Edmund Kemper Serial Killer

Edmund Kemper Serial Killer

Early Childhood Life

Edmund Kemper is an American serial killer born in December 1948 as the middle child of Clarnell Kemper. Thereafter in 1957, his parents had a divorce where he had to move in with his mother and two sisters at Montana California (Innes Brian 2017). Edmund had a difficult relationship with her alcoholic mother, whom he was very critical of her; she blamed her of all the problems that occurred to him and the sisters. Hence, when Edmund was 10 years of age, she was forced by the mother to live in the basement away from his sisters due to the fear that he might hurt them.

Consequently, Edmund started to experience signs of trouble during his early life. He always had dark fantasies about life, for instance, sometimes he dreamt about killing her mother. During his childhood period, he cut off the head of his sisters’ dolls and also he pressured his sisters to play with him a game called gas chamber (Skrapec Candice 47). Therefore, the gas chamber involved Edmund himself being blindfolded by the sisters and led to a chair where he writhed in agony till he “died”. As a result, these were some of the incidences that indicated that Edmund would transition into a dangerous human being. Additionally, when he was still 10 years of age, he buried one of their cats alive. The second cat he slaughtered with a knife, only when he was 13 years of age. This is after he thought that the cat was showing more affection to his sister than him. According to the interview in Skrapec Candice article, killing animals gave Edmund more pleasure.

Additionally, as a child, Kemper underwent two near-death experiences. One incidence includes when her sister tried to push him in front of a moving train (Skrapec Candice 49). The second prevalence is when he almost drowns after his sister pushed him into a swimming pool. These occurrences scared the mother, and one day he fled from his mother’s house in Los Angeles, California. to stay with the father but later on, he ended back with her. This is after he found out that his father had remarried and had a second son. Eventually, the mother sent him to stay with his paternal grandparents in North fork, California, where he came to hate them as well. Altogether, it is evident that Edmund started being troublesome in his early teenage years.

Grandparents Killing

Additionally, when living with his grandparents, he started having troubles with them. He hated living on his grandparent’s farm and therefore, he began to learn about firearms but his grandparents did not hesitate to take his rifle after he killed several birds and other animals (Skrapec Candice 51). Consequently, in 1964, when he was 15 years old, he had a heated argument with his grandmother, where he murdered her in in the kitchen. He shot her in the head and twice in the back using the 22 calibre rifle that the grandmother had gifted her. Thereafter, hid grandfather came back from the grocery shopping after Edmund had dragged her grandmother’s body into her room. He also shot him in the head, killing him. To sum up, his experience of living with paternal grandparents manifested his killing habits.

According to Danahay, Edmund called his mother asking her to call the police, surrendering to what he had done. Later, he explained to the police that he killed his grandmother to see how it felt (Danahay 21). Additionally, he said that he had to kill grandfather so he would not find out that his wife had been murdered. Eventually, he was taken to California Youth Security. At the youth security facility, various tests were taken and it was revealed that he had a very high IQ and also he suffered from paranoid Schizophrenia. As a result, he was taken to the criminally insane unit of Atascadero state hospital.

Moreover, while in California youth Security, he gained much confidence from social workers and psychiatrists of California youth security, who strongly disagree on the court psychiatrist assessment about Edmund. During this period in the youth security facility, he scored 136 in one IQ test and 145 in the second one (Danahay 22). Hence, he was given the role to administer psychiatrists test on other prisoners. Thereafter, Edmund publicized that he had figured out how the IQ tests worked and therefore he had figured out how to manipulate the psychiatrists. Additionally, as stated by Danahay, Edmund revealed that the sex offenders had told him that it was preferable to kill a woman after raping to escape the capture (23). To conclude, it is clear, that at 15 and in prison, Edmund had started being troublesome and maximum caution had to be taken on him.

The Release from Prison

Edmund was released from prison in 1969 at the age of 21 despite doctor’s recommendations that he should not live with his mother, due to previous psychological issues that involved her. However, he joined her mother in Santa Cruz, where she had moved after divorce from her third marriage (Danahay 23-24). At this time, his mother worked with the University of California. Therefore, Edmund joined community college for some time, while working on various jobs before landing one at the department of transportation in 1971.

