Offender Record · OFF-2026-011
Robert Berdella (photo from the Radford University biography)
Robert Andrew Berdella Jr.
Also known as The Kansas City Butcher, The Collector
Sex
Male
Race
White
Born
1949
Custody
Deceased
States
MO, OH
Distinguishing featuresSevere myopia requiring thick glasses from age 5; history of speech defect (slight lisp); underwent surgery to correct jutting jaw.
Custody
Sentenced to life imprisonment without possibility of parole in August and December 1988; died of heart attack October 8, 1992 at age 43.
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Summary of the record
Robert Andrew Berdella Jr. was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and four counts of second-degree murder in Kansas City, Missouri between 1984 and 1987. He kidnapped, drugged, tortured, and murdered at least six young men in his residence, documenting his crimes in detailed logs and photographs. Berdella was arrested on April 2, 1988 after one victim escaped and pleaded guilty on December 19, 1988, receiving life imprisonment without parole. He died of a heart attack in the Missouri State Penitentiary on October 8, 1992.
Documented Arrests, Charges and Convictions
Dispositions are shown exactly as the cited records report them. Pending charges are updated when a court acts; a record with no remaining conviction or pending charge is removed from the site.
Offense date Jan 1968, Kansas City, Kansas
Selling amphetamines
Kansas City, Kansas (Johnson County) · Arrested Jan 1968 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Five-year suspended sentence
At age 19, Berdella pleaded guilty to selling amphetamines to an undercover police officer. He received a five-year suspended sentence.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Berdella, Robert; Robert Berdella: Kansas City Butcher
Offense date Jul 05, 1984, Kansas City, Missouri
Second-degree murder (Jerry Howell)
Jackson County Circuit Court, Kansas City, Missouri · Jackson County Circuit Court · Arrested Apr 02, 1988 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Concurrent life sentence as part of multiple-murder conviction
On July 5, 1984, Berdella's first known victim was Jerry Howell (age 19 or 20, accounts vary). Berdella promised to drive Howell to a dance contest in Merriam, Kansas. Instead, Berdella drugged Howell with alcohol, diazepam, and acepromazine (animal tranquilizer) and took him to his home. Berdella bound Howell to a bed and subjected him to torture, rape, and sexual assault for approximately 28 hours. Howell died from asphyxiation. Berdella hung the body upside down to drain blood, dismembered it, and disposed of the remains in trash bags left on the curb. Berdella pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on December 19, 1988.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Berdella, Robert; Robert Berdella; Robert Berdella: The Butcher of Kansas City
Offense date Apr 12, 1985, Kansas City, Missouri
First-degree murder (Robert Sheldon)
Jackson County Circuit Court, Kansas City, Missouri · Jackson County Circuit Court · Arrested Apr 02, 1988 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence as part of multiple-murder conviction
On April 10, 1985, Berdella allowed acquaintance Robert Sheldon to stay at his house. On April 12, Berdella drugged Sheldon with sedatives and tranquilizers and bound and gagged him. He tortured Sheldon for several days. On April 15, a workman arrived to do roofing work, so Berdella suffocated Sheldon with a plastic bag to prevent discovery. Berdella placed the body in his bathtub to drain blood, then dismembered and disposed of it. He kept and buried the head in his backyard. Berdella pleaded guilty on December 19, 1988.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Berdella, Robert; Robert Berdella
Offense date Jun 22, 1985, Kansas City, Missouri
Second-degree murder (Mark Wallace)
Jackson County Circuit Court, Kansas City, Missouri · Jackson County Circuit Court · Arrested Apr 02, 1988 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Concurrent life sentence as part of multiple-murder conviction
On June 22, 1985, Berdella found Mark Wallace (age 20) in his tool shed seeking shelter from a violent storm. He invited Wallace inside and drugged him. On June 23, Berdella tortured and sodomized Wallace for several hours until Wallace died from asphyxiation. Berdella disposed of the body in trash bags. Berdella pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on December 19, 1988.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Berdella, Robert; Robert Berdella
Offense date Sep 26, 1985, Kansas City, Missouri
Second-degree murder (James Ferris)
Jackson County Circuit Court, Kansas City, Missouri · Jackson County Circuit Court · Arrested Apr 02, 1988 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Concurrent life sentence as part of multiple-murder conviction
