Spirits of the Palatial Versace Mansion | Miami’s Villa Casuarina

Posted: 12.13.2024 | Updated: 12.18.2024

Today, the site of a palatial hotel frequented by celebrity guests, the former Versace Mansion remains a house that harbors many secrets within its walls. Still, these proverbial skeletons haven’t scared away visitors from staying. 

The hotel has housed a variety of celebrity guests over the years. Under Versace’s reign, Elton John, Princess Diana, and Madonna numbered among the home’s overnight guests, along with several eminent fashion designers. Today, the luxury hotel has seen the likes of Justin Bieber, Sylvester Stalone, and multiple Kardashians under its roof. One might wonder what ghost stories they have to tell. 

Beneath the lavish decorations and stunning features of this exquisite home, an enigmatic history lies. Journey with us as we travel down its storied halls and secret passages, uncovering the twists and turns of its lofty history. Prepared to ascend upon a ghostly journey on foot? Book a walking ghost tour with Miami Haunts and peek behind this city’s sunny exterior.

What Happened at the Versace Mansion? 

The former Versace Mansion is counted among Miami’s most haunted places. On the morning of July 15th, 1997, world-renowned designer Gianni Versace was shot in the back of the head as he attempted to unlock his front gate. The assailant, Andrew Cunanan, a serial killer, evaded capture while Versace bled onto the regal stairs of his grandiose home. 

If that doesn’t warrant a haunting, what does? Today, the ghost of Gianni Versace is said to haunt the property still — eternally wandering the esteemed halls. 

Versace Mansion History: Opulence and Death 

The fabulous Casa Casuarina was constructed in 1930 by Alden Freeman. Alden’s father, Joel Freeman, worked as Treasurer of The Standard Oil Trust and, upon his passing, left Alden an immense inheritance.

Upon coming into this wealth, Alden Freeman was able to retire at the young age of 27. An architect by trade, Alden took this opportunity to build himself the home he always desired. On one of his world travels, Alden visited the Alcazar De Colon in the Dominican Republic, a marvel built by Christopher Columbus’s son, Diego Columbus. 

The house inspired him so fervently that Alden used it as the inspiration for his own residence, bringing two bricks back from the home. Freeman lived in a suite on the top floor of his new residence, letting the 23 surplus apartments to friends and guests.

Many architectural features still seen at Villa Casuarina belong to Alden’s time. He can be credited for the pillars encircling the courtyard, the coral floors, and the medallions of famous figures like Rockefeller, Gandhi, Cleopatra, and Mussolini. 

Freeman’s ownership of the house concluded with his passing in 1937, after which he died in his beloved home from a prolonged illness. The expansive property at this point was then sold and operated as an apartment complex known as the Amsterdam Palace. 

In the 1980’s, the so-called palace had become run down. Gianni Versace purchased it in 1992, adoring the Spanish architecture that still shined through even in the mansion’s state of disrepair. He bought an Art Deco hotel next door as well, razing it to make place for a pool, garden, and south wing. 

Over the next three years, he invested nearly $32 million in the project, instilling the mansion with every opulent fixture he deemed necessary. 

A Residence of Many Mysteries

Without a doubt, an aura of mystery permeates the Versace Mansion, exuding an atmosphere steeped in secrecy. 

It is said that the home is littered with trap doors and secret passages spanning back to the original architect’s time. Alden Freeman wished to move through his estate with speed and thereby included numerous secret passageways in the planning. 

Gianni Versace was said to use these passageways, oftentimes making use of the one from his bedroom, which now leads to the hotel’s G Lounge. Gianni also installed a Medusa mosaic design in the pool garden, which ominously oversees guests who wander the property.

It is rumored by some that the elaborately tiled floor by the pool area veils some enigmatic message coded within its intricate design, beckoning one to wonder what secrets might be held within its complex motifs.

Within the home, guests have reported experiencing the spirit of Gianni Versace. They report his spirit as peaceful and calm, just as he was in life. Some have captured EVP evidence at this site, encountering bangings from closets along with the perturbing feeling of having eyes watch them. Accounts also tell of disturbing scratching sounds originating from the floorboards. 

A time capsule is reputed to be buried within the walls, hidden so well that no one knows where to find it. This repository was hidden during the mansion’s construction in 1930, and seeing how Alden died less than a decade later, its location remains a mystery to this day.

Could Alden Freeman number among the ghostly presences that haunt this breathtaking abode, perhaps hoping to reveal his cache or historic treasures buried within the walls? After all, he died within the house as well. 

Bloodstained Steps: The Murder of Gianni Versace

On July 15th, 1997, Gianni Versace was murdered in an act that would shock the residents of South Florida and capture the attention of the world. The acclaimed designer had only just unfastened the gate to his extravagant house after returning from breakfast at the nearby News Cafe when he was shot twice in the back of the head. 

The murderer was none other than serial killer Andrew Cunanan, a man in his mid-twenties who once worked as a male prostitute. To this day, his motivations for murdering Versace are still unknown. 

Gianni Versace bled on the front steps of his opulent property, his blood staining the coral stairs. A manhunt ensued for Andrew Cunanan, but the endeavor would be unsuccessful. Andrew Cunanan died by suicide on July 23rd, 1997, barely a week after murdering Versace.

At the time, he remained suspected of murdering four other men in a crime spree that spanned several cities, including Chicago, Minneapolis, and South Beach, eventually landing him on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.

Andrew Cunanan was just 40 blocks from the Versace mansion, holed up in a houseboat. There, he evaded police capture by suicide, shooting himself with the same gun he used to shoot Gianni Versace and other victims.  

Still, these are not the only violent deaths linked to the Villa Casa Casuarina. In a strange occurrence, almost exactly 24 years after Gianni Versace’s murder, another violent event occurred at the Versace mansion. 

A day before the 24th anniversary, two men were found dead in the Villa Casuarina. A police investigation revealed that the men, aged 30 and 31, had died by suicide. 

Haunted Miami

Is the Versace Mansion haunted? Quite likely. The former home of Gianni Versace is undoubtedly one that retains many mysteries. Will the ghostly residents who linger in the hallways ever lead us to solve them? One day, perhaps. Until then, all that we have is the ghostly lore that envelops this luxurious destination.

To hear more tales of murder, mystery, and Miami’s dark underbelly, continue reading on our blog and follow us on TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook to stay in the know. To join a gathering in person, book a haunted history walk with Miami Haunts for a spectacularly chilling time. 

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