Edmund had applied to become a trooper but he was denied due to his size. He weighed 300 pounds and he was 6 feet and 9 inches tall, which led to his nickname “Big Ed” (Danahay 25). However, due to his behaviours, he managed to hang around the police officers of Santa police department Cruz. Danahay, in his article, illustrates that one of the police officers gave him handcuffs and training badges (Danahay). The second police officers allowed him to borrow his gun and he also had a car that resembled that of a police cruiser. Hence, from the points above, Kemper loved the life of criminal activities.

Other Killings

In the year 1960, Edmund was involved in an accident while riding his motorcycle. His arm was harmed badly and therefore; he received a $15,000 settlement as a result of a civil suit that he filed against the driver (Danahay 26-27). He used the settlement money to buy a new Galaxie car. Due to his arm injured, he was unable to work and therefore, he turned his mind towards other pursuits. It can be described that his murders desires started to return and hence he began hoarding storing tools such as knives, handcuffs, guns, plastic bags and blankets. Eventually, one time he noticed a group of females hitchhiking around his new car, however, this time around he let them leave peacefully. But this did not prevent his homicide feelings, which he called them little zipless, that began to resurface.

Other murder crimes committed are described between 1972 and 1973. One of the incidents occurred with two college students, Mary and Anita of Fresno states, who he offered a ride in his car. The two females did not make it to their destinations (Drukteinis 533). Their families reported of their missing but nothing was reported of their whereabouts. After three months one of the female’s heads, Mary, was discovered near Santa Cruz. The other females remain, Anita, were never found. Later, after investigations. Edmund Kemper reported that he stabbed and strangled Mary Anne and later on stabbed Anita as explained by Drukteinis. He later, elaborated that after he murdered the females, he brought their bodies to his apartment, where he cut off their heads and hands (Drukteinis 534). Additionally, he engaged in sexual activities with the female corpses. From the above point, it evident enough that Kemper was addicted to killing people in the sense that it gave him some form of pleasure.

Also, the same year in 1972, Kemper picked a young girl named Aiko, who had decided to hitchhike instead of taking a bus to her dance class. This lady met her fate the same way as the two females, Mary and Anita. According to Drukteinis, Edmund continued with the same behavior of murder impulses until one time when she picked a hitchhiker, named Cindy, whom he shot and killed her while his mother was watching (535-536). He picked her body and went to hid in his room. The following day he pulled to pieces the parts of the body and threw them in the ocean. He also buried her head into his mother’s backyard. Later on, some parts of the body were discovered at the shore. To sum up, Edmund required a serial killer, regarding the fact that he shot and killed Cindy in front of his mother. His mother was tired and helpless and hence, he knew that she would not stop her at any cost.

Additionally, in February 1973, Edmund aided a double murder, using a campus sticker that his mother had given to him that was meant for parking. Before the incident, he drove into the university and offered a ride to two female campus students, Rosalyn and Alice (Drukteinis 537-538). Thereafter, he shot two women and drove past the campus gate security gate with the two women wounded. Later on, Kemper beheaded and dismantled their body parts, which he disposed of in different locations. As a result, in March, some remains of Rosalind and Alice body parts were discovered by hikers in San Mateo County. During this period of Edmund serial killings, there were also other two serial killers discovered in Santa Cruz. This resulted in the town being nicknamed “murder capital of the world.” As for Edmund kemper he was labelled as “co-ed killer” and” co-ed butcher”. From this point, it is apparent that Edmund developed a modulus killing that involved, shooting, stabbing, strangling and smothering his victims. Hence, he would take their bodies into his home and dismantled them, having sexual activities with them and later on dispose of them. Additionally, he admitted to consuming the flesh of his victims.

The killing of His mother

In April 1973, Edmund Kemper committed a crime that would be listed among his last two crimes. During good Friday he went to see his mother, of which the two had an unpleasant exchange. This was obvious because the two had never get along. As illustrated by Dobbert (2009), Kemper attacked her mother during sleep. He hit her in the head using a hammer and thereafter slot her throat using a knife. Just as he had done with his previous victims, he beheaded her and dismantled her body parts including hands. He also detached her larynx and put in the garbage disposal. This kind of murder can be described as cruel and brutal. Edmund Kemper is kind of a serial killer that did not have mercy even to her own family. He was got overwhelmed and carried away during the act, after which he would regret later.