On September 26, 1985, Berdella picked up acquaintance James Ferris (age 20) at a gay bar and took him to his house. On September 27, Berdella drugged, bound, and tortured Ferris until Ferris died from asphyxiation. Berdella disposed of the body in trash bags. Berdella pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on December 19, 1988.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Berdella, Robert; Robert Berdella
Offense date Jun 17, 1986, Kansas City, Missouri
Second-degree murder (Todd Stoops)
Jackson County Circuit Court, Kansas City, Missouri · Jackson County Circuit Court · Arrested Apr 02, 1988 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Concurrent life sentence as part of multiple-murder conviction
On June 17, 1986, Berdella met male prostitute Todd Stoops (age 21), whom he had known for a couple of years, and invited him to his house. Berdella drugged and tortured Stoops for approximately 2 weeks. On July 1, 1986, Stoops died from blood loss due to torture injuries. Berdella disposed of the body in trash bags. Berdella pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on December 19, 1988.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Berdella, Robert; Robert Berdella
Offense date Jun 05, 1987, Kansas City, Missouri
First-degree murder (Larry Pearson)
Jackson County Circuit Court, Kansas City, Missouri · Jackson County Circuit Court · Arrested Apr 02, 1988 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Life imprisonment without possibility of parole, plus 7 years for related assault
On June 5, 1987, Berdella bailed out a friend, Larry Pearson (age 20), from jail and invited him to live with him. Berdella drugged and tortured Pearson in his basement for approximately 6 weeks. On August 5, 1987, Berdella suffocated Pearson with a plastic bag. Berdella dismembered the body, buried the head in his backyard, and disposed of other remains. Berdella pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on August 3, 1988.
SourcesBerdella expected to confess to more murders; Robert Berdella; Robert Berdella
Offense date Mar 29, 1988, Kansas City, Missouri
Sodomy; felonious restraint; first-degree assault
Jackson County Circuit Court, Kansas City, Missouri · Jackson County Circuit Court · Arrested Apr 02, 1988 · Charged (pending) Charged (pending) · Sentence: Pending; charges superseded by guilty pleas to murder
On March 29, 1988, Berdella abducted 22-year-old Christopher Bryson, a male prostitute, offering him a ride. Berdella bound Bryson to a bed in the attic and tortured him for approximately 5 days with sexual assault, beatings, drugging, and chemical burns. Bryson escaped on April 2 by burning through rope restraints and jumping from a second-story window, fleeing to a neighbor's house. He was initially charged with seven counts of sodomy, one count of felonious restraint, and one count of first-degree assault.
SourcesRobert Berdella; Robert Berdella (archived); Robert Berdella
Pattern and Background
Victim counts and the pattern of the offenses as stated by courts, agencies and the cited reporting. Suspected counts are what officials have said publicly, not a finding of this site.
6
Victims convicted
6
Victims confessed
6
Victims suspected
Active years
1984–1987
Victim profile
Men, Sex workers, Acquaintances, Strangers
Stated motive
Sexual, Power or control
Range from home
local
Confessed
Yes
Cooperated with investigators
Yes
Education
some college
Marital history
Never married
Children
0
Died
1992-10-08 · natural
Places Lived, Worked and Frequented
Each place and date range comes from a cited record. Dates marked approximate are as reported. Know a place that is missing? Use Edit record under the photo; a moderator reviews it before it appears.
MO
Kansas City, Missouri
1967 – 1969 · Kansas City Art Institute
Kansas City, Missouri
approx. 1968 – 1980 · Short-order cook and chef at various restaurants and country clubs
Kansas City, Missouri
1969 – 1988 · 4315 Charlotte Street, Hyde Park neighborhood
Kansas City, Missouri
1981 – 1988 · Owner/operator of Bob's Bazaar Bizarre at Westport Flea Market, selling antiques and curios
Kansas City, Missouri
Apr 1988 – Sep 1988 · Jackson County Jail, initially pending trial with bail set then revoked
Kansas City, Missouri
Apr 02, 1988 – Apr 02, 1988 · Arrested at residence at 4315 Charlotte Street
Jefferson City, Missouri
Dec 1988 – Oct 08, 1992 · Missouri State Penitentiary, Maximum Security Facility; also held at Potosi Correctional Center during federal lawsuit 1989-1992
OH
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
approx. 1949 – 1967 · Birthplace and childhood residence
Photographs by Year
Photo from en.wikipedia.org
Robert Berdella (photo from the Radford University biography)
Photo from vocal.media
Timeline
Jan 31, 1949
Robert Andrew Berdella Jr. born in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
Jan 1968
At age 19, Berdella arrested and pleaded guilty to selling amphetamines to undercover agent; received 5-year suspended sentence.
