Early Life and Troubled Beginnings

Todd Christopher Kohlhepp was born on March 7, 1971, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His early years were marked by instability; his parents divorced when he was two, and his mother remarried shortly thereafter. Kohlhepp reportedly had a strained relationship with his stepfather and expressed a desire to live with his biological father, whom he had not seen in years. From a young age, he exhibited aggressive behavior, including destroying other children's property and harming animals. At nine, he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital due to his inability to interact appropriately with peers and his explosive temperament. 

First Known Crime and Incarceration

At 15, Kohlhepp committed his first known violent crime by kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Tempe, Arizona. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison. During his incarceration, he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and noted to have an above-average IQ. Despite his conviction, he pursued education, earning a degree in computer science. ...Read More