Lizzie Borden: History and Key Facts

Lizzie Andrew Borden (July 19, 1860 – June 1, 1927) was an American woman who was tried and acquitted of the murders of her father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts.

By the Pop Culture Files editorial team•Updated September 29, 2026•2 min read•✓ Fact-checked

Portrait of Lizzie Borden in 1890 — Unknown authorUnknown author · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Lizzie Andrew Borden (July 19, 1860 – June 1, 1927) was an American woman who was tried and acquitted of the murders of her father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts. No other individuals were charged with the murders.

After the trial, Borden and her older sister Emma bought a house in the wealthier Highlands, or Hill District, of Fall River, where Borden lived out her life. Emma moved away after twelve years and lived in New Hampshire. Borden died of pneumonia at age 66; nine days later Emma also died.

The Borden murders and 1893 trial received widespread publicity in the United States, and have remained a topic in American popular culture depicted in numerous films, theatrical productions, literary works, and even folk rhymes.

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