Murders: All in the Family

In 2017, 28% of homicide victims were killed by someone they knew other than family members, 12.3% were slain by family members, and 9.7%t were killed by strangers. The relationship between murder victims and offenders was unknown in 50% of murder cases. The following cases are among those falling into the 12% category.

Odessa Carey Carries Mom’s Decapitated Head to Neighbor’s House

Odessa Carey killed her mother, also named Odessa Carey, in April 2019. A human head was discovered wrapped in a pillowcase and a towel in a plastic bag in the cupboard under the sink at the house in Northumberland.

Ms. Carey was declared unfit to stand trial.

The court heard Ms Carey had visited a family friend at an allotment the day before, with blood on her, and carrying a human head in her bag. It was also revealed that she removed the head from the bag and kissed it.

Kenny Wayne McBride

On Feb. 16, 2020, 45-year-old Michigan man Kenny Wayne McBride beat his 79-year-old step-grandmother to death with a ceramic piggy bank and metal child safety fate before beheading her after the two got into a heated argument.

McBride and Cecila Gibson shared a home together when he hit the woman in the head at least 19 times, killing her, according to an autopsy report. Once she was deceased, McBride mutilated the corpse by carving her head off using three different knives.

He then carried her head through the house, exited through the back door, and tossed her head into the lawn.

McBride initially testified that someone he owed money broke into the home and killed his Gibson but refused to name that person.

McBride cursed obscenities at the judge as he was led into the courtroom, asking him, “Did you think I was just going to go peacefully?”

13-Year-Old Teen Kills Mom

A 13-year-old Georgia boy is accused of killing his 39-year-old Vet mom, then calling police to report the murder. The incident occurred in early August 2021.

Police found Dominique Bowers deceased when they arrived at the home in Warners Robin. The motive for the murder is still unclear.

The teen has not been named in the incident. He was arrested at the scene, charged with murder and aggravated assault.

Edmund Kemper

Serial killer Edmund Kemper killed his grandmother, grandfather, and mother -as well as at least 10 other women- in California during the 1970s. He was a necrophiliac who tried out for the police force but due to his large size, was denied. Kemper stands 6’9” tall and has an IQ of 145.

He often hung out at a local bar with police officers who never suspected that he was a deranged serial killer.

At age 15, Kemper killed his grandmother while living with his grandparents. When he heard his grandfather pull up to the house, he met him outside and killed him, too, he says to spare him the sight of seeing his dead wife.

Several years later, he killed his mother and decapitated her head from her body. Kemper later put her head on a stick and threw darts at it. He also found making jokes about decapitating her head to be hilarious.

Kemper pleaded guilty to the murders and was sentenced to life in prison where he remains today. Although Kemper has gone before the parole board several times, he says that he prefers to be behind bars. Kemper will die in prison.