George Jefferson Hassell (July 5, 1888 – February 10, 1928)[1] was an American serial killer and mass murderer who killed his wife and eight children (from one to 21 years old) on December 5, 1926 in Farwell, Texas.

After he murdered his wife, he went to each of the other family members' bedrooms, using a straight razor and stockings to kill them, in order from youngest to oldest.

The eldest Hassell son, Alton, was threshing wheat in Clovis, New Mexico, for extra money and was not supposed to come home for another four days.

Hassell said he killed his common-law wife and three children during an argument over whether he would join the Army to fight in World War I.

[5][6][7] After Hassell confessed, a short trial was convened, and Farwell and its sister city of Texico, New Mexico, took on a carnival atmosphere.

A psychiatrist declared Hassell sane, and he was found guilty of murder with malice and sentenced to death.

[9] On February 10, 1928, George Hassell became the 37th man to be put to death in the electric chair in the state of Texas.