If you’ve ever had a pervy uncle that made you bounce on his knee while he ran his fingers through your hair, I assure you, this guy was much, much worse.
Meet Edmund Kemper:
Meet Edmund Kemper:
When he was 15 years old, he shot his grandmother in the head because he “just wanted to see what it felt like to kill Grandma”. Also, just like any other pubescent kid, he didn’t want to get in trouble for doing something really fucked up so he killed his grandfather in the driveway when he returned home with some groceries. This may be the kindest gesture of his childhood because, let’s be honest here, no man wants to come home and find his wife’s dead body.
Naturally there were signs this was coming: antisocial behavior, mutilated cats and bizarre “sexual rituals” with his sisters dolls. It’s said his mother would often lock him in the basement because she was concerned he would rape his younger sister. If a violent alcoholic with a borderline personality disorder could figure out what was on the horizon, why couldn’t anyone else?
Anyway, this charming little fella spends 5 years at the Atascadero State Hospital before they turn him loose on Santa Cruz in the early 70s. Being built like a brick house at close to 7 feet tall with a high IQ and no social skills or marketable talents, he did what came naturally: abducted female college students; stabbed, shot or smothered them; then had sex with their decapitated heads. Lots of them.
How does this have anything to do with The Underbelly you ask? Fear not, there’s a bar involved.
Naturally there were signs this was coming: antisocial behavior, mutilated cats and bizarre “sexual rituals” with his sisters dolls. It’s said his mother would often lock him in the basement because she was concerned he would rape his younger sister. If a violent alcoholic with a borderline personality disorder could figure out what was on the horizon, why couldn’t anyone else?
Anyway, this charming little fella spends 5 years at the Atascadero State Hospital before they turn him loose on Santa Cruz in the early 70s. Being built like a brick house at close to 7 feet tall with a high IQ and no social skills or marketable talents, he did what came naturally: abducted female college students; stabbed, shot or smothered them; then had sex with their decapitated heads. Lots of them.
How does this have anything to do with The Underbelly you ask? Fear not, there’s a bar involved.
Being a smart and rather ballsy guy, The Co-Ed Killer starts hanging out the local cop bar, The Jury Room:
Apparently, he made friends there with the local law enforcement and they were more than happy to discuss details of the investigations after a few martinis. In this way, he was able to stay one step ahead. None suspected that the big gallute had anything to do with the murders.
Eventually, he feels the need bludgeon his mother and her neighbor with a hammer and run to Colorado where he turns himself in. He’s currently serving life without parole in Vacaville, CA.
Alyssa and I were in Santa Cruz this weekend for the Eddie Money show and decided to swing by and check the place out on Saturday morning around 10am before hitting the 19th Hole for breakfast.
Apparently, he made friends there with the local law enforcement and they were more than happy to discuss details of the investigations after a few martinis. In this way, he was able to stay one step ahead. None suspected that the big gallute had anything to do with the murders.
Eventually, he feels the need bludgeon his mother and her neighbor with a hammer and run to Colorado where he turns himself in. He’s currently serving life without parole in Vacaville, CA.
Alyssa and I were in Santa Cruz this weekend for the Eddie Money show and decided to swing by and check the place out on Saturday morning around 10am before hitting the 19th Hole for breakfast.
This is a pretty straightforward dive: standard bar with stools and a handful of small booths. Concrete floors make mopping up the blood a breeze. There’s a fireplace for those cold NorCal evenings and a pool table, if that’s your thing. I was happy to see Guinness on tap. There are some dollar bills tacked up intermittently around the bar as if the regulars (or college students) thought about starting that tradition but quickly realized that’s one less dollar to spend on booze. Can’t imagine it’s legal, but you can smoke here.
Lastly, there’s this tucked away in the corner:
Lastly, there’s this tucked away in the corner:
The bloody brain-eating babies were a really nice and appropriate touch.
The Jury Room is definitely worth a look if you ever find yourself in Santa Cruz.
The Jury Room is definitely worth a look if you ever find yourself in Santa Cruz.
RSS Feed