Therefore, after killing her mother dismantled her body parts, he hid them in an undisclosed location. Dobbert Duane (2009), illustrated that afterwards he called her mother’s fried named Sally Hallet and invited her over to the house. When sally arrived, Kemper strangled and killed her then hid her body in the closet. He flew from the area and drove east to Pueblo Colorado. The next day as illustrated in the article, he called Santa Cruz police station, where he confessed all his crimes. This came as a shock to the police officers since they did believe that a guy the new as “Big Ed” was a killer. However, during the interrogations, he would lead them to every evidence that they needed and prove to them that he was a “co-ed killer”. To sum up, his confession came as a surprise to Santa Cruz police officers whom he hanged around with but they were not aware that he was a serial killer.

Edmund Trial and Imprisonment

Edmund was then charged with eight totals of first-degree murder in May 1973. He was also declared sane by six-woman and six-man jury in November, i973, where he was found guilty of all the totals. Besides, he was asked by the judge of what his punishment should be and requested for a death penalty, of which he was denied (Dobbert Duane). As a result, he was sentenced to seven years’ life imprisonment for each count of the crime he had committed. Kemper is still serving his imprisonment term at California Medical facility. And so, from the above point, it is apparent that Edmund did not fear death and that is why he also requested for a death penalty. However, the judge acted according to the law and thought that it would fair if he gets a punishment that will make him feel the consequences of his actions.

Portrayals in Popular Culture

According to Bonn Scott, Edmund kemper homicidal obsession with his mother can be illustrated to mean that through her killing, he eliminated the demons that had tormented him through ought his life and finally after her killing, it provided her with a warped sense of closure. During a prison interview by cosmopolitan, he was asked how he feels when sees a pretty girl, after killing her mother. His response was “One side of me says, I’d like to talk to her, date her. The other side says, “I wonder how her head would look on a stick.” (Bonn Scott 2014). This only demonstrates how despicable serial killing can turn out to be. Besides, his childhood memories are full of tragic and terrible moments and it also offers some insight into his criminal pathology life. However, his journey of murder still challenges knowledge.

Additionally, from the criminal activities he has committed, no hyperbole is required for his crimes to surprise and shock the public. His murder cases are always exaggerated and misinterpreted during a report by media (Bonn Scott). This is because his murder acts were gruesome and it is hard for people to believe that one person is capable of doing all that. Many books, poems, films, puzzles, games and calendar hyperbole his stories of murder cases. For instance, in the book “The Lonely Head Hunter; Ed Kemper,” he has been portrayed as a demonic freak and he has also appeared as the supernatural monster in most comic books (Bonn Scott). Besides, there is a necklace for Kemper gothic horror available on the internet for sale. Additionally, a horror movie released in 2008 named “Kemper; The Co-Ed killer also revealed facts about how people perceive him.

Further, from the comic books and films produced about Kemper, it is evident that entertainment media have depicted his character as sensational and inaccurate. This is because the things that he did are horrified and no human being can imagine whether that is possible (Bonn Scott 2014). As a result, he has been transitioned into a cartoonish monster in the popular culture similar to Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street film. Additionally, there is a series named Mind hunter, which gives a clear portrayal of Edmund Kemper character. Therefore, from the above-named films, Kemper had been portrayed as a monster due to the gruesome murders that he committed.

According to Bonn Scott, Edmund Kemper used modus operandi form of murder that involved shooting, stabbing, strangling and hitting with a hummer. Besides, he signalized cannibalism since he beheaded his victims and dissected the corpse. As described in the article, one of his advantages as a killer were that he had a high level of IQ of 145, very tall that is 6 fit and 9 inches and also he weighed 300 pounds, which means that he was very strong. Besides, he could weigh 100npunds with his bare hands. The author describes him as an organized killer since he was good at handling weapons such as guns and knives. This is the main reason as to why he was nicknamed several names as; “Co-ed Killer, Co-ed Butcher, Santa Cruz Ogre and Ogre of Aptos”. Notably, he is one of the American serial killers that cannot be tolerated.

Serial Killer Typologies

According to Sharma Meher (2018), researchers have come up with typologies and etiological theories that can be used to explain the actions of serial killers. Additionally, mental professionals, criminologists, law enforcement officials and scientists have tried to come up with various criteria that underlie the motivations of serial killers. Consequently, special agents from FBI academy named Quantico designed a system to categorize serial killers as disorganized and organized killers (Sharma Meher 345). Based on the information provided, they stated that fingerprints can be used to identify an assassin at the crime scene. Hence, it occurred to them that by classifying the scene of the crime as organized or disorganized, they can be able to identify the characteristics of the murderer.

