Caution: Contains disturbing content; discretion advised.

Nahanni River Valley. Photo via NWT Archives.
Note: Images enhanced for clarity, resolution, lighting, and minor blemishes.
Nahanni Valley
The Headless Men of the Valley
Victim(s)
Frank McLeod, Willie McLeod, Martin Jorgenson, Several unnamed personnel
Perpetrator(s)
N/A
Case Status
Cold Case
Case Years
1905–1945
Location(s)
Nahanni Valley/Nahanni National Park Reserve, Northwest Territories, Canada
Read synopsis
Deep within the rugged expanse of the Nahanni Valley, a string of unexplained disappearances and grisly decapitations earned the region the ominous nickname “Valley of the Headless Men.” Between about 1905 and 1945, at least four bodies were found severed from the neck, sometimes in burned camps, and many others vanished without a trace. The heads of the discovered victims were never recovered, and no one has ever been held responsible. The remote wilderness, gold-seeking expeditions, bitter rivalries, and supernatural legends swirl together in a mystery that continues to defy explanation.

