Murderville, USA

Definitions

There always seems to be some confusion regarding the different classifications of killers. Just recently in our hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada there was a case of three homeless persons who had been murdered over a short period of time. Two of the murders occurred on the same night. The third murder was a separate event. The question that many are asking is whether or not the accused is a serial killer. By the FBI’s previous definition, he is not. By their current definition he is. In this book, we are dealing with one mass murderer and two serial killers.

Mass Murderer: a mass murderer is an individual who kills a number of people at the same time or in a relatively short period of time. The mass murder usually takes place in a single location. The FBI breaks it down further by saying that a mass murderer is an individual who kills four or more people in a single event with no “cooling off period.” The first chapter is on John Linley Frazier who is a prime example of a mass murderer.

Serial Killer: a serial killer is an individual who kills three or more people with a significant “cooling off period” between each murder. The FBI has very recently altered their definition of a serial killer to include those that have killed two or more with a significant “cooling off period” between each murder. Both Ed Kemper and Herbert Mullin are classic examples of a serial killer.

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is located on the northern edge of Monterey Bay. It’s just a 32 mile drive north to San Jose and about 75 miles to the Bay Area cities of San Francisco and Oakland. Los Angeles is about 300 miles to the south. Santa Cruz is home to about 65,000 people. Approximately 8,000 of those people are employed by the University of California at Santa Cruz which makes it the city’s top employer.
Santa Cruz in 2016 has one of the highest property crime rates in the state of California. Violent crimes are also on the rise and the city frequently leads the state in that category. The problems do not end there. Santa Cruz also has one of the highest homeless rates in the United States. In 2011 it was estimated that there were more than 9,000 people in the city without a place to call home.
Santa Cruz of the 1960’s was a vastly different place. The hippie movement was still going strong. Peace and love still ruled the day. Many people didn’t feel the need to lock their doors. Surfer Magazine nicknamed Santa Cruz “Surf City” pointing to the beaches and waves that were perfect for the sport.

It all seemed to start changing in 1969. It was in August of that year that a group of hippies led by Charles Manson committed some of the most notorious murders in California history. During the early morning hours of August 9, Manson’s “Family”, acting on his orders, stormed into the home on 10050 Cielo Drive in the Hollywood Hills. The house belonged to director Roman Polanski and his wife actress Sharon Tate who was 8 ½ months pregnant. Polanski was away in Europe but Sharon was home entertaining friends. Abigail Folger (coffee heiress) was there with her lover Wojciech (Voytek) Frykowski. Jay Sebring, known as “hairstylist to the stars” was also present. Steven Parent was there to visit the caretaker of the house. All were murdered in brutal fashion. Steven Parent was shot and stabbed four times. Jay Sebring was shot and stabbed five times. Abigail Folger was shot and stabbed 28 times. Frykowski was stabbed 51 times before dying on the front lawn. Sharon Tate, who had pleaded for the life of her unborn baby, was stabbed 16 times. PIG was written in Sharon’s blood on the front door. The murders were discovered the next morning by the maid. Manson was not done. On the night of August 10, he accompanied his minions to the home of Rosemary and Leno LaBianca on Waverly Drive. He proceeded to tie up the couple and then sent in his followers to do the dirty work. Manson told them to make it “witchy.” They did not disappoint their leader. Leno had been stabbed 12 times. The word WAR had been carved into his stomach with a fork which was still protruding from his abdomen when the bodies were discovered. A knife was lodged in his throat. Rosemary had been stabbed multiple times in the chest and neck. The words DEATH TO PIGS and RISE were written in blood on the walls.

Sharon Tate

Charles Manson

The city of Los Angeles went into panic mode. Many celebrities were worried that they might be next. Sales of guns set record numbers. Manson and his followers were eventually caught, brought to trial and convicted but something had changed. Some called it the end of the innocence. The murders seemed to usher in a new era – the era of the serial killer. Still, the inhabitants of Santa Cruz felt safe. Many considered the Manson murders to be a big city crime that was all about the Hollywood lifestyle and that couldn’t possibly threaten Santa Cruz. They couldn’t have been more wrong. What follows are the stories of one mass murderer and two serial killers who helped the city of Santa Cruz earn the moniker of Murderville, USA.

Here is the first review of Murderville, USA

5.0 out of 5 stars

Short but interesting

By B. Mckee on May 23, 2016

Format: Kindle Edition

Murderville USA covers three killers in the Santa Cruz, California, area. The first is mass murderer John Linley Frazier who murdered four members of the Out a family as well as a secretary associated with the family. The second is serial killer Edmund Kemper who, at age 15, murdered his grandparents and then went on to murder six female hitchhikers, then his mother and her friend. The third is serial killer Herbert Mullin who murdered 13 people in an effort to avert a devastating earthquake.

Murderville, USA can be seen at...

US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FPRBH3G
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01FPRBH3G
Canada - https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01FPRBH3G
Australia - https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01FPRBH3G