Torso Found In Idaho Cave That Of Reported 1916 Ax Murderer

After decades of speculation and mystery, the skeletal remains found in an Idaho cave more than 40 years ago have finally been identified as those of an escaped prisoner who reportedly went on to murder his wife with an ax.

Clark County investigators have concluded that a human torso found in Idaho decades ago wrapped up in a bag are those of Joseph Henry Loveless, a man jailed for bootlegging 104 years ago, who allegedly killed his former wife upon release, according to details shared by orlanosentinel.com.

According to records, Loveless, who is said to have had a talent for jail breaks, used a saw to escape his cell. Idaho investigators have apparently been trying to identify the skeletal remains since the late-seventies. Loveless was jailed initially in 1916 for bootlegging, or illegally manufacturing alcohol. Those found guilty of the crime prior to the end of Prohibition in 1933, often received a fine and brief jail term.

The remains were found in what has become known as Buffalo Cave, located in a remote area of Idaho in Butte County, approximately 120 miles northeast of Twin Falls.

According to records, Loveless was born in December of 1870. His remains are thought to have sat in Buffalo Cave for over a century. Loveless' skull has never been found; his arms and legs were thought to have been recovered in 1991.

It is reported that Loveless may have fathered as many as four children. according to accounts at postregister.com. Clark County officials are continuing to investigate the matter.