A Stranger in Room 1046
On January 2, 1935, a man using the name Roland T. Owen checked into the President Hotel in Kansas City. The hotel staff described him as a well-dressed man, in his mid-20s, with brown hair and a distinctive scar on his scalp. However, there was something peculiar about his arrival. He brought no luggage except for a comb, a toothbrush, and toothpaste. His reserved demeanor and sparse belongings aroused curiosity, but no one could have imagined the grim events that would soon unfold.
Owen requested an interior room—room 1046—and seemed oddly specific about its lack of windows. Bellboy Randolph Propst escorted Owen to his room, noting that Owen was quiet and polite but noticeably anxious. Shortly after checking in, Owen left the room, but returned later in the evening.
Over the next two days, hotel staff became aware of unusual occurrences in Owen’s room. A maid named Mary Soptic was the first to notice. When she entered room 1046 to clean on January 3, Owen was inside, sitting quietly in a darkened room with only a small lamp on. He allowed her to clean, but asked her to leave the door unlocked as he was expecting a friend, a man named “Don.” Later, she overheard a conversation between Owen and another man with a deep voice. The conversation was muted, but the name “Don” was mentioned multiple times.
Owen’s peculiar behavior continued when he made several requests for the phone line to remain open but seldom used it. The next morning, January 4, 1935, the staff again entered room 1046 to clean. This time, they noticed that Owen seemed nervous and was speaking cryptically. He mentioned an upcoming meeting with “Don” but offered little detail. Throughout the day, staff reported overhearing strange noises from his room. Despite this, no one was prepared for the horror that awaited them.
Discovery of a Crime
Later that day, the hotel’s phone operator noticed that the phone in room 1046 was off the hook. When the bellboy checked, he found Owen in a horrific state—naked, bleeding profusely, and clearly tortured. Blood stained the walls and furniture, and Owen had been bound with cords around his wrists and neck. His skull was fractured, and he had multiple stab wounds to his chest.
Despite his critical condition, Owen was still alive. When questioned by the police, Owen barely managed to say that “nobody” was responsible for his injuries. He claimed he had simply fallen, but his wounds—strangulation marks, head trauma, and stab wounds—indicated a brutal attack. He was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries on January 5, 1935, leaving behind more questions than answers.
The Enigmatic Identity of Roland T. Owen
In the wake of Roland T. Owen’s mysterious death, the investigation into his identity and the events in room 1046 deepened. Police were baffled by the strange clues found in the room and the victim’s evasive responses before he passed. A major breakthrough in the case came when detectives discovered that “Roland T. Owen” was, in fact, a pseudonym.
Upon checking into the hotel, Owen had claimed he was from Los Angeles, but authorities there found no record of a man with that name. There were no personal belongings in the room—no clothing, no identification, and most notably, no murder weapon, which eliminated the possibility of suicide. Furthermore, the fingerprints found in the room did not match Owen’s, but were believed to belong to a woman, adding another layer to the mystery.
The Shadowy Figure: Don
One of the most puzzling aspects of the case was Owen’s mention of a man named “Don.” According to the maid, Mary Soptic, Owen repeatedly referred to a meeting with this man during her cleaning visits. The night before the attack, she even overheard a conversation between Owen and a man whose voice she described as “rough” and deep. Despite this, no one at the hotel ever saw Don or identified him after the fact.
Theories quickly emerged that Don might have been Owen’s killer or at least involved in the events leading to his murder. However, no trace of him was found during the investigation. Some speculated that Don might have been a criminal associate of Owen, possibly linked to a dispute that spiraled into violence.
Mysterious Letters and the Real Identity of Roland T. Owen
In March 1935, a new lead emerged that seemed to bring clarity to Owen’s true identity. A funeral home in Kansas City, where Owen’s body was being held for burial, received an anonymous phone call offering to pay for his burial expenses. Shortly thereafter, money wrapped in a newspaper was delivered to the funeral home, along with a request for a bouquet of flowers for the grave, signed, “Love forever, Louise”.
The case took another twist a year later when a woman named Ruby Ogletree read a magazine article about Owen’s murder and saw his photograph. She immediately recognized him as her missing son, Artemus Ogletree, who had disappeared from Birmingham, Alabama, in April 1934. He was just 17 years old at the time of his death, much younger than initially believed.
Ruby Ogletree’s identification of the victim confirmed his real identity, but it did little to explain the circumstances of his murder. Oddly, Ruby had received several typed letters from her son after his disappearance, even though Artemus didn’t know how to type. The letters were filled with slang and unusual language, further fueling suspicions that someone else had written them. This revelation deepened the mystery of who was responsible for Artemus Ogletree’s death and why.
Theories and Speculation
The case of Roland T. Owen, or rather Artemus Ogletree, became even more perplexing as investigators sifted through the sparse clues. The strange circumstances of his death, coupled with the mysterious figures of “Don” and “Louise,” led to a variety of theories that have fascinated true crime enthusiasts for decades. However, none have fully solved the enigma of what transpired in room 1046.
