Bio

Louis Till was born in 1922. He grew up in New Madrid, Missouri, as an orphan. This means that he did not have parents to care for him. He faced many challenges while growing up.

In 1940, Louis married Mamie Carthan in Argo, Illinois. They had one son together, Emmett Louis Till, who was born on July 25, 1941. Shortly after the birth of their son, Louis and Mamie separated in 1942. Their marriage ended because Louis was violent towards Mamie. During one incident, Mamie defended herself by throwing boiling water on him.

Because of his violent behavior, Mamie sought a restraining order against Louis. He repeatedly violated this order. As a result, a judge gave him a choice: he could join the U.S. Army or go to jail. Louis chose to enlist in the Army in 1943.

Louis Till served in the military during World War II. In 1945, while stationed in Civitavecchia, Italy, he faced serious legal trouble. He was court-martialed for the murder of an Italian woman and the rape of two other women. After a lengthy investigation, he was found guilty of these charges. Louis Till was executed by hanging on July 2, 1945, near Pisa, Italy. His burial site is Plot E of the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery.

Louis Till's life and actions later became part of a larger story involving his son, Emmett Till, who was murdered in 1955.

Murder Story

In 1945, Louis Till was court-martialed while serving as an American soldier in Italy. He faced serious charges, including the murder of an Italian woman and the rape of two other women. The events occurred in Civitavecchia, a town near Rome. After an investigation, he was found guilty of these crimes.

As a result of his conviction, Louis Till was sentenced to execution by hanging. His execution took place on July 2, 1945, near Pisa, Italy. The details surrounding his death were not widely known at the time and remained unclear even to his family.

Louis Till was buried in Plot E of the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery. His execution raised questions and concerns that would later connect to his son, Emmett Till. Emmett was murdered in 1955, and the discovery of Louis Till’s past crimes came to light during the media coverage of the trial of his son's murderers.