Background
It’s not surprising that a brutal upbringing is likely going to create a brutal human being, especially when one’s innocent hopes and dreams are extinguished at an early age.
But Pedro López didn’t just grow up to be cruel. He grew up to become a monster.
Early Years
Pedro Alonso López’s mother, Benilda López de Castañeda, was a prostitute in a rough part of Colombia who had made poor choices, not only in regard to her profession but generally throughout her life.
When Pedro was born on October 8, 1948, she already had six other children and would go on to have another six in quick succession, with most of them from different fathers.
Megdardo Reyes was Pedro’s father but he was already dead by the time Pedro came into the world, a casualty of the 10-year civil war called La Violencia. Leaving Pedro devoid of any true father figure growing up.
What he did experience was a chaotic and often violent home life where a procession of men meted out disci…
