TRUE CRIME | MURDER | KILLER COP | TORTURE

KILLER COP: The Early Life and Career

Gerard John Schaefer Jr.

Rachel Rivers
3 min readMay 17, 2023
Sheriff badge and gun
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Hey there, fellow murderinos! It’s your BFF Rachel Rivers, back with another twisted tale of murder and mayhem. Buckle up, because we’re going deep into the dark side of humanity. And you know what they say: the only thing scarier than real life is… well, nothing, really. Let’s get into it!

It’s not often that we hear about a “killer cop,” but that’s exactly what Gerard John Schaefer Jr. became.

How does someone go from a promising law enforcement career to committing horrific murders?

Schaefer’s childhood was far from idyllic. He was born in 1946 in Wisconsin, and from a young age, he exhibited disturbing behaviour. He reportedly had a fascination with violence and would often torment animals. It’s easy to see why his classmates nicknamed him “The Weirdo.”

As Schaefer grew up, his behaviour only became more erratic. He dropped out of college and bounced around from job to job, never really finding his place in the world. In 1972, he joined the Martin County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, and it seemed like he had finally found his calling.

But as we know, things quickly went off the rails.

Schaefer’s personality seemed to change once he became a cop. He became increasingly controlling and abusive, especially toward women. Some of his fellow officers even reported that he would use his position of power to coerce sexual favours from women.

It wasn’t long before Schaefer’s violent tendencies spilled over into his personal life.

He was arrested in 1973 for assaulting two young women, and it quickly became clear that he was involved in much more than just a simple assault. He had been abducting, torturing, and murdering young women for years.

Woman in dark concrete room sat on the floor.
Image licensed by Canva

So how did someone like Schaefer slip through the cracks and end up with a badge and a gun?

There were certainly warning signs along the way. His colleagues noted that he was quick to anger and had a violent temper. He was also known for making inappropriate comments and using racial slurs.

But it seems that these warning signs were ignored or dismissed. Schaefer was seen as a promising young officer, and his superiors were eager to give him chances to succeed. They overlooked his flaws and turned a blind eye to his disturbing behaviour.

Of course, Schaefer himself is ultimately responsible for his crimes. But it’s worth examining how the system failed to catch him before he could do so much harm.

How many other “killer cops” are out there, hiding in plain sight?

Well, murderinos, that’s all for now. Thanks for joining me on this wild ride through the world of true crime. Remember, stay safe out there, and don’t forget to lock your doors tonight. Until next time, this is Rachel Rivers signing off. Stay curious, stay creepy, and stay tuned for more twisted tales.

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Rachel Rivers

Your true crime BFF. Lover of cups of tea, podcasts, and serial killers (in a totally non-creepy way).