Edmund Kemper III grew up in a home defined by fear, humiliation, and emotional violence long before he became known as “The Co-Ed Killer.” Standing 6’9’’ with a calm, almost gentle demeanor, Kemper hid a darkness that even seasoned investigators struggled to comprehend. In this episode, we dive deep into his early life, the fractured family that shaped him, and the warning signs that appeared years before his first murder.

We follow Kemper’s path from a troubled childhood, to the shocking killings of his grandparents, to the series of murders that terrorized California’s college communities in the 1970s. Through his chilling confessions, manipulative intelligence, and unsettling cooperation with law enforcement, Kemper became one of the most disturbing figures in American criminal history.

This episode breaks down:

• Kemper’s childhood and early psychological patterns

• His murders at age 15

• The escalation into the Co-Ed Killer era

• How he evaded suspicion despite inserting himself into police circles

• His relationship with his mother and the final crimes that ended his spree

• His eerie calmness as he turned himself in and described his actions in detail

Sources:

• Ressler, R. K., & Shachtman, T. Whoever Fights Monsters. St. Martin’s Press, 1992.

• Douglas, J., & Olshaker, M. Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit. Scribner, 1995.

• Cheney, M. L. The Co-Ed Killer: A Study of Murder. Pinnacle Books, 1976.

• Merril, C. Edmund Kemper III: The Life of the Coed Killer. Crime Publishing, 2015.

• “Edmund Kemper Case File.” California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

• Los Angeles Times Archives – Coverage of the 1972–1973 Santa Cruz murders.

• Santa Cruz Sentinel Archives – Reports on Kemper’s arrest and trial.

• FBI Behavioral Science Unit Interviews with Edmund Kemper, Quantico (1973–1974).

• “The Co-Ed Killer.” AHC / Investigation Discovery Documentary.

• “Edmund Kemper — The Coed Killer.” Murderpedia.org entry.