The organized killer model. According to this model, as described by Sharma in his article, an organized lawbreaker also lives methodical lives that replicate in the way they commit crimes. Organized killers are likely to kill after experiencing some triggers that come from problems such as unemployment, financial strains or intimate relationship problems. Most of them often have a highly intelligent and are social proficient (Shamar Meher). Additionally, they are described as premeditating reprobates since they bring weapons and take them away after committing the murder. The control of the situation since they have high social skills and can handle a personal relationship. Notably, before committing a crime, organized offenders often calculate their moves and that is why they can easily get away with it.

Additionally, organized offenders have the skills to communicate and approach the victims verbally before the onset of violence (Shamar Meher 2014). They also choose their victims base on a common characteristic such as age, gender, hair colour, physical appearance or hairstyle. For instance, Edmund Kemper was a serial killer attracted to women. Most of his victims were young females. This can be elaborated as it is likely that Edmund had a negative experience with his mother who was an alcoholic. From previous researches, the relationship between him and the mother was unpleasant since they always had psychological issues. Thus, this could be the main issue that triggered Kemper into being a serial killer for women. To conclude, Edmund can be described as an organized killer since he hoarded tools such as knives, plastic bags, knives and guns for his killings.

The disorganized killer model

According to Shamar (2014), in contrast to organized killers, the disorganized killer’s crime scene often involves little chaos and premeditation before the violence. These kinds of disorganization may include; fingerprints, blood, semen or a murder weapon. They are also likely to be socially incompetent with a below-average intelligent. Due to their high level of disorganization, this explains their inability to maintain social interactions and relationships. Hence, this lack of intimate relationship is what leads to sadistic acts which lead to murder actions (Sharma Meher 348). Additionally, disorganized lawbreakers live alone, are sexually incompetent, have an anxious mood and do not follow their crimes on the media. Therefore, Edmund Kemper can be categorized as a disorganized killer since he was sexually active, had a highly intelligent and also eliminated all the evidence.

The Mixed Killer

According to this model, this is used to categorize offenders who have both organized and disorganized characteristics (Shamar Meher). This type of lawbreaking may involve more than one offenders and may also include some planning leaving unforeseen events. Furthermore, it might include, a victim resisting or the criminal mounting into a different form of violence. Shamar explains that this kind of crimes often results in being messy with extreme violence upon the victim. Besides, the murder may leave the corpse body uncovered or maybe young and involved with drugs. Also, we can partly categorize Edmund as a mixed killer since there is a time that he murdered while his mother was watching. His mother could have reported him but she did not (Shamar Meher 545). To round up, mixed killers display both disorganized and organized characteristics, however, there are still doubts about this model.

Hedonistic Killer

This kind of model as described by Messori (2016), can be categorized into three types, that is, lust, thrill and comfort-oriented. In this model, the offenders motive is to kill to receive the kind of pleasure they need from the act. These kind of killers are the most striking since they kill because they love doing so and also because they have a high level of intelligence. The high level of intelligence they exhibit, illustrate their keen planning and ability to escape imprisonment (Messori 19-20). This kind of killing is pleasurable to the killer but it’s difficult for the law enforcement to make investigations since there are no traces for the murderer. Edmund type of killing can be described as hedonistic because he enjoyed doing it. This can have illustrated if he killed his mother and later on killed her. This was the last murders that Kemper committed, which afterwards he surrendered himself to the police. This means that he got some sense of satisfaction and no longer wanted to continue killing people. This can be described as Edmund completed his mission.

Another type of typology is power control killer. This type of killers exhibits some type of control and power over the victim during the killing. It can be described as a narcissistic need for control of power, the power of life or death (Messori 20-21). It is always the mission of the serial killer to have the power of death over the victim to fuel his continue desire to repeatedly kill. Edmund Kemper was also a power control killer since every time he targeted his victim for a murder he was accomplished that. Therefore, this is what gave him the thrill to continue killing, however, his last stop was after he killed his mother.

Theories of a Serial Killer

One of the theories is contemporary trait theories, which suggests that abnormal and psychological traits might lead to crime such as serial murder (Messori 22). This theory conceptualizes that personal traits which a people portray from birth as a potential pattern that one may become in future. Therefore, theories that fall under this trait are both behavioral unchanging routes and they include brain development and genetic traits.