Feb 1968
Arrested for possession of LSD and marijuana in Johnson County, Kansas; spent 5 days in jail; charges dropped for lack of evidence.
Sep 1969
Purchased house at 4315 Charlotte Street in Kansas City, Missouri, which became location of all known crimes.
Jul 05, 1984
Murdered first known victim, Jerry Howell, age 19-20, by drugging, torture, and asphyxiation in his residence.
Apr 12, 1985
Murdered Robert Sheldon, age 18, through drugging, torture, and suffocation; head buried in backyard.
Jun 23, 1985
Murdered Mark Wallace, age 20, through drugging and asphyxiation.
Sep 27, 1985
Murdered James Ferris, age 20, through drugging, torture, and asphyxiation.
Jul 01, 1986
Murdered Todd Stoops, age 21, through torture and blood loss from injuries.
Aug 05, 1987
Murdered Larry Pearson, age 20, through suffocation with plastic bag; head buried in backyard.
Mar 29, 1988
Abducted Christopher Bryson, age 22, and subjected him to torture and sexual assault over 5 days.
Apr 02, 1988
Christopher Bryson escaped from second-story window and fled to neighbor's house; Berdella arrested at residence.
Apr 04, 1988
Berdella arraigned on seven counts of sodomy, one count of felonious restraint, and one count of first-degree assault.
Apr 05, 1988
Bail revoked after officers testified that photographs showed evidence of dead bodies; Berdella remained in custody.
Jul 02, 1988
Grand jury indicts Berdella for first-degree murder of Larry Pearson.
Aug 03, 1988
Berdella pleads guilty to first-degree murder of Larry Pearson to avoid death penalty; sentenced to life without parole plus 7 years.
Sep 02, 1988
Grand jury indicts Berdella for first-degree murder of Robert Sheldon.
Sep 13, 1988
Berdella enters plea bargain agreement for life in prison in exchange for full confession of crimes.
Dec 15, 1988
Berdella confesses in vivid detail to investigators describing all crimes.
Dec 19, 1988
Berdella pleads guilty to 1 count of first-degree murder (Robert Sheldon) and 4 counts of second-degree murder; sentenced to consecutive life imprisonment without parole.
Oct 08, 1992
Berdella dies of heart attack at Missouri State Penitentiary, age 43, having served approximately 4 years of life sentence.
Sources
Solve the Case is never the original source. Each item below is the public record a statement on this page rests on, with an archived copy where one exists.
News report · Vocal Media ·
Robert Berdella: Kansas City Butcher“Later, he would plead guilty to first-degree murder, and four charges of second-degree murder.”
News report · Wikipedia ·
Robert Berdella“Berdella pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the first-degree murder of one of his victims, Larry Pearson, in August 1988; he would later plead guilty to one further charge of first-degree murder and four charges of second-degree murder in December 1988.”
News report · Murderpedia ·
Robert Berdella“On April 4, 1988, Robert Berdella was arraigned on seven counts of sodomy, one count of felonious restraint, and one count of first degree assault.”
News report · Grokipedia ·
Robert Berdella“On December 19, 1988, he entered guilty pleas to one count of first-degree murder and four counts of second-degree murder.”
News report · Serial Killer Trading Cards ·
Robert Berdella“Pleaded guilty August 3, 1988 (Pearson, life without parole) and December 19, 1988 (five more). Died of a heart attack October 8, 1992, while held at the Missouri State Penitentiary.”
News report · Medium ·
Robert Berdella: The Butcher of Kansas City“In 1968, he was busted for selling methamphetamine to an undercover agent. He pled guilty and received a fine and a five-year suspended sentence.”
News report · Robert Keller Author ·
Serial Killers: Robert Berdella“Robert Berdella was sentenced to life in prison and died there of natural causes on October 8, 1992.”
Other · Radford University, Department of Psychology ·
Radford University serial killer biography: Berdella, Robert“Arrested, and plead guilty, for selling amphetamines to an undercover agent. He received a five year suspended sentence.”
Court record · U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ·
Robert A. Berdella v. Paul K. Delo, et al., 972 F.2d 204 (8th Cir. 1992)“Berdella is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole or probation.”
News report · UPI ·
Berdella expected to confess to more murders“Robert Berdella, who kept the heads of some victims and had pictures of them being tortured, was scheduled to appear for morning hearing at Jackson County Circuit Court.”
Discussion
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