Hi all. Okay, where do I start? First post.
I have been reading into the Sodder family tragedy for a little while now, trying to take in all the information, evidence and lack thereof, witness testimonies, conspiracies, etc.
PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE POST IN FULL. I would love to know your thoughts on my theories. I think they are definitely worth thinking about.
Firstly, I must admit that I am not an expert in this matter and am far from educated in all the pieces so far of the Sodder family tragedy. What I have composed below is simply a theory based on the information I am aware of, the theories already put forth, and my formal education in security, terrorism, and counter-terrorism.
Secondly, my theory may not be pleasing to everyone and I would probably advise that the family members who are members of this forum do not read my post below as I strongly do not want to offend you. Please note I have no intention of offending anyone. This particular case has me ever so intrigued and pieces of this puzzle make sense to me, again, based on the information already in existence. I, personally, have no evidence myself. This, again, is nothing more than my theory.
I do not know how to compose my theory, so I have opted for bullet points. I apologise in advance if any of it is not clear, and I apologise if I have got anything wrong.
I will firstly list the information that I am aware of, that has relevance to my theory. If my knowledge of the information is incorrect, I apologise.
I am of the understanding that one of the Sodder sons was active in the military?
I believe that the Sodder parents were Italian immigrants?
I understand that Papa Sodder was an outspoken critic of Mussolini in the American Italian community?
I understand that a woman claims to have seen 4 of the 5 Sodder children in the company of Italian-speaking men supposedly some time after the fire events? Was this in Florida?
I understand that a private detective was sent to look for the children, but disappeared?
I understand that Papa Sodder received a Black Hand letter?
I understand that a shifty insurance salesman threatened the family, and had ties with the coroner?
I understand there were delays with the fire department attending and the credibility of their findings and reports afterwards?
There were little to no human remains found?
Phone wires were cut, a ladder was stolen and the thief arrested, a prank phone call was made, and a man in a car was watching the children prior to the events of that night?
A photo supposedly of the 9 year old son was sent some 20 years late with information on the back? From Kentucky?
A letter revealing that the oldest missing daughter was in a covenant?
The youngest missing daughter was supposedly seen in a ballet dance photo?
I am not sure if I have missed anything else that is important to my theory, but here goes. Please note that it may be all over the place, not in chronological order.
I believe that the children were the victims of a kidnapping ploy from the Italian mafia, and I will explain as best as I can as to why I believe this. My knowledge of the mafia and associated groups is acquired from my professional studies in security and terrorism, and my own research.
The children were taken in 1945. During this era, we are all well aware that the Italian mafia had a significant foothold and powerful influence in the American community. By 1945, even prior, the Italian mafia had spread to all parts of America, especially Florida, not just in NY, NJ, Chicago and the like. West Virginia, the home of the Sodder family, had a mafia crime gang operating.
The majority of American-Italian mobsters were supporters, and even financiers, of the American war efforts against the Axis powers, however, there were a number of key underworld folk who openly supported their Italian brothers.
There were, obviously, numerous American Italian underworld individuals and families who had ties to the old countrymen, the Sicilian Mafia.
The Black Hand representation can mean two things. One, is a sign within the Italian underworld and the community to mean extortion. Two, it is a name given to the Ndrangheta or Calabrese mafia; a crime empire that is often seen as more vile, vicious and daring, yet more unorganised than the Sicilian mafia. The two differing mafia heritages have been in competition with each other, although I am not sure if they were during the 40s.
There is reason to believe that the mafia clan operating in West Virginia were either called the Black Hand, or used the symbol against local Italian communities to extort money.
In Italy, Mussolini had attempted to erase the Sicilian mafia and the Camorra a mafia-like underworld crime structure seen in mainland Italy. However, from my research, Mussolini did not directly target the Ndrangheta and may even had financial support from them, or financially supported them, or had them support his troops as Calabria was an Italian military stronghold and subsequently a main target of the Allied invasion of Italy.
The photo sent to the Sodder family had a letter and number on it A90132 or A90135. Your investigations have led me to believe this is a postcode in Palermo, Sicily a mafia stronghold.
The prime Sicilian mafia kingpin in the 1940s, I think was Michele Navarra, who had ties to the American Italian mafia, although I am not sure which crime family.
