Robert Berdella
The Butcher of Kansas City, Missouri
Information researched and summarized by
Ryan Fisher, Ashley Aust, Danielle Bisset, Timothy Jamba, John Jones, Audrey King, Jennifer Kowalski, Elizabeth Krell, and Jaclyn Layton
Department of Psychology
Radford University
Radford, VA 24142-6946
Date
Age
Life Event
Jan 31 1949
0
Robert Berdella was born in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
May 1956
7
Brother, Daniel, was born
1961
12
Berdella was baptized as a Catholic
Dec 1965
16
Father dies of a sudden heart attack at age 39. Mother remarries soon after. Berdella resented it.
1965
Raped by a man he worked with in an Ohio restaurant.
Stopped attending church services
Watched the movie “The Collector” which was about a man who kidnapped a woman and kept her captive. He would later admit that this movie left a lasting impression on him.
Aug 1967
18
Enrolled in the Kansas City Art Institute.
1967
Began to abuse and sell drugs and alcohol.
Jan 1968
19
Arrested, and plead guilty, for selling amphetamines to an undercover agent. He received a five year suspended sentence.
Feb 1968
Arrested for possession of LSD and marijuana. After spending 5 days in jail the charges were dropped for lack of evidence.
1968
Began to work as a short-order cook.
Sep 1969
20
Bought a house where he would live until his arrest
Dec 1969
Dropped out of art school
1970’s
20-30
Became more accomplished as a chef and worked for many well-known restaurants and country clubs. Joined local chefs association where he helped set up training classes for aspiring chefs.
Helped organize local crime prevention and neighborhood watch association
Began renting space at the local flee-market where he sold oddities, antiques, and artifacts.
Became open about his homosexuality
1981
32
Quit work as a cook and begin to work full time at his shop, which he named “Bob’s Bazaar Bizarre”.
1982
33
Became seriously emotionally involved with an unstable Vietnam veteran, however, the relationship did not last long.
Began picking up young male prostitutes. He would become a friend with many of them, often allowing them to live with him in exchange for helping with housework. He tried to get many of them to quit prostituting and get their lives in order.
1984
35
Began hanging out with 19-year-old Jerry Howell, one of the young prostitutes.
July 5
Drugged Howell with animal tranquilizers. Bound and gagged him to a bed and sodomized him repeatedly. During this time, and subsequent crimes he took numerous pictures and kept a detailed log.
July 6
Howell died from asphyxiation. Berdella hung Howell upside down in his basement and cut slits in the body in order to drain the blood. He then dismembered the body, put the pieces in trash bags, and left them on his curb. Garbagemen then unwittingly took the trash to the dump never to be found again.
Apr 10 1985
36
Allowed an acquaintance, Robert Sheldon to stay at his house for a couple of days. Injected him with drugs with the intention of “keeping him” like he did to Howell.
Apr 11
Decided not to “keep” Sheldon and took him to the doctor because Sheldon was complaining of soreness from the drugs.
Apr 12
Sheldon got drunk and Berdella again decided to “keep” him. He then drugged him with sedatives and tranquilizers and then bound and gagged him as he had done with Howell. He then sodomized and tortured him repeatedly for days.
Apr. 15
A workman arrived to do some roofing work for Berdella. Berdella then suffocated Sheldon with a plastic bag so that the workman would not hear him. He then placed the body in his bathtub and made incisions to allow the blood to drain. He then dismembered and disposed of the body as he had done with Howell, except this time he kept the head and buried it in his backyard.
1985
Met Mark Wallace after he had help with some yard work for him.
June 22
Berdella found Wallace in his tool shed seeking shelter from a violent storm. He invited Wallace inside and drugged him.
June 23
Berdella tortured and sodomized Wallace for several hours until he died from asphyxiation. Berdella then disposed of the body as he had done before.
Sept 26
Picked up an acquaintance, James Ferris, at a gay bar and took him back to his house.
Sept 27
He then drugged, bound, and tortured Ferris as he had with the others until he died from asphyxiation. He disposed of the body as he had before.
June 17 1986
37
Met a male prostitute he had known for a couple years named Todd Stoops and invited him back to his house. He then drugged and tortured him for weeks.
July 7
Stoops died from blood loss as a result of the torture. Berdella disposed of the body as had the others.
June 5 1987
38
Bailed a friend, Larry Pearson, out of jail and invited him to live with him.
June 23
Drugged and tortured Pearson in his basement for 6 weeks.
Aug 5
Berdella went to the hospital after Pearson had bit his penis. Berdella was told that he would have to stay in the hospital for a couple days. Before his stay, he went home and suffocated Pearson with a plastic bag.
