Episode Details

In this episode of pplpod, we dissect the chilling case of Edmund Kemper, a 6-foot-9 serial killer known as the "Co-ed Killer" who used his genius-level IQ to manipulate the justice system and terrorize California in the early 1970s. We trace Kemper’s dark timeline, starting with the murder of his grandparents at age 15, his deceptive "rehabilitation" at Atascadero State Hospital, and his release back into society where he targeted female college students as surrogates for his abusive mother.

Join us as we explore:

• The Double Life: How Kemper befriended local police officers as a "friendly nuisance" while actively hiding human remains in his trunk and apartment.

• The Psychology: The toxic relationship with his mother, Clarnell, which culminated in her brutal murder and decapitation, an act Kemper claimed ended his homicidal urges.

• The FBI Legacy: How Kemper’s interviews with FBI agents John Douglas and Robert Ressler helped define the "organized" killer profile and revolutionized criminal profiling.

• Life Behind Bars: From narrating over 5,000 hours of audiobooks for the blind to his famous threat to an FBI agent about "snapping his head," we look at his time in the California Medical Facility.

• Current Status: Details on his 2024 parole hearing, where the now wheelchair-bound Kemper was denied release and classified as a "high risk" to reoffend.