Who was John Morse? Lizzie Borden connection explained amid Netflix’s ‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story’ series

John V. Morse, Lizzie Borden's uncle, testified in the 1893 trial about his presence at the Borden home before the murders.

John V. Morse was not a stranger who happened to be at the Borden home before the murders. He was Lizzie Borden’s maternal uncle, and his testimony became part of the prosecution’s case during the sensational 1893 trial.

Who was John Morse? Lizzie Borden’s uncle and his role in Netflix’s Monster (Instagram/joeypollari)

The renewed interest in Morse comes as Netflix revisits one of America’s most famous murder cases in “Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story,” the fourth season of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s Monster anthology. The series premiered on September 17, 2026, with Ella Beatty playing Lizzie Borden. Joey Pollari portrays John Morse.

Morse’s real-life connection to the Borden family was close. During his trial testimony on June 7, 1893, Morse identified himself as John Vinnicum Morse, said he was about 60 years old and testified that Andrew Borden’s first wife was his sister. That made him the uncle of Lizzie and her older sister Emma.

Why was John Morse at the Borden house?

According to his testimony, he arrived at the Borden home on August 3 at about 1:30 p.m. He ate a meal, left the house between 3 and 4 p.m. and returned at about 8:30 that evening. He said he spent the evening with Andrew and Abby before going upstairs to sleep.

Morse testified that he did not see Lizzie when he arrived and did not see her before returning to the house the following day after the murders. He also said that while downstairs that night, he heard someone enter through the front door and go upstairs toward Lizzie’s room, although he did not see who it was.

His sleeping arrangements later became significant to the testimony: Morse said he slept in the guest chamber over the parlor, the room where Abby Borden’s body was discovered the next day.

What did Morse testify about the morning of the murders?

Morse said he woke around 6 a.m. and went downstairs. He testified that Andrew and Abby subsequently joined him and that the three ate breakfast together.

He recalled mutton, bread, coffee, cakes and bananas being served. Morse said the meal lasted about half an hour and that Andrew later remained with him in the sitting room.

He left the Borden house between 8:40 and 8:45 a.m., using the rear door. Morse testified that Andrew walked him to the door and that he then went to the post office before visiting his nephew and niece.

When Morse returned to the Borden house later that day, the murders had been discovered. He testified that he saw Andrew’s body and then went upstairs far enough to see Abby’s body beneath the bed.

Why was his testimony important?

Morse provided the court with a detailed account of the Borden household immediately before the killings and his movements around the house on August 3 and 4.

A contemporary account published in the New York Times identified Morse as “uncle of the prisoner” and described him as the brother of Andrew Borden’s first wife. The newspaper also reported that Morse testified about the family’s ages and other details surrounding the household.

Morse was also questioned about the Borden home itself, including the front door's spring lock. He testified that if the door was shut hard, the lock caught, but if it was not, the door could be opened without difficulty. He also described seeing police officers search the property after the murders.

His testimony did not establish who killed Andrew and Abby. Lizzie Borden was ultimately acquitted of the murders after her 1893 trial.

John Morse in Netflix’s ‘Monster’

Netflix’s series is a dramatized retelling rather than a verbatim reconstruction of the historical record. Netflix describes Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story as a story centered on Lizzie, her relationship with the Borden household and the murders that made her a national figure.

The real trial record provides a more specific picture of Morse: he was a member of the family, was staying overnight at the Borden home immediately before the killings and became a prosecution witness the following year.