*Courtesy of TNT

In the mid-1950’s, a couple was in a car when…

That’s how every scenario of the Hookman urban legend begins. The infamous story involves a couple, a car, and a deranged killer with a hook for a hand. What makes this legend extra creepy is that no one knows the origin. Much has been speculated about the Hookman, or The Hook, legend, but the truth is, the legend grows the more the story gets told.

One of the more popular Hookman stories is the “lovers’ lane” idea. A couple parks their car to make-out only to hear a news report warning of an escaped convict with a hook for a hand come over the radio. In some capacity, they encounter the killer and they flee, only to find the hook stuck in the car door when they get home. Now, there are plenty of offshoots around this idea, all starting the same but ending with either the man brutally murdered with a hook, the woman brutally murdered with a hook, or both brutally murdered with a hook. Regardless of which version you hear, they’ll all keep you wondering about the truth.

This campfire story was largely told amongst friends until it was reprinted in a Dear Abby column in 1960. It comes off more as a scare tactic but to see something printed in one of the more popular newspaper sections of that time about a mysterious man with a hook targeting teenagers, well, people really took that sh*t to heart.

Historians and folklorists have long sought the truth about this legend, but no one has yet locked it down. Unlike some other popular hauntings, like Pittsburgh’s Priory Hotel or California’s Brookdale Lodge, this one seems to elude even the most seasoned legend hunters.

Is There Truth to the Hook Man Urban Legend?

*Courtesy of Texas Monthly via American International/Photofest

This legend may simply be just fables. But some have pointed to real-life events that may have influenced the idea of the Hookman.

The Texarkana Moonlight Murders are a series of unsolved murders where an unknown assailant attacked eight people, killing five of them. The victims were young couples who were shot with a pistol. While the idea of the hook doesn’t come into play, similarities of targeting victims in secluded areas makes this a possible story. 

Without finding specific details about the following cases, another possible idea for the origins of The Hook come from attacks in the lovers’ lane area of Palos Verdes in 1955. It’s likely these two horrific crimes are thought to be the origin given certain similarities, but also the dates, happening either before or right as the legend began in the mid-1950’s.

What Do Skeptics Say About the Hook Man Legend?

Skeptics of the Hookman are quick to point out the lack of evidence around the legend. All of this is word-of-mouth and there is virtually no mention of a killer with a hook hand to fit the description. They’ll also point out the cautionary tale of reckless behavior and psychological appeal of a story like this, one that has spawned many pop culture and horror references to the hook-handed psychopath.

The one part of this legend that at least gives me pause is how many different stories and variations exist around The Hook. There doesn’t seem to be a continuous thread of truth between the stories other than the line I started this post with. Start the story with, “In the mid-1950’s, a couple was in a car when…,” and who knows which ending you’ll hear.

Behind all the skepticism lies this very real point. The legend of the Hookman is creepy, sinister, and bone-chilling even if not based in fact. Tell this story in the woods at night, and you’ll surely lose at least a couple hours of sleep.