So, my theory spans in three directions
Papa Sodder was in the coal business right? What was his positon? What was his financial position during this time?
Prior to the events of the fire, it is said that an insurance broker threatened Papa Sodder saying his house would burn because he wouldnt sign an insurance policy with them. Is there reason to believe that maybe Papa Sodder was threatened with extortion from the Black Hand, and lied about the intimidator being an insurance broker to cover any involvement with the mafia community?
Direction 1 Papa Sodder was an outspoken critic of Mussolini in the Italian community of America. Perhaps word got back to Mussolini supporters that Sodders son was in the American military and Papa Sodder hated Mussolini. A Calabrese mafia figure may have lost family in the war at the hands of American troops and sought revenge on the Sodder family. This may explain why the female who said she saw 4 of the 5 children with some Italian men, say that the men were speaking Italian and abused her verbally in Italian. Did they not speak English? Were they sent directly from Calabria in Italy? After the war ended in September, Italians were given more accessibility to come to America and visit their families there, and vice versa. These travels to and fro would have been in abundance as families rush to see if their loved ones survived.
A phone call at night may have been to confirm whether or the not the family was home, and/or still awake.
The phone cord was then cut in what is said a mistake and meant to cut power lines.
The ladder was stolen and tossed nearby to hinder a recovery attempt of the upstairs area. The man who stole this was arrested but not suspected of involvement. Could he be part of the ploy? And let off by corrupt lawmen? See point below.
The mafia have a reputation for having officials and lawmen on their side. Could they have bribed the coroners and firemen to obstruct their duties as much as possible?
Perhaps the oldest missing son put up a fight and was in turn slain?
The rest of the children were separated and disbursed. The son was sent to Italy, perhaps Palermo. The daughter was sent to a nuns covenant in St Louis as suggested in that letter that the Sodders received, the other daughter was given or sold to a family and appeared in that ballet picture.
Christmas eve could have been the chosen date as it would be likely that all the family would be present in the home.
The fire starter, described as a rubber pineapple looking device, does sound like it resembles a smaller WWII napalm incendiary device. Those devices were tear-shaped shells with a set of fins on their rear. Google search Napalm bomb WW2 to see a picture. Some of these bombs were encased in plastic like material. The chances of the mafia getting these are quite easy as they would have had contacts in the army, especially with the left over surplus since the war had ended.
Direction 2 Similar to direction 1, except the mafia was the local Black Hand society and tried to extort the Sodder family but were turned away. Again, the childrens fates were as described as above.
Direction 3 Similar again, but the mafia was an out of town group, hence why they were supposedly spotted in Florida.
The detective who went looking, was either murdered or bribed when he got to close.
The photo may have been sent by someone who knew what happened. Perhaps, Louis Sodder didnt remember being kidnapped, or were told his family had died, and grew up unaware of the Sodder story, so he never thought to go home or contact anyone.
The rest of the children were young enough to be lead to believe that their family had died, or whoever they are now with is their real family.
The kids could have been smuggled to Italy quite easily with the abundance of American-Italian travel in the months after the war. See points above.
The photo of Louis was apparently sent from Kentucky. If you recall, the letter claiming the daughter was in a nuns covenant said she was in St Louis, right next to Kentucky.
AND I HATE TO SAY THIS
but could ilil boys be a spelling error for Illinois. I mean, again, the photo was sent from Kentucky, the state next to Illinois, and again, there was a letter claiming the daughter was in a covenant in St Louis, Illinois. The photo message reads I love brother Frankie ilil boys
the grammar is not that great
could it be someone who thinks the name of the state is Illiboys instead of Illinois? Or can't spell Illinois?
Illinois had a substantial mafia outfit in the 40s. Capone, anyone?
I think, regardless, Papa Sodder pissed someone off to a point where they felt it necessary to punish him by taking away his children forever. I think it rings more personal, than strictly financial. I dont think whoever did it intended to kill them, as there were no further attempts on the Sodder familys lives OR it is as I described in Direction 1, and those responsible were directly from Italy, and returned there quickly, failing to kill the Sodders in the fire.
As I said, these are just my theories based off my knowledge thus far, and my knowledge of mafia operations in Italy and abroad. The theory works and is logical if it were true.
I apologise for any mistakes and if I have offended anyone.