Aug 7
Returned home from the hospital and disposed of Pearson’s body. He kept his head and buried it in the backyard. He also removed Sheldon’s previously buried skull and put it on display in his house.
Mar 29 1988
39
Picked up a 22 year-old male prostitute, Chris Bryson, and took him back to his house. He drugged and tortured him as he had done with the others for 5 days.
Apr 2
While Berdella was at work, Bryson freed himself by burning through the ropes that bound him, and jumping out of the second story window. Bryson then ran to a neighbor’s house wearing nothing but a dog collar around his neck. Police began to care for Bryson and listen to his story of repeated torture when Berdella arrived home.
Apr 2-4
Police searched Berdella’s house and found his torture logs and pictures. Berdella was arraigned on seven counts of sodomy, one count of felonious restraint and one count of first degree assault. Initally, bail was set at $500,000.
Apr 5-Sep 13
Bail was revoked when an officer testified that one of the men in the photographs from Berdella’s house appeared to be dead. Berdella remained in jail while police found more evidence of his crimes; this included digging up his backyard where they found Pearson’s partially decade skull.
July 22
Grand jury indicts Berdella for the murder of Larry Pearson
Aug 3
In order to avoid the death penalty Berdella pleads guilty to Pearson’s murder.
Sep 2
Grand jury indicts Berdella for the murder of Robert Sheldon
Sep 13
Berdella plea-bargains to life in prison in exchange for a full confession of his crimes.
Dec 13-15
Berdella confesses to investigators to his crimes in vivid detail.
Dec 19
Berdella pled guilty to 1st degree murder in the death of victim Robert Sheldon and to 4 counts of 2nd degree murder involving additional male victims. Berdella confesses in court and is sent to the state penitentiary in Jefferson City, Missouri for the rest of his life. He also announces that he has set up a trust fund in the amount of $50,000 for the families of his victims.
Jan. 1989
40
Gives an interview with a local television channel in which he blames police and media for distorting him and his crimes.
Jan. 1992
42
Todd Stoops’ mother wins wrongful death civil suit against Berdella, and is awarded a record $5 billion. Because Berdella can’t pay this amount, Stoops’ mother would have a claim on any future earnings Berdella might make.
Oct. 8 1992
43
Berdella dies in prison from a heart attack.
General Information
Sex
Male
Race
White
Number of victims
6 killed, 1 escaped
Country where killing occurred
United States
States where killing occurred
Kansas City, Missouri
Childhood Information
Date of birth
January 31, 1949
Location
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Birth order
1st of 2
Number of siblings
1
XYY?
Unknown
Raised by
Both parents
Birth category
Oldest
Parent’s marital status
Married
Family event
Death of Father (Heart Attack)
Age of family event
16
Problems in school?
Yes, teachers felt that he was hard to teach, though he earned excellent grades
Teased while in school?
Yes
Physically attractive?
No
Physical defect?
Severe nearsidedness, forced to wear thick glasses sense age 5. Also spoke of having surgery to improve his jutting jaw
Speech defect?
Yes, he had a slight lisp
Head injury?
None
Physically abused?
Yes, father would beat him with a leather strap
Psychologically abused?
Yes, it also appears that his father liked his younger brother more than him.
Sexually abused?
Not by parents, but claims to have been victim of homosexual rape at age 16 by a co-worker.
Father’s occupation
Dye setter for the Ford Motor Company
Age of first sexual experience
Raped at 16
Age when first had intercourse
No record found, however he was rarely sexually active until after age 30.
Mother’s occupation
Homemaker
Father abused drugs/alcohol
No
Mother abused drugs/alcohol
No
Cognitive Ability
Highest grade in school
Junior year of Art School in Kansas City
Highest degree
High school diploma
Grades in school
Excellent
IQ
Unknown
Work History
Served in the military?
No
Branch
N/A
Type of discharge
N/A
Saw combat duty
N/A
Killed enemy during service?
N/A
Applied for job as a cop?
No
Worked in law enforcement?
No, but did help organize, and chair, his neighborhood crime prevention association
Fired from jobs?
No record
Types of jobs worked
Cook, shopkeeper
Employment status during series
Self employed, owned an antiques and artifacts shop called, “Bob’s Bazaar Bizarre”
Relationships
Sexual preference
Homosexual
Marital status
Single
Number of children
0
Lives with his children
N/A
Living with
Mostly by himself, though occasionally he would take on roommates for brief periods of time.
