Pedro López (serial killer)
Pedro Alonso López, known as the Monster of the Andes, was a Colombian serial killer and child rapist born on 5 October 1948 in Tolima Department. He was the seventh of thirteen children; his father, a rancher, was killed in an ambush six months before his birth during the political violence known as La Violencia. His mother, a laundry worker, later said her son’s hatred for her began early, with him directly telling her he could not stand her as a young child. López claimed he was banished from home at age eight after his mother caught him groping his sister. He spent a year homeless in Tolima, during which he was raped by a man who lured him with promises of shelter. At age ten, he moved to Bogotá, joining a street gang and using drugs to cope with malnutrition. He was adopted by an American family at twelve but ran away after stealing money, alleging harassment by a teacher. In 1969, he was sentenced to seven years for auto theft. In prison, he was raped by four inmates and killed three of them with a makeshift knife over two weeks, receiving an additional two-year sentence. After release in 1978, he wandered Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, claiming over 300 murders, though a minimum of 110 victims, mostly pre-teen girls, are attributed to him from 1978 to 1980. He was captured by indigenous Peruvians after attempting to abduct a girl and was buried up to his neck in sand, but an American missionary secured his release to police, who expelled him. In Ecuador, he murdered a newspaper seller in Ambato in May 1979 and a girl in his hometown of El Espinal in December 1979, among others. He was frequently seen at Ambato’s Plaza Urbina posing as a merchant. López disappeared on 22 September 1999 and remains a fugitive.
- field
- Serial killer, child rapist, fugitive
- nationality
- Colombian
Lore & Background
His father was murdered six months before his birth during La Violencia. López claimed a difficult childhood, alleging his mother was a prostitute and that he was banished at age eight after groping his sister. He spent a year homeless, during which he was raped by a man who lured him with promises of shelter. At age ten, he moved to Bogotá, joined a street gang, and used drugs to stave off malnutrition. He was adopted by an American family at age twelve but ran away the same year after stealing money. In prison, he was raped by four inmates and killed three of them with a makeshift knife over two weeks, described as self-defense. He was briefly captured by indigenous Peruvians who buried him up to the neck in sand, intending to kill him, but an American missionary secured his release to police, who expelled him from Peru. López resumed killing in Ecuador. After flash floods unearthed four more bodies, police reopened investigations, leading to his ultimate arrest later that year.
Reader's Guide
Pedro Alonso López's significance lies in his extreme prolificacy and the transnational nature of his crimes, spanning Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. His case highlights the vulnerability of street children and indigenous girls in South America during the late 1970s, as well as the challenges of cross-border policing. The article notes that authorities initially dismissed disappearances as human trafficking, reflecting systemic failures. The case also illustrates how community action—such as Carolina Román Poveda's intervention—can lead to arrests, even when official systems falter. López remains a symbol of the darkest extremes of serial violence and the enduring gaps in justice for the most vulnerable.
Did You Know?
- López was briefly captured by indigenous Peruvians who buried him up to the neck in sand, intending to kill him, but an American missionary convinced them to release him to police.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Pedro López (serial killer)'s nickname and where did it come from?
He was widely called the "Monster of the Andes" because his killing spree stretched across the Andean countries of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The label captured both the geographic reach of his crimes and the particular horror of targeting children.
Why is Pedro López (serial killer) significant in true-crime history?
His case is notable for the extraordinary victim count and the fact that he operated across multiple national borders over a sustained two-year window. He is routinely cited as one of the most prolific serial killers on record and serves as a key case study in cross-border law-enforcement failures.
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