An American tourist was brutally murdered by a 'serpent' serial killer, leaving the detective in shock.

At least a dozen western tourists were accused of being killed by Charles Sobhraj in Asia.

An American tourist was brutally murdered by a 'serpent' serial killer, leaving the detective in shock.
An American tourist was brutally murdered by a 'serpent' serial killer, leaving the detective in shock.

The French serial killer, Charles Sobhraj, who was accused of murdering over a dozen western tourists in Asia during the 1970s, is now a free man and has shared his story in a new televised interview.

"Jackie Malton, retired detective chief inspector of the United Kingdom's Metropolitan Police, stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that Mr. Sobhraj's modus operandi is to have the attention focused on him. He possesses a narcissistic personality and truly believes in his own innocence."

It is reported that the 80-year-old French national is suspected of murdering at least 20 individuals across various countries, including Afghanistan, India, Thailand, Turkey, Nepal, Iran, and Hong Kong, during the 1970s.

Serpent serial killer
French serial killer Charles Sobhraj (C) is brought to the district court for a hearing on a case related to the murder of Canadian backpacker Laurent Ormond Carriere, in Bhaktapur on May 26, 2014. Sobhraj, a French citizen who was serving a life sentence in Nepal for the murder of an American backbacker in 1975, has been linked with a string of killings across Asia in the 1970s, earning the nickname "bikini killer." (Prakash Mathema/AFP via Getty Images)

Malton described him as extremely ruthless, cold-hearted, and lacking empathy back then.

In 2004, Sobhraj was given a life sentence in prison, which is equivalent to 20 years in Nepal, for murdering 29-year-old American tourist Connie Jo Bronzich in 1975. A decade later, he was also convicted of killing Bronzich's Canadian companion, 26-year-old Laurent Carrière.

Charles Sobhraj
French serial killer Charles Sobhraj is escorted by Nepalese police at a district court for a hearing on a case related to the murder of Canadian backpacker Laurent Ormond Carriere, in Bhaktapur on June 12, 2014.  (Prakash Mathema/AFP via Getty Images)

In December 2022, Sobhraj was released from prison in Nepal and returned to France after serving 19 years of his life sentence.

The Supreme Court released Sobhraj from prison due to poor health, including heart disease, as well as for good behavior and having served more than 75% of his sentence.

His upcoming interview will be showcased in Peacock's "World's Most Notorious Killers," which premieres on Sep. 17.

Sobhraj, known as the "bikini killer" in Thailand, earned the nickname "Serpent" due to his disguises used to evade police while preying on young backpackers on the "hippie trail" through Asia.

Charles Sobhraj
Charles Sobhraj in his interview for Peacock's "World's Most Notorious Killers." (Peacock)

In 2023, Malton, who is featured in Peacock's series, collaborated with a team of criminal profilers, researchers, and psychologists to investigate Sobhraj, who gained notoriety after being featured in Netflix's "The Serpent" in 2021. This year, she interviewed the convicted killer after spending time getting to know him.

"He believed he was innocent, but after investigating the murders in Thailand, we found substantial evidence that proved he was not entirely innocent."

Serpent airplane release
French serial killer Charles Sobhraj on an aircraft from Kathmandu to France, on Dec. 23, 2022. (Atish Patel/AFP via Getty Images)

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The elderly Sobhraj, who the retired detective met, was not the man in his 30s who preyed on backpackers, according to her.

"Mr. Sobhraj is a very polite and respectful man, despite not being the typical serial killer as we have come to understand them. He does not fit the mold of a serial killer."

Sobhraj, after being released from prison, stated in an interview with French newspaper Le Monde that although he had used several stolen passports, he had never taken a life and would prove his innocence.

by Mollie Markowitz

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