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Description
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Edmund Emil Kemper: The Co-Ed Killer

Introduction

Edmund Emil Kemper III, also known as the "Co-Ed Killer," is an American serial killer and necrophile who murdered ten people, including his grandparents, mother, and six young women in California between 1964 and 1973. Known for his high intelligence and imposing stature at 6 feet 9 inches, Kemper's crimes were particularly gruesome, involving mutilation, necrophilia, and dismemberment.

Early Murders

Kemper committed his first murders at the age of 15 when he killed his paternal grandparents on August 27, 1964. Sent to a psychiatric facility, he was released at age 21, later embarking on a killing spree that terrorized California.

The Co-Ed Murders (1972-1973)

After his release, Kemper began picking up female hitchhikers, murdering them in brutal fashion. Below is a list of his known victims:
  • Mary Ann Pesce and Anita Luchessa - On May 7, 1972, Kemper picked up these two Fresno State University students near Berkeley, California. He drove them to a secluded area, killed them, and later dismembered their bodies.
  • Aiko Koo - On September 14, 1972, 15-year-old Aiko Koo, an aspiring dancer, accepted a ride from Kemper in Berkeley. He strangled and suffocated her before engaging in post-mortem acts.
  • Cindy Schall - On January 7, 1973, Kemper shot 18-year-old Cindy Schall, a Cabrillo College student. He later dismembered her body in his mother's bathtub and disposed of her remains in the ocean.
  • Rosalind Thorpe and Alice Liu - On February 5, 1973, Kemper picked up these two students from the University of California, Santa Cruz, shot them inside his car, and later beheaded them.
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Victims
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Confirmed Victims: (10)
  • Maud Kemper Age: (66), Date of Death: August 27, 1964
  •     ...View 9 additional victims
    Links to Additional Sources (13)
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    Killer's Details

    Edmund Emil

    Kemper

    December 18, 1948 (age 76) Burbank, California, United States

    Bumble-Butt Big Ed

    610 (2.08 m)

    Male

    White

    The Co-ed Killer, Co-ed Butcher, Ogre of Aptos, The Mad Titan

    Kempers method of operation included dismembering and violating the bodies of his victims. His crimes escalated in brutality, and he later admitted to engaging in necrophilia and other gruesome acts. Kempers intelligence and ability to blend into society allowed him to evade suspicion.

    Murder (First-degree x8) (second arrest)

    Life imprisonment (x8) (concurrent)

    10

    1964 - 1973

    California

    August 27, 1964 (first arrest)April 24, 1973 (second arrest)

    Atascadero State Hospital, California Medical Facility (CDCR #: B52453)

    07/03/2025