The Mysterious Figure of Don
The mention of “Don” remains one of the most baffling aspects of the case. Owen referred to him several times to hotel staff, implying that they were supposed to meet, yet this elusive figure was never seen by any witnesses. One popular theory suggests that Don was an alias for a criminal associate. Investigators speculated that Owen (Ogletree) may have been involved in illegal activities, possibly related to organized crime or bootlegging, which was not uncommon in the 1930s. The horrific injuries Owen sustained could have been the result of a violent confrontation with someone in the criminal underworld.
However, there are no solid records linking Owen to any known criminal enterprises, nor was there any evidence in room 1046 pointing to such involvement. This left authorities puzzled about who “Don” really was. Could Don have been a fabricated figure, used by Owen to cover up something else, or was he indeed involved in the brutal attack? Some speculated that Owen might have been engaged in a romantic relationship with Don, and the encounter could have turned deadly due to jealousy or betrayal.
The Role of Louise
The figure of Louise, who sent flowers and paid for Owen’s funeral anonymously, adds another layer of mystery. No one ever came forward to reveal who this person was, or why they were willing to ensure a proper burial for the victim. Some have suggested that Louise could have been a relative or close acquaintance of Owen (Ogletree), perhaps someone from his past life, before he arrived in Kansas City. The affectionate note—“Love forever, Louise”—suggests a personal connection, but Louise’s role in the murder, if any, remains speculative.
Another theory proposes that Louise might have been involved in a larger conspiracy, possibly tied to the mysterious letters sent to Owen’s mother after his death. These letters, which were highly unusual in their phrasing and content, were typed, even though Ogletree did not know how to type. The possibility that Louise wrote these letters to mislead the family has not been ruled out.
Theories of a Love Triangle
One of the more enduring theories surrounding Owen’s death is that it was the result of a love triangle gone wrong. Some speculate that “Don” and Louise were romantically involved with Owen, and tensions between the three may have escalated into violence. This could explain the overheard conversations, Owen’s cryptic behavior, and the fact that the fingerprints in the room did not belong to him, but possibly to a woman. However, no conclusive evidence has ever surfaced to prove this theory.
Possible Involvement of the Mob
The 1930s saw the rise of organized crime in America, and some investigators looked into the possibility that Owen was involved with mobsters. His wounds, which showed signs of prolonged torture, could have been inflicted by someone with experience in criminal interrogations. The fact that Owen survived for hours after being brutally beaten and stabbed suggests a slow, deliberate form of torture, possibly as a warning or punishment. The anonymity surrounding his identity and the enigmatic characters involved—Don, Louise—lend credence to the idea that Owen may have been tangled in illegal activities that ultimately led to his death.
Nonetheless, despite this theory’s plausibility, no substantial links to mob activity were ever discovered. Owen’s behavior in the days leading up to his death does not strongly suggest he was on the run or fearful of his life—at least, not outwardly.
The Enduring Mystery and Legacy
Despite extensive investigations, the mystery surrounding the death of Roland T. Owen, later identified as Artemus Ogletree, has never been fully solved. His case remains one of the most perplexing unsolved murder mysteries in American history, with modern investigators and crime enthusiasts still puzzled by the myriad unanswered questions.
The Lack of Closure
The case eventually went cold as investigators were unable to identify Don, Louise, or any other suspects definitively linked to Owen’s murder. The scarcity of physical evidence left detectives with little to go on, and after the identification of Ogletree, leads quickly dried up. Even the mysterious money for Owen’s funeral and the bizarre letters sent to his mother failed to produce any credible explanations.
As the years passed, the case faded from public consciousness, overshadowed by other more sensational crimes. But for true crime enthusiasts, the strange elements of the case—Owen’s use of an alias, the anonymous figures of Don and Louise, the torture he endured, and the cryptic details that surfaced—kept the story alive. Theories continued to circulate, ranging from crime-of-passion scenarios to mob-related conspiracies, but without solid evidence, the case remained stubbornly unsolved.
Modern-Day Theories and Investigative Advances
With advances in forensic technology, some modern investigators have revisited the case, hoping to uncover new evidence or insights using techniques that were unavailable in the 1930s. Although no new breakthroughs have been made, the case has inspired interest in cold case investigation techniques. DNA testing and advanced fingerprint analysis, if applied to this case today, could provide some clarity, but the decades-old evidence may be too compromised to yield results.
The case has become a staple in unsolved crime compilations, a chilling reminder of how, even in the face of mounting evidence, some crimes remain incomprehensible. Over the years, some investigative journalists and true crime aficionados have speculated that a hidden figure—perhaps someone not even mentioned in the initial investigation—was responsible for Owen’s death, but without further proof, these remain conjectures.
Legacy and Fascination
The story of Roland T. Owen’s murder has captivated generations. It has become emblematic of the unsolved mystery genre, discussed in books, documentaries, and podcasts focused on the eeriest and most confounding criminal cases. The chilling details—Owen’s tortured final hours, the anonymous benefactor paying for his funeral, and the strange letters to his mother—continue to fascinate audiences. Every new detail that emerges, no matter how minor, reignites the public’s interest in solving the crime.
Despite the efforts of law enforcement and amateur sleuths alike, the puzzle of room 1046 has yet to be solved, and the case of Roland T. Owen—Artemus Ogletree—remains one of the most enduring unsolved mysteries of the 20th century(True Crime Never Sleeps)(The Lineup).
