The Killer Who Avoided Earthquakes: Herbert Mullin

The Killer Who Avoided Earthquakes: Herbert Mullin: The Serial Murder of Herbert William Mullin October 1972. A man begins to kill, convinced that each death prevents a catastrophic earthquake. For months, thirteen people fall under his hands while he hears voices ordering him to carry out a delusional "mission" based on Einstein and April 18. In this episode, we explore how a brilliant student became a serial killer, what points the psychiatric system failed before each homicide occurred, and how the jury had to decide between documented insanity and tactical rationality. The central contradiction: how can someone kill obeying orders that only he hears and be convicted of premeditation? Victim: Herbert William Mullin and his 13 victims Date: October 1972 - February 1973 Location: Santa Cruz, California Status: Incarcerated; parole request denied in 2006 - Formal diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia in 1969, four years before the first recorded crime. - California's 72-hour law allowed Mullin to be repeatedly released despite voluntary commitments. - He returned to Kathleen Prentice's house after killing the Llaneras family to eliminate a witness; the prosecution used this to argue rational behavior. - He voluntarily confessed to 13 murders but was only formally charged with 10; three remained uncharged despite spontaneous admission. Herbert William Mullin, Santa Cruz earthquake delusion, 1972-1973, paranoid schizophrenia, serial killer, criminal minds, forensic, homicide, justice, investigation, true crime Spanish Tired of ads? Listen to this podcast and 200+ more ad-free on OBOMEDIA. Try it free for 7 days, cancel anytime: https://obomedia.com/en/gratis?ref=desc-6981245 © 2026 Created by an independent creator of the OBOMEDIA Network. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the property of their respective creator, who is solely responsible for them, and are distributed by the OBOMEDIA Network on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without the creator's prior written permission is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.