the slaying spree. The motive for one of the most horrid bloodiest crime in the region’s history remains a mystery. Months leading up to the crime Lawson was known to have behaved erratically and complained to his Doctor about severe headaches and insomnia. A week before the murders, Lawson bought his family all new clothes and insisted they all pose for a portrait photo. It’s said that when the bodies were found on Boxing Day, enough blood was left on Lawson's cabin floor for neighbours to scoop it up with a coal shovel. Shortly after the slayings, thousands of curious interlopers, including press, swarmed the graveside funeral at Browder Cemetery. They had all come to see the row of caskets get lowered into the mass grave, dug by Friends and Family. Soon after the funerals Lawson’s Brother opened the crime scene for macabre tours. Blood stains were left for authenticity. The gory exhibit even featured the Christmas cake, daughter Marie baked, but had never gotten around to serving it.