Edmund Kemper
Edmund Kemper killed young female hitchhikers that he had no previous contact with, thinking that if he killed victims that couldn’t or wouldn’t be linked to him he’s never be caught. If he was able to control the range he felt toward his mother that eventually boiled over and led to him killed her he may never have been. Or caught much later into his killing career. He took great care to conceal his victim’s bodies. He would decapitate them and spread body parts all over Northern California.
In early childhood when other kids were out playing Edmund was inside playing gas chamber and decipating his sisters dolls, he enjoyed killing, torturing and mulitationg animals. And reported having violent sexual fantasies from a young age.
Edmunds life reads like a blueprint for the development of a sexual serial killer. His mother Clarnell and father EE Kemper Jr. has a stormy marriage and separated when Edmund was only nine. They finally divorced four years later. After that Edmond has a lot of step fathers. And he his mother and sister moved to their new home of Helen Montana. Edmonds mother and sister were domineering women who would belittle him they forced him to live in the basement because of his large stature.
Even tough his parents were divorced they both took part in trying to raise young Edmund but his behavior because stranger, making him a difficult child. Even with his immense size he was afraid of being physically hurt by other boys and was unable to sustain friendships. He was still very hurt over his parents divorce and just couldn’t get past it. He was also having violent sexual fantasies.
Carnell being at her wits end on what to do with her teenage son let him to Los Angles to live with his father and step-mother. They also found Emond’s behavior strange and him difficult to deal with so they sent him to live with EE’s parents Maude and Edmund Kemper Sr in North Fork California in 1963.
While living with his paternal grandparents on their farm Edmund’s behavior begin to improve. His teachers at Sierra Joint Union High School found him quiet and a bit meek, he was an average student.
Edmunds grandfather gave him a.22 rifle, with the rifle Edmund took out his aggression on small animals, rabbits, gophers and birds even though he was told not to shoot at them.
After the school year ended Edmund was sent back to spend the summer with his mother and sister in Helena, he was sent back to his grandparents after two weeks. Maude noticed a difference in the boy upon his return. He was sullen and withdrawn since it was summer the boy didn’t have to go to school so was underfoot constantly. Since Edmond wasn’t in school all day he was spending days with his grandparents, he found his grandmother to be a nag and begin having violent sexual fantasies involving Maude. He would wonder what it would be like to kill her.
On August 27, 1964 Edmund shot his grandmother in the head while she was in the kitchen doing some work. He brought her body into the bedroom, when his grandfather returned from errands Edmund shot him in the head. He then called his mother and told her what he had done. He called the police. When they questioned him on why he killed his grandparents he replied that he killed his grandmother because he wanted to see what it would feel like to “kill grandma” killing his grandfather was a mercy killing so he wouldn’t have to see his dead wife and possibly have a heart attack.
Edmund’s court appoint psychiatrist diagnosed him as paranoid and psychotic, he was committed to Atascadero State Hospital. He entered the Facility on December 6, 1964 he wasn’t yet 16 and had committed his first two murders. During his stay at the hospital he never took responsibility for the killings.
Also during this time Edmund met several serial sex offenders who would share their stories, they added fuel to his already violent sexual fantasies causing them to become more intricate and intense. Edmund was released from Atascadero in 1969. Upon his release he wanted to become a cop but found at 6’9” he was to tall. So he was sent to live with his mother, still being under the care of the California youth authority.
By this time Carnell and Edmund’s sister had moved back to California and Carnell was working as an administrative assistant at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Edmund got a job wo rking for the division of highways, enabling him to buy a car that he equipped with police equipment. A radio transmitter, microphone and whip antenna. The passenger door was rigged so it wouldn’t open from inside, plastic bags, knives and a blanket went into the trunk.
On may 7th, 1972 Edmund’s violent fantasies became reality. He picked up two female hitchhikers and stabbed them. His need for control was so great, he took the risk of picking up two victims at the same time. It was a power trip for him to be able to control both of his victim’s.
On September 14th 1972 Edmund killed his third victim, this victim he rapped after death. An interesting point here. When Edmond was in school a fellow school mate knew Edmund had a crush on his teacher, he asked Edmund if he would kiss the teacher. Edmund replied no she’s have to be dead first. Even at this young age Edmund felt that a living woman would reject him so the only option for him to obtain what he wanted from a woman was to kill her first.
In January of 1973 Edmund bought a .22 caliber automatic pistol even though he was still on parole for killing his grandparents and owning the weapon was a violation of his release. He didn’t have any trouble obtaining it. He shot his next victims and had sex with the corpses. He then dissected the bodies and dumped the body parts, but first he recoved the bullets so police would not be able to match ballistics he is was ever caught..
After a serious fight with his mother on February 5th, 1973 Edmund went out looking for more victims. Again he picked up two female hitchhikers even though hitchhikers in the area were warned not to get into vehicles with people they didn’t know because of the co-ed killer was Kemper was called by the media. They felt safe entering the car because it had a UC Santa Cruz parking pass that Edmond had obtained from his mother. He shot and killed both victims and has sex with the bodies.
During Easter weekend of 1973 Edmund finally decided to take his homicidal rage out on the actual target of it. His mother. He killed her and his friend thinking that if his mother and her friend were found murdered the police wouldn’t immediately assume he killed them.
After the murder Edmund took his mother’s friends car and left the state. He was pulled over for speeding in Colorado, the officer didn’t notice anything strange allowed Edmund to pay the fine and sent him on his way.
Edmund stopped again in Pueblo Colorado and called the Santa Cruz police to confess to the murders.
Edmond was found guilty of eight counts of murder in 1973. and sentenced to life in prison. He will serve out his term at the Maximum security prison at fulsome.
