Old Louisville’s Hell House

The stately Old Louisville mansion located at 1435 South Fourth Street will be the star of a special documentary episode of the television series “Hell House,” to be broadcast next Saturday, October 24, at 9:00 p.m., on Investigation Discovery Channel.

Crime buffs and Old Louisville locals will recall that Louisville Metro Police were initially called to a “domestic disturbance” at the home, on June 17, 2010.   Joseph R. Banis and Jeffrey S. Mundt—reportedly gay lovers—were involved in a noisy altercation which attracted the attention of neighbors.   According to police, Banis was threatening to Kill Mundt with a knife and Mundt had barricaded himself in a bedroom.

At the scene, police arrested Banis; charging him with burglary, terroristic threatening,  drug possession, and possession of drug paraphernalia.  When Banis was taken to the LMPD 4th Division headquarters at Central Park, he told police a story about a body buried in Mundt's basement.  Based upon Banis’ tale, police obtained a search warrant and returned to Mundt’s Old Louisville home.

LMPD Homicide Commander Lt. Barry Wilkerson said that the body of James Carroll, 37—who police say had no fixed address but was believed to have lived in Lexington—was found in a large blue plastic tub about three feet under the dirt floor in the basement. The victim died from gunshot and stab wounds.  Police indicated that Banis, Mundt, and the Carroll were romantically involved.  Banis and Mundt, both 38 at the time, were arrested and charged with the murder.

During the LMPD interrogations, both men described how they dug a pit in the basement to hide Carroll’s body; but each claimed the other was responsible for the murder.  The two defendants were also arrested in Chicago, in April of 2010, where police said they found counterfeit money, drugs, and several weapons in their hotel room.   

In a promotion for the television show, the Louisville home is described as “a house with dark secrets lurking within its walls. Over the years, it was home to a doctor who experimented on patients, a demented tenant who beat his landlord to death and two lovers who are driven to murder.”

Several Louisvillians were interviewed as part of the show including author David Domine, who is writing a book about the house.  Also making a guest appearance will be your friendly iLocal News reporter, Thomas McAdam.

You’ll have to watch the show, to find out what happened to Banis and Mundt, and their spooky mansion of death.  We guarantee it will serve as a good preparation for Halloween.

You can watch the program on: AT&T U-verse: Channel 260 / HD 1260. Time Warner Cable: Channel 471. DISH:Channel 192 / HD 192. DIRECTV: Channel 285 / HD 285.