The Killer Hippie: How a Mind Unraveled in 1970s California

The 1970s in California are often remembered as a dark chapter in American true crime. While names like the Zodiac Killer and Charles Manson dominate the narrative, a simultaneous and equally terrifying spree was unfolding in the quiet community of Santa Cruz. This is the story of Herbert Mullin, a man whose severe, untreated mental illness culminated in a series of brutal murders driven by a chilling, apocalyptic delusion.

In a deep dive by the “Morbid Podcast,” hosts Ash and Alaina explore the tragic and horrifying case of Mullin, often called “The Killer Hippie.” His story is not just one of senseless violence, but a stark reminder of the catastrophic consequences of ignoring severe mental health crises.

The Perfect Storm: California in the Early 70s

To understand Mullin’s crimes, you have to picture the era. By the early 1970s, the idyllic “Summer of Love” had faded, and California was becoming a breeding ground for some of the nation’s most notorious serial killers. The Zodiac was terrorizing Northern California, the Manson Family murders had shattered any illusion of peace, and Edmund Kemper (the “Co-ed Killer”) was active in the very same area as Mullin.

Santa Cruz, a peaceful commuter town, found itself at the epicenter of this violence, earning the grim nickname “the murder capital of the world.” It was in this atmosphere of fear and confusion that Herbert Mullin began his killing spree.

A Life of Unraveling: The Making of a Killer

Herbert Mullin’s early life in Salinas, California, appeared ordinary on the surface. He was a bright, athletic student voted “Most Likely to Succeed” by his classmates. However, beneath this facade, cracks were forming.

A Restrictive Upbringing: Mullin was raised in a strict, conservative Catholic household. His mother, Jean, portrayed the outside world as dangerous and discouraged questioning, while his father, Martin, embodied a stern, mid-century masculinity.

A Tragic Catalyst: The pivotal moment in Mullin’s life was the sudden death of his best friend, Dean, in a motorcycle accident when Mullin was 16. He was utterly unequipped to process this grief. He built a shrine in his bedroom and, confused by the intensity of his emotions, even told his girlfriend he must be “becoming homosexual.”

A Descent into Delusion: Instead of receiving support, Mullin’s strange behavior was met with punishment and denial from his parents. He turned to Eastern religions and, crucially, began heavily experimenting with LSD. For a young man already showing signs of a psychotic disorder, these drugs accelerated his downward spiral. His behavior became increasingly bizarre, including sexually propositioning his own sister—an act his parents shockingly refused to believe.

The Breaking Point and Missed Opportunities

The family’s denial finally cracked during a dinner when Mullin began perfectly, and compulsively, mirroring his brother-in-law’s every move. His mother declared he was “possessed,” but it was too little, too late.

Read more: How Forensic Science Cracked India’s Most Chilling Cases

Between 1969 and 1972, Mullin was in and out of five different psychiatric hospitals. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia but learned to hide his most dangerous symptoms—specifically, command hallucinations—to secure his release. Each time he was discharged, his mental state deteriorated further, now fueled by a terrifying new delusion.

The Delusion: Human Sacrifice to Stop an Earthquake

Mullin’s psychosis crystallized into a fixed belief system. He became obsessed with two facts:
He was born exactly 41 years to the day after the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
The Vietnam War, with its high death toll, had—in his mind—acted as a “sacrifice” that appeased the gods and prevented further natural disasters.

As the war wound down, Mullin became convinced that a catastrophic earthquake would destroy California unless new sacrifices were made. He believed it was his divine responsibility to provide them. The voices in his head, which now included his father’s, guided him.

The Killing Spree Begins

Driven by this delusion, Mullin embarked on his horrific mission.

October 13, 1972: Mullin faked car trouble on Highway 9. When 55-year-old Lawrence White, a down-on-his-luck man who stopped to help, looked under the hood, Mullin bludgeoned him to death with a baseball bat. He saw White as his first necessary sacrifice.

October 24, 1972: Just 10 days later, Mullin offered a ride to Mary Guilfoyle, a 24-year-old college student running late for an appointment. He stabbed her to death in his car. In a gruesome twist, he then mutilated her body, searching for “evidence of pollution” he believed was destroying the earth.

November 2, 1972: Heeding his mother’s advice to “turn to the Lord,” Mullin went to St. Mary’s Catholic Church with a hunting knife. He attacked 68-year-old Father Henri Tomei in the confessional, stabbing him repeatedly. The murder of a priest in his own church sent shockwaves through the community and finally triggered a major investigation.

A Tragedy of Errors

The story of Herbert Mullin is a profound tragedy. His victims were random, kind-hearted people in the wrong place at the wrong time. Lawrence White was helping a stranger. Mary Guilfoyle was simply trying to get to an appointment. Father Tomei wasn’t even scheduled to be at the church that day; he had stopped in on the chance someone needed confession.

Mullin’s case is a haunting example of how severe mental illness, when left untreated and exacerbated by drug use and family denial, can erupt into unimaginable violence. It raises difficult questions about the stigma surrounding mental health care and the systems that failed to prevent a predictable catastrophe.