The Witch of Del Ray

**Gary** · March-23-12, 05:31 PM

I found this while browsing the WSU Virtual Motor City site and the photograph of this woman captivated me.

The attached description says she was responsible for the deaths of 12 men, does anybody know anything more about her or the crimes she is alleged to have committed?

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...UND-1%5D3222_1

**gazhekwe** · March-23-12, 06:54 PM

Found a newspaper article, Evening Recorder, Amsterdam, NY dated October 7, 1931. Rose and her son William, 18, were convicted of the murder of Steve Mak, a lodger, by throwing him from a second story window to cash in on insurance policies they held on him. He was the 12th lodger to die in the home in the past eight years, most under suspicious circumstances.

http://tinyurl.com/7u7cu3h

There is also this hit, but you have to subscribe to read the article:Crime and Custom of the Hungarians of Detroit

www.jstor.org/stable/1135064
by ED Beynon - 1935 - Cited by 12 - Related articles
Rose" Veres, so long as Medina Street was populated almost entirely by superstitious peasants from Sarud, in Hungary. "Medina Street is a little world by itself, ...

And this, lots of info here:

http://weirddetroit.blogspot.com/201...of-delray.html

**Detroitnerd** · March-23-12, 06:58 PM

She's got them "crazy eyes."

**Scottathew** · March-23-12, 07:15 PM

I set her as my background.

**Gary** · March-23-12, 07:56 PM

What an amazing story...thanks gazhekwe!

**rb336** · March-23-12, 08:35 PM

this is my "most forwarded story" this week

**RaumVogel** · March-23-12, 08:43 PM

You've got to be kidding me: In December of 1945, after many denied requests for a re-trial, Rose Veres was retried and exonerated of the murder. She fainted upon hearing the verdict.

http://peopleofdetroit.blogspot.com/...of-delray.html

**Gary** · March-24-12, 09:37 AM

Thanks RaumVogel. Yeah, how did she manage to finally get a re-trial after 14 years and how did a jury set aside her previous conviction in the face of the overwhelming evidence against her? This whole episode is so fascinating to me.

**hhockey** · March-24-12, 08:28 PM

I am not certain it is the same Rose but their was Roses bar on Jefferson at Zug Island road run by a hungarian named Rose. The street behind the bar was Medina.

**Maof** · March-25-12, 10:36 AM

different rose
http://www.old-delray.com/Hungarian_Kitchen.htm

**hhockey** · March-25-12, 06:34 PM

Thanks Maof, i thought i could be wrong.

**mikefmich** · March-25-12, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by RaumVogel

You've got to be kidding me: In December of 1945, after many denied requests for a re-trial, Rose Veres was retried and exonerated of the murder. She fainted upon hearing the verdict.

http://peopleofdetroit.blogspot.com/...of-delray.html

Nice find!

**BillyBBrew** · March-26-12, 01:40 AM

Anybody know the street address on Medina? I spent 22 years of my life on that street, living [[3 years) and working [[22 years). Interesting little street isolated from the rest of DelRay.

**Hermod** · March-26-12, 05:01 AM

Originally Posted by RaumVogel

You've got to be kidding me: In December of 1945, after many denied requests for a re-trial, Rose Veres was retried and exonerated of the murder. She fainted upon hearing the verdict.

http://peopleofdetroit.blogspot.com/...of-delray.html

Anytime you go in front of a jury, the result is a crapshoot either for the prosecution or the defense.

**Maof** · March-26-12, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by hhockey

Thanks Maof, i thought i could be wrong.

your welcome. i would have thought it was the same one too.

**Jack Ballsinski** · March-26-12, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by BillyBBrew

Anybody know the street address on Medina? I spent 22 years of my life on that street, living [[3 years) and working [[22 years). Interesting little street isolated from the rest of DelRay.

I believe that it was 7 Medina St. although other records show 9 Medina St. Perhaps they moved.

**Gary** · March-26-12, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by BillyBBrew

Anybody know the street address on Medina? I spent 22 years of my life on that street, living [[3 years) and working [[22 years). Interesting little street isolated from the rest of DelRay.

Check out RaumVogel's excellent link. It says the address was originally 7 Medina, later to changed to 9 Medina and eventually 7894 Medina in 1928. That same link contains a Google map of the site as it looks today.

**ddgirl** · April-30-15, 08:44 AM

When I was a little girl living in Melvindale, Rosie lived across the street from us. She was living with her son and daughter in law [[who by the way was really hateful). My mom was the only neighbor on the street who was nice to her. I remember her being kind of scary because she didn't speak much English and had no teeth. She'd come over to our house to have coffee and sit and crochet and sometimes cry. My mom would serve her cake or cookies and she'd never eat them but wrap them in a napkin and take them home with her. Maybe because she had poisoned those men she didn't fully trust anyone, even my mom. I remember the day when the ambulance came and took her away and later we found out from her son she had died. I didn't know about her notoriety until I was teenager. We had already moved from Melvindale and I overheard my mom telling someone we had lived across the street from the Witch of Delray. I know what she did was terribly wrong but to us kids she was kind, gentle and appreciated my mom's kindness toward her. RIP, Rosie.

**G-DDT** · April-30-15, 02:50 PM

Wouldn't be surprised if folks used her example as a means to bash Gypsy and Roma culture. Most of them wish to be left alone and are not up to ill intent. Yet, all through history they get slanted and driven away.

**Honky Tonk** · May-04-15, 03:41 AM

Originally Posted by ddgirl

When I was a little girl living in Melvindale, Rosie lived across the street from us. She was living with her son and daughter in law [[who by the way was really hateful). My mom was the only neighbor on the street who was nice to her. I remember her being kind of scary because she didn't speak much English and had no teeth. She'd come over to our house to have coffee and sit and crochet and sometimes cry. My mom would serve her cake or cookies and she'd never eat them but wrap them in a napkin and take them home with her. Maybe because she had poisoned those men she didn't fully trust anyone, even my mom. I remember the day when the ambulance came and took her away and later we found out from her son she had died. I didn't know about her notoriety until I was teenager. We had already moved from Melvindale and I overheard my mom telling someone we had lived across the street from the Witch of Delray. I know what she did was terribly wrong but to us kids she was kind, gentle and appreciated my mom's kindness toward her. RIP, Rosie.

Nice post, insight, and tribute. Your Mom was a good person.

**Steve Frey** · September-23-15, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by ddgirl

When I was a little girl living in Melvindale, Rosie lived across the street from us.

ddgirl, can you please send me a private message? I'm doing research on Rosie and would really like to talk to you about her later life.

**canuck** · September-23-15, 09:47 PM

If ever there was a reason for tougher gun laws; this is it! Lol.

**TheValson** · September-25-15, 10:20 AM

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here's a photo of Medina Street

**Steve Frey** · September-27-15, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by TheValson

here's a photo of Medina Street

Yeah, was there last Sunday. Not much left on Rose's block.

**Steve Frey** · September-27-15, 12:17 PM

Does anyone else have any stories about the Witch of Delray? I am starting a new research project on her, and would love to hear more stories.

If so, please send me a private message, or email to medina@columnist.com

If you post your story here, I can't use it unless I can verify the source, so please contact me directly.

Thanks!