“Good wombs hath borne bad sons.” - William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act 1, Scene 2, Page 6
Remembering and acknowledging the mothers of some of history’s most notorious serial killers and mass murderers. No one can truly know how they would react to their own flesh and blood committing acts of true horror unless it actually happens to them. Let us hope it never happens to you. But to these women it did. Their own sons went out and committed acts of unspeakable cruelty and malice. In some cases they defended their own son’s guilt in the face of irrefutable evidence out of the blindness of love, others have been brave enough to learn from their son’s acts and speak out, others have understandably hidden from the public eye, and most tragic of all - some of these women were the victims of their own sons.
Clockwise, starting from the top left.
Sue Klebold, mother of Columbine High School shooter Dylan Klebold - On April 20th 1999 Sue Klebold’s son Dylan called out ‘Bye!’ to her before leaving the house unusually early. This was the last word she would ever here from him as later that day he murdered five people during the Columbine High School massacre. Sue is perhaps the most well known of these women, speaking publicly several times about her son and writing a book ‘A Mother’s Reckoning’ about her son and her experience as well as campaigning tirelessly for greater recognition on mental health issues.
Eleanor Louise Bundy, mother of Ted Bundy - Eleanor Louise Bundy gave birth to Ted unmarried. His true father is unknown and for many years during Ted’s childhood he lived under the masquerade that his mother was actually his sister. Eleanor long proclaimed her son’s innocence even during his Florida trials, describing Ted as the ‘perfect son’. Bundy murdered at least 35 women and was executed in Florida in 1989. Eleanor Louise Bundy died in 2012.
Joyce Dahmer, mother of Milwaukee Cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer - During much of Jeffrey’s childhood his mother Joyce and father Lionel were embroiled in bitter arguments contributing to Jeffrey’s descent into alcoholism. Joyce Dahmer stayed in contact with her son Jeffrey during his incarceration, stating that in her weekly phone calls whenever she conveyed worry for her son Jeffrey would answer with comments to the effect of: “It doesn’t matter, Mom. I don’t care if something happens to me.” Joyce Dahmer died in 2000, six years after her son was murdered in prison.
Kathy Harris, mother of Columbine High School Shooter Eric Harris - Kathy Harris has, unlike Sue Klebold, made no media appearances since her son’s murder of eight people during the Columbine High School massacre and his subsequent suicide. Sue Klebold has stated that she had been in contact with the Harris’ since the massacre but would not want to speak on Kathy or Eric’s father Wayne’s behalf. One can only imagine what a heartbreaking experience Kathy has had.
Peggy Brady, mother of Moors Murderer Ian Brady - Described as ‘Britain’s most evil serial killer’ Brady was responsible for the murder of at least five children alongside his accomplice Myra Hindley. Ian was born to his unmarried mother Peggy in Glasgow, Scotland in 1938. The identity of Ian’s father remains unverified and he was given up for adoption to a local couple a few months after his birth as Peggy was unable to raise him alone. The mother and son remained in contact however, Brady even being permitted to leave prison in 2013 to visit his mother aged in her 90′s. Ian Brady died earlier this year aged 79.
Kitty Menendez, mother of Erik and Lyle Menendez - Mary Louise Menendez worked as a teacher until she quit after the birth of her son Lyle. She attended the University of Southern Illinois where she met Cuban emigre José Menendez. The couple married and had two sons: Erik and Lyle Menendez before moving to California. Kitty and her husband José were murdered by their own sons. Kitty was shot in the leg and several times in the arm, chest and face leaving her unrecognisable.
Nancy Lanza, mother of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter Adam Lanza - Nancy Lanza was married to Adam’s father Peter until their divorce in 2009. Nancy suffered from health problems, having to visit New York for treatment for her MS. Nancy loved art, music and going to baseball games being an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox. On the morning of December 14th 2012 Nancy was asleep in her bed in her pajamas when her son Adam shot her in the face with a shotgun before driving to Sandy Hook Elementary School and killing 20 children and 6 more adults before committing suicide.
Clarnell Stage, mother of Co-Ed Killer Edmund Kemper - Edmund was Clarnell’s only son. Clarnell separated from her husband (and Edmund’s father) in 1957 wherein Edmund was moved to Montana to live with his mother permanently. Clarnell exhibited abusive behaviour to her son, forcing him to sleep in a locked basement, calling him “a real weirdo” to his face and refusing to coddle him because “it would turn him gay”. After a span of killings that took the lives of 9 others, Edmund bludgeoned his mother Clarnell to death in her sleep and cut her throat with a knife on April 20th, 1973. He then turned himself in to the police.
Arlene Holmes, mother of Aurora Theatre Shooter James Holmes - Arlene has spoken publicly since her son’s massacre in 2012. She is currently working to increase awareness of mental health issues stating: “The way that I want to honour [the victims’] injuries and their distress is to try and help prevent something this bad from happening again.” She has urged more importantly than anything else that those suffering from mental illness seek help immediately.
Zubeidat Tsarneva, mother of Boston Bombers Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev - Zubeidat has long protested her son’s innocence. She has remained unwavering in her support for him and stated in 2013 that America were “the real terrorists”.
Li-Chin Rodger, mother of Santa Barbara gunman Elliot Rodger - Li-Chin is a Malaysian Chinese emigre who met her husband Peter Rodger whilst working as a research assistant for a film company. They had two children: Elliot and Georgia. Li-Chin and her husband divorced in 1998 less than two years after they had moved to Los Angeles from England. Li-Chin saw her son’s youtube videos wherein he complained about the unfairness of females not noticing him. Because of their content the police were alerted, they interrogated Elliot but made no arrest or further investigation. Elliot murdered 6 people and injured 14 others before committing suicide.
Augusta Wilhelmine Gein, mother of Ed Gein - Augusta married George Phillip Gein but came to resent him later in life due to his alcoholism and inability to hold down a steady job. Augusta was a zealous Lutheran Christian, preaching to her son Ed frequently about hell and immorality whilst they lived together in complete isolation on a 155 acre farm they owned in Wisconsin. She would often choose the most graphic old testament verses of the Bible to read to young Ed. After Augusta had a stroke after her husband’s death she required constant care from Ed. She became enraged when Ed took her to visit a nearby farmer to buy straw and witnessed him living with a woman to whom he was not married. Augusta died of a second stroke on December 29th 1945 causing Ed Gein irrevocable devastation - he had lost his one friend and love in the entire world.
Marion Elaine Robinson, mother of John Wayne Gacy - Gacy was abused by his alcoholic father and sexually abused by other members of his family during his youth. He also suffered from a heart condition which Gacy’s father denied existed. Gacy however had a good relationship with his mother. She never doubted his illness and was sure to get him the help he needed. Additionally when he stole at a young age his mother publicly forced him to apologise and return the items. However this led to him gaining the reputation of being a ‘mama’s boy’ and a ‘sissy’. Marion remained in contact with her son even after his incarceration. She died in 1989, five years before her son’s execution in 1994.
Mercedes Ramirez, mother of Night Stalker Richard Ramirez - Mercedes Ramirez had five children with her husband Julian Ramirez. She was a Catholic Christian and raised Richard in the same faith. She and her husband emigrated to El Paso, Texas in the United States from Mexico. She worked in a factory wherein she was exposed to chemicals without a face mask during her pregnancies. Her carrying and birth of Richard was difficult but he was born a seemingly healthy baby boy. Mercedes was devastated by her son’s crimes, travelling to California to speak in court.
Well there you go, I wrote all this and made the image so don’t delete my caption or use it uncredited. We should all take a moment to remember how the atrocities committed by murderers destroy the lives of not only their victims but also all those around them.
