Clarnell Stage, also known as Clarnell Strandberg, was the mother of the infamous American serial killer Edmund Kemper III. In this blog post, we will explore Clarnell’s life, her turbulent relationship with her son, and the tragic events that unfolded within their family. We will discuss her early life, marriage, and the impact of her actions on her son’s life.
Who is Clarnell Stage (Strandberg)
Clarnell Elizabeth Stage was born on March 17, 1921. She later married Edmund Emil Kemper Jr. and became Clarnell Kemper before marrying again and taking the name Clarnell Strandberg. As the mother of Edmund Kemper III, she played a significant role in shaping the life of her son, who would later become a notorious serial killer.
Early Life and Family Background
Little is known about Clarnell’s early life and family background. It is known that she was married to Edmund Emil Kemper Jr. on November 26, 1942, in Great Falls, Montana. Together, they had three children: Susan, Edmund Emil Kemper III, and Allyn. The family dynamics within the Kemper household, particularly between Clarnell and her son Edmund, were fraught with tension and abuse.
Marriage to Edmund Kemper Sr. and Family Life
Clarnell’s marriage to Edmund Kemper Sr. was a difficult and unhappy one. Described as a “violent alcoholic,” Clarnell was alleged to have borderline personality disorder, although this was never proven. Her husband, Edmund Sr., compared living with her to “suicide missions in wartime and the later atomic bomb testings.” This tumultuous environment likely had a lasting impact on their children, especially young Edmund III.
Divorce and Subsequent Marriage to Strandberg
Clarnell eventually divorced Edmund Kemper Sr., and later married a man with the last name Strandberg, taking his surname. However, the details of her second marriage and the relationship she had with her new husband remain largely unknown.
Dysfunctional Relationship with Her Son, Edmund Kemper
Clarnell Stage had a deeply dysfunctional and abusive relationship with her son Edmund from his early childhood. Described as a violent alcoholic, Clarnell frequently subjected Edmund to belittlement, humiliation, and physical abuse. Out of an irrational fear that Edmund might harm his sisters, she forced him to sleep alone in a locked basement at night. This cruel treatment undoubtedly had a profound psychological impact on the young Edmund.
Despite being his mother, Clarnell showed little affection or nurturing towards Edmund. Instead, her parenting was characterized by cruelty, abuse, and emotional distance. It’s believed that this toxic mother-son dynamic played a significant role in shaping Edmund’s disturbed psyche and later violent behavior. Growing up in such a hostile home environment, without a stable loving parental figure, likely contributed to Edmund’s deep-seated anger and resentment.
Clarnell’s own struggles with mental health, alleged to include borderline personality disorder, may have influenced her abusive conduct towards Edmund. However, her unwell mental state does not excuse the harm and trauma she inflicted on her child. The years of mistreatment Edmund suffered at his mother’s hands undoubtedly left deep psychological scars that haunted him into adulthood. Clarnell’s abuse was a key factor in the making of the monster Edmund would become.
Clarnell’s Emotional Abuse and Its Impact on Edmund Kemper
Clarnell’s abuse of Edmund was not just physical, but emotional and psychological as well. Her constant degradation and humiliation of him as a child eroded his self-worth and stunted his emotional development. By locking him away in the basement every night, Clarnell instilled in Edmund a sense of isolation, fear, and rejection. She treated him like an unwanted animal rather than a son in need of love and care.
This severe emotional abuse warped Edmund’s perception of himself, others, and his place in the world. Feeling unloved, unworthy, and filled with rage, he began acting out in increasingly disturbing ways. As a child, Edmund took out his pent-up anger on animals, killing family pets. This is a common early warning sign among budding psychopaths and serial killers. Clarnell’s abuse was pushing Edmund down a dark path.
Edmund also developed a deep-seated hatred and resentment towards women, likely stemming from his toxic relationship with his mother. He came to view women as cruel, demeaning, and emasculating – just like Clarnell. In Edmund’s twisted mind, shaped by years of maternal abuse, women became a target for his rage and a way to exact revenge on the mother who hurt him. Clarnell’s mistreatment sowed the seeds for his future violence against women.
While not the sole cause, Clarnell’s emotional abuse was instrumental in molding Edmund into the infamous “Co-ed Killer.” Her cruelty and dysfunction as a mother created a monster who would go on to destroy many lives, including her own.
Clarnell’s Death
On April 20, 1973, Edmund Kemper committed the ultimate act of matricide when he brutally murdered his mother Clarnell in her home. The killing was the culmination of a lifetime of abuse, resentment, and rage. That fateful day, Edmund bludgeoned Clarnell to death with a claw hammer, striking her multiple times in the head. He then slit her throat with a penknife, nearly decapitating her.
But the horror didn’t end there. In a disturbing act of post-mortem mutilation, Edmund cut off his mother’s head and subjected her corpse to further degradation. He even removed her larynx and tried to destroy it in the garbage disposal. Edmund’s defilement of his mother’s body showcased the depth of his anger and resentment towards her. Clarnell’s years of abuse had filled him with an all-consuming rage that exploded in this final act of violence.
In killing and dismembering his mother, Edmund sought to silence her voice and destroy the hold she had over him once and for all. It was a twisted attempt to free himself from her cruelty and control. However, murdering Clarnell didn’t provide Edmund with the relief or closure he sought. Instead, it marked the beginning of his downfall. Edmund turned himself in to police shortly after, confessing to his crimes.
Clarnell’s death was the tragic culmination of the years of abuse she inflicted on her son. While her murder cannot be justified, it highlights the devastating consequences of child abuse and the cycle of violence it perpetuates. Edmund’s matricide also reveals the complex psychological dynamics at play in his crimes. Killing Clarnell was not just an act of revenge, but a way for Edmund to assert his power and control after a lifetime of feeling powerless and controlled by her.
In death, Clarnell became both the ultimate victim of her son’s rage and the catalyst for his capture and incarceration. Her murder marked the end of Edmund’s killing spree, but also the end of her own sad, abusive life.
Legacy and Psychological Analysis
Clarnell Stage’s legacy is a dark and complicated one. As the mother of one of America’s most notorious serial killers, her name will forever be linked to tragedy and violence. However, it’s important to remember that Clarnell was not just a victim of her son’s crimes, but also an abuser herself. Her years of cruelty and mistreatment towards Edmund played a significant role in shaping him into the killer he became.
Psychologically, Clarnell’s alleged borderline personality disorder may have contributed to her abusive behavior towards Edmund. Borderline individuals often have unstable relationships, intense emotions, and struggle with appropriate emotional responses.
However, mental illness alone does not account for Clarnell’s abuse. Many people with borderline personality disorder do not abuse their children. Clarnell’s actions were a choice, and she bears responsibility for the harm she caused. Tragically, the abuse Edmund suffered at Clarnell’s hands likely exacerbated his own psychological issues and violent tendencies. In a twisted cycle of abuse, the tormented child became the tormenter.
Conclusion
Clarnell’s story also highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing signs of abuse. If Edmund’s abuse had been identified and stopped early on, his life may have taken a different path. Instead, the violence and dysfunction continued unchecked, with devastating results.
While Clarnell’s death was a tragic end to a troubled life, it’s crucial that we learn from her story. By understanding the complex dynamics of abuse and its long-term impact, we can work to prevent future tragedies and support abuse survivors on their healing journeys.
Clarnell Stage’s life and death serve as a somber reminder of the far-reaching consequences of child abuse and the importance of breaking the cycle of violence. May we honor her memory by working towards a world where every child is safe, loved, and protected.