Triad
Animal torture
Yes, killed a chicken and a duck while in Art School. Also tested various drugs on a stray dog prior to killings
Fire setting
No record
Bed wetting
No record
Killer Psychological Information
Abused drugs?
Yes
Abused alcohol?
Yes
Been to a psychologist?
No
Time in forensic hospital?
No
Diagnosis
N/A
Killer Criminal History
Committed previous crimes?
Yes, arrested at age 19 for selling amphetamines to undercover agents. Also arrested one month later for possession of marijuana and LSD, but charges were dropped
Spend time in jail?
5 days for the second drug charge
Spend time in prison?
No
Killed prior to series? Age?
No
Serial Killing
Number of victims
6 killed, 1 escaped
Victim type
Male prostitutes and drug abusers
Killer age at start of series
35
Gender of victims
Male
Race of victims
White
Age of victims
20-30
Method of killing
Asphyxiation and drug overdoses
Type of serial killer
Disorganized thrill
How close did killer live?
Generally would pick up victim in his car and entice them into his home with drugs.
Killing occurred in home of victim?
No
Killing occurred in home of killer?
Yes
Weapon
Generally, used drugs to knock the victim unconscious
Behavior During Crimes
Rape?
Yes, repeatedly and with various methods
Tortured victims?
Yes, repeatedly and with various methods
Stalked victims?
No
Overkill?
No
Quick & efficient?
No
Used blindfold?
Yes, sometimes
Bound the victims?
Yes
After Death Behavior
Sex with the body?
No
Mutilated body?
Yes
Ate part of the body?
No
Drank victim’s blood?
No
Posed the body?
Yes
Took totem – body part
Yes, kept two of the victim’s skulls.
Took totem – personal item
Yes, kept wallets and identification
Robbed victim or location
Yes
Disposal of Body
Left at scene, no attempt to hide
Not usually, however he did put one skull on display in his house after it was buried for years.
Left at scene, hidden
No
Left at scene, buried
Not usually, however he did bury two skulls in his backyard.
Moved, no attempt to hide
No
Moved, buried
No
Cut-op and disposed of
Yes, left for garbageman to unwittingly take away
Moved, too home
N/A
Sentencing
Date killer arrested
April 2, 1988
Date convicted
Plead guilty on December 19, 1988
Sentence
2 life sentences, no parole. 4 life sentences, with parole.
Killer executed?
No
Name and state of prison
Jefferson City, Missouri. Maximum Security Facility
Killer committed suicide?
No
Killer killed in prison?
No, Died of a heart attack in 1992, though there is speculation that he was poisoned.
Date of death
1992
References
Ellroy, J. (2004). The story of Bob Berdella. Retrieved November 10, 2004 from
http://www.corticrawl.com/bazzar/
Geberth, V. (1995). Homosexual serial murder investigation. Retrieved November 8, 2004, from
www.serve.com/PHIHOM/articles/homoserial.htm
Gravino, P. (January 8, 1992). Jury Awards $5 Billion to Family of Murder Victim. Associated Press.
Retrieved November 14, 2004, from Factiva database.
Horst, C. (December 19, 1988). Sex Killer Pleads Guilty in Five Deaths. Associated Press. Retrieved
November 16, 2004, from LexisNexis database.
Hughes, T. (April 6, 1988). Police flooded with calls in sex torture case. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved
November 16, 2004, from Factiva database.
Hughes, T. (April 10, 1988). Tale of torture focuses on neighborhood leader. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Retrieved November 16, 2004, from Factiva database.
Jackman, T., Cole, T.
(1992). Rites of burial. New York, NY: Windsor Publishing Corp.
Ramsland, K. (n.d.). Robert Berdella: An interactive story. Retrieved
November 12, 2004, from
http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/bob_berdella/index.html?
Selsky, A. (1988). Neighborhood Leader's Home Had Torture Devices, Severed Head. Associated Press.
Retrieved November 16, 2004, from Factiva database.
Serial Killer Central. (2003). Retrieved November 3, 2004, from http://www.skcentral.com/berdella.html.
Sheils, J. (August 4, 1988). Berdella sentenced to life in prison without parole. Associated Press. Retrieved
November 16, 2004, from LexisNexis database.
Website, Robert Berdella. Retrieved November 3, 2004, from
http://www.geocities.com/quietlyinsane5/robert.html.
Website, Robert Berdella. Retrieved November 6, 2004, from
www.geocities.com/serialkillers101/berdella.html
Website, Robert Berdella. Retrieved November 11, 2004, from
http://www.francesfarmersrevenge.com/stuff/serialkillers/berdella.htm