Picture in your mind the mountains that encircle the vibrant city of San Francisco.

Maybe you've seen them in the background of pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge or on postcards which attempt to capture the city's iconic beauty.

These towering giants are home to dense forests, rugged cliffs, and lofty peaks.

And for at least two years they were also the hunting ground of one of America's most ruthless predators.

This is Monsters.

The

David Joseph Carpenter was born on May 6th,

1930 in San Francisco to Elwood and Francis Carpenter. As a child, David suffered from various

problems including bed wetting, stammering, and learning difficulties. These days, we know

issues like that are often indicative of a traumatic home life, and that was certainly

the case for David. Both of his parents were physically and emotionally abusive, and

his home life was far from stable. Their neglect cast a long shadow over David's life.

David's father Elwood was a domineering figure with an aggressive approach to parenting.

He relentlessly ridiculed David for his bed wetting, and his stammer even though both were

likely caused at least in part by his own actions. On top of that, he was a violent alcoholic

who took his issues out on his wife and child. Then there was David's mother, Francis. She

was about as far from a maternal figure as you could possibly get. She was cold and distant

and unable to offer even a tiny amount of comfort or kindness to her son. There was

no safety or joy in David's home life, and sadly, the same was true outside of the

home as well. For years, David was repeatedly mocked and teased about his stutter by his

peers. He was regarded as an outcast or someone to pity, scorn, and sometimes even fear.

Naturally, that treatment led to David becoming quiet and withdrawn. He was made even worse

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