Bob Berdella, the Kansas City Butcher, might have been viewed as an odd man by neighbors, but no one ever suspected that he was responsible for raping, torturing, and murdering seven men in 1980s Kansas City. HuffPost writes of how Berdella was a trusted figure who started a neighborhood watch program but mostly kept to himself. On the day before Easter in 1988, neighbors called the police after a naked man (wearing only a dog collar) leaped from Berdella’s second-story bedroom window and ran screaming for someone to help him.
During an interview with police, the man told of how Berdella had lured him back to his home several days prior and had kept him tied to a bed. Over the course of several days, the man was brutally raped and tortured by Berdella before he was finally able to make a daring daylight escape. Acting with the authority of a warrant, investigators performed a thorough search of Berdella’s home. There they discovered human bones, a basement torture chamber, and a logbook that chronicled all of the chilling details of how Berdella had tortured, raped, and killed six men in his home. According to Medium, police excavated Berdella’s yard and discovered the remains of multiple men.
In an effort to escape the death penalty, Berdella agreed to a plea bargain that spared his life. He died of a heart attack behind bars in 1992.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