Biological theories under contemporary trait state that most male serial killers have an extra Y chromosome. Medical tests performed on a serial killer named Arthur Shawcross stated that he had 47, XYY karyotype chromosome. However, this was dismissed by Dr Lunde who performed some tests on a serial killer Edmund Kemper (Messori 22-23). Therefore, we cannot link this type of theory to Edmund Kemper’s case. Another biological theory focuses on psychopaths, which states that psychopaths have a deficit of amygdala and frontal cortex part of the brain. This is what has reduced socialization among the psychopath’s individuals. Therefore, this neurological deficit has been associated with criminal activities among individual diagnosed with an antisocial personality trait. Edmund can also be described as a psychopath since he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia disease, which is a neurological disease. Also, when he was young he beheaded his sister’s dolls without caring how they would feel. And so, Edmund never cared about other people’s feelings.

Also according to Messori (2016), there is a theory named Norris ‘disease’ model which is mentioned in a book about a serial killer by Norris (1998). In his book, Norris states that genetic factors, environmental factors and negative parenting can result in an individual being a serial killer. Also, chemical imbalance induced by alcohol and other drugs can trigger as potential killer behaviours. Therefore, according to Norris in his book, serial killers often suffer from a disease that is conveyed through familial, genetic and social sources (Messori 24). This theory supports Edmund behavior because when he was young he witnesses the divorce of his parents, which seem to have affected him. Besides, his mother was also an alcoholic, which often pissed him off and that is why they never got along. This experience can be concluded to have contributed to Edmund Serial killing behavior.

Childhood experience is also one of the psychological theories that are stated to result in serial killing behaviours. Messori in his article states that childhood experience is intended to hypothesize why some individuals develop in serial murders. Family socioeconomic level, specifically, the average one is said to have an association in serial killer behaviours. Also, children from a family with criminal activity in either mother or father, are likely to develop into serial killers (Messori 27-28). A study conducted in 2009 revealed that 69% of children who engage in serial killings behaviours had parents with issues of alcohol abuse. This can be linked to Edmund case, where her mother was an alcoholic. This seemed to have made Kemper feel disappointed with her mother. Hence, this is the reason as to why she developed a hatred for women because most of his victims were women. To conclude, he felt relieved after the killing of his mother and hence, he surrendered to the police officers.

In conclusion, Edmund Kemper serial killing behavior might have been triggered by the alcoholic behavior of his mother. In his biography, it is stated that at the age of 10 years, he could not get along with his mother due to her alcoholic habits. He experienced a tragic and terrible life and that is why he sometimes fought with his sisters. Due to this, her mother always forced him to sleep in the basement to avoid violence with his siblings. Additionally, in his childhood, he beheaded dolls that belonged to his sisters. Besides that, he killed two cats at the age of 15 years. Therefore, it evident that his anger and the paranoid schizophrenia disease might have contributed to him being a serial killer. From the theories, it evident that he was an organized killer since he has a high level of IQ, which enhances him to effectively plan for murder and escape capture. He can also be described as a hedonistic killer since his motivation was to kill his mother. After completion of his mission, he surrendered himself to the police officers.

Works Cited

Bonn, Scott. Why We Love Serial Killers: The Curious Appeal of the World’s Most Savage Murderers. Skyhorse, 2014.

Danahay, Martin. “A selected bibliography of studies on Victorian Autobiography.” (1986): 19-27.

Dobbert, Duane L. Psychopathy, Perversion, and Lust Homicide: Recognizing the Mental Disorders that Power Serial Killers. Praeger/ABC-CLIO, 2009.

Drukteinis, Albert M. “Serial murder-The heart of darkness.” Psychiatric Annals 22.10 (1992): 532-538.

Innes, Brian. Serial Killers: Shocking, Gripping True Crime Stories of the Most Evil Murderers. Quercus Publishing, 2017.

Messori, Leryn Rose-Doggett. Frequencies Between Serial Killer Typology and Theorized Etiological Factors. Antioch University, 2016.

Sharma, Meher. “The Development of Serial Killers: A Grounded Theory Study.” (2018).

Skrapec, Candice A. “Phenomenology and serial murder: Asking different questions.” Homicide Studies 5.1 (2001): 46-63.