Edmund Emil Kemper

Serial Killer

Edmund Emil Kemper: The "Co-ed Killer"

Early Life and Escalating Violence

Edmund Emil Kemper III was born on December 18, 1948, in Burbank, California. He became one of the most notorious American serial killers of the twentieth century, eventually admitting responsibility for ten murders committed between 1964 and 1973. Exceptionally tall and physically imposing, Kemper stood approximately six feet nine inches and possessed above-average intelligence. These qualities contrasted sharply with the friendly, articulate personality he displayed to acquaintances, police officers and many of the young women who entered his vehicle. Kemper described an unhappy childhood dominated by conflict with his mother, Clarnell Elizabeth Strandberg. After his parents separated, he spent periods living with different relatives before being sent to his paternal grandparents' ranch near North Fork, California. On August 27, 1964, when he was 15 years old, Kemper shot and killed his grandmother following an argument in the kitchen. When his grandfather returned home, Kemper shot him as well. Kemper later claimed that he killed his grandfather so the older man would not have to discover his wife's body. Following the murders, Kemper telephoned his mother and then contacted authorities. He was found legally insane and committed to Atascadero State Hospital, a secure psychiatric institution in California. While confined, he learned how psychiatric examinations were conducted and reportedly assisted staff members with psychological testing. Hospital officials eventually concluded that he had improved sufficiently to be released. He left the institution in December 1969 at the age of 21 and was placed in his mother's care, despite warnings that their deeply troubled relationship could create further danger.

The Beginning of the "Co-ed Killer" Murders

After his release, Kemper lived in the Santa Cruz County area and attempted to establish an ordinary adult life. He worked at several jobs and spent time in bars frequented by local police officers. Because he appeared intelligent, cooperative and interested in law enforcement, officers sometimes spoke openly around him about criminal investigations. Kemper became familiar with police procedures while carefully concealing his own violent fantasies. During the early 1970s, hitchhiking was common among students attending colleges in and around Santa Cruz. Kemper initially picked up young women without harming them, using these encounters to study their behavior and determine how easily he could gain their trust. He later began carrying weapons and restraints in his vehicle. His large size could have appeared threatening, but he often presented himself as polite, calm and helpful until his passengers were isolated. On May 7, 1972, Kemper picked up Fresno State students Mary Ann Pesce and Anita Luchessa as they were hitchhiking. Instead of taking them to their intended destination, he drove them to an isolated area near Alameda, California. He murdered both women and transported their bodies back to his residence, where he dismembered them. Their remains were later abandoned in separate locations in the Santa Cruz Mountains and along California's coastline. ...

Confirmed Victims: (10)

Maud Kemper Age: (66), Date of Death: August 27, 1964

Edmund Kemper - Wikipedia