In 1899, a 12-year-old boy named Carl Tanzler from Germany experienced a peculiar dream. Surrounded by an all-encompassing black void, he encountered a woman in a striking white gown who introduced herself as Anna Constantia von Cosel.

Anna claimed to be from Carl's lineage and had an urgent message for him. She gestured towards the void, unveiling a beautiful woman with exotic dark hair, leaving Carl entranced. Anna indicated that this enchanting figure would eventually appear in Carl's life, and it was his divine responsibility to save her.

Upon waking, Carl found the image of the woman firmly lodged in his mind. Over the following days, the dream's impact lingered, and he began to dream of her repeatedly, with Anna continually reminding him of his mission.

Convinced he would one day encounter this mysterious woman, Carl began searching for her. However, years passed without a sighting.

The Dream Girl Appears

In 1926, Carl moved to the United States, settling in Zephyrhills with his wife and two daughters. Following marital troubles, he relocated to Southern Florida, where he worked as a radiology technician at the U.S. Marine Hospital in Key West.

One day, an older woman brought her ailing 21-year-old daughter, Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos, known as Elena, into the hospital. Carl was taken aback upon seeing her; she was the woman he had envisioned for years.

Eager to help, Carl enthusiastically filled out the necessary paperwork, assuring Elena's mother that her daughter was in capable hands. Although his fervor might have seemed peculiar to the family, they appreciated his kindness, especially since Elena had already lost much of her family to tuberculosis. Unfortunately, the diagnosis confirmed the worst fears.

Carl discovered that Elena was suffering from a severe case of tuberculosis, a major health crisis in 1930. For him, however, it felt like destiny; he had met the person he was meant to save.

Spare No Effort

Although Carl was a lab technician and not a physician, he was undeterred from utilizing his self-taught medical knowledge to treat Elena. He attempted various remedies, including painful treatments with devices meant to enhance her oxygen levels.

Carl frequently visited Elena and her family, keeping them informed about new tuberculosis treatments, taking her for regular check-ups, and even covering her medical expenses. During this time, he openly expressed his affection for her, showering her with lavish gifts. However, Elena showed no interest in a romantic relationship with Carl.

On October 31, 1931, nearly a year after their first meeting, Elena tragically succumbed to her illness. While her family mourned, Carl felt an even deeper sorrow; he had failed to save her.

In an attempt to make amends, he constructed a grand mausoleum for Elena in the Key West Cemetery. Her family understood the bond between Carl and Elena and allowed him to oversee its construction.

Following her burial, Carl became a regular visitor to the mausoleum, spending hours there, pleading for her forgiveness.

The Music Ceased

Seven years after Elena's passing, her family had moved on, but Carl remained a constant presence at her mausoleum. Concerned about his obsession, Elena's family decided to intervene.

Elena's mother instructed her daughter Florinda to retrieve the key that Carl had to the mausoleum. When Florinda arrived unannounced, she heard music playing from Carl's house. Peering through a window, she was shocked to see Carl, dressed elegantly, dancing with a woman.

Initially considering returning later, Florinda decided to confront Carl immediately. She knocked on the door, but he did not respond. When she insisted on speaking with him about her sister, the music abruptly stopped.

Eventually, Carl opened the door slightly, but when Florinda asked to enter, he firmly refused and shut the door. Through the narrow opening, she caught a glimpse of the woman he was dancing with—Elena.

The Rise of the Dead

Florinda promptly reported her findings to the police, who soon arrived at Carl's home. Realizing he had been found out, Carl opened the door to reveal a shocking secret.

He had been visiting Elena's mausoleum not in mourning, but in communion with her spirit. In 1933, Carl claimed that Elena had asked him to take her home because she was tired of the mausoleum.

Two years after her burial, Carl removed her body from the grave, placing it in a toy wagon and bringing it to his residence. To maintain appearances, he continued visiting the mausoleum to uphold the facade that he was grieving.

Carl's obsession led him to preserve Elena's corpse, using piano wire to connect her bones, replacing her skin with silk cloth treated in wax and plaster, and using his mother’s wig for her hair. He filled her chest and abdominal cavity with rags to maintain her shape and used glass eyes in place of her deteriorated ones.

To disguise the decay, he kept Elena's body dressed in stockings and gloves, even sharing his bed with her while using perfumes and disinfectants to mask the smell.

The Aftermath for Tanzler

Carl Tanzler faced charges for **