Klaus Gossman

Overview

Klaus Gossman (born 1941; died 1960-1965) was known as the “Midday Murderer.” He served as a student of theology in 1960 and later had a self-proclaimed role as “death’s agent.” He shot multiple people during incidents that occurred at midday, using church bells to disguise gunshots. He was eventually caught after his last shooting and was jailed for life.

Background

Klaus Gossman saw his father shot dead by American troops during World War II. He grew up obsessed with violence, and by age nineteen he was determined to become “death’s agent.” He also recorded details of his killings in a diary and wrote about a strong desire to become a priest.

The offence

Gossman carried out a series of shootings at midday, describing himself as “death’s agent.” His killings involved targeting people at random and conducting robberies. In his incidents, he used church bells ringing for noon to cover the sound of his rifle or gunshots.

His planned abduction included actress Elke Sommer. The name of actress Elke Sommer had been scratched along the barrel of his gun, and his diary detailed plans for her abduction.

Investigation

After his arrest, police searched his stuff and found his diary. The diary included accounts of his murders and also contained a long plan about abducting German actress Elke Sommer. Police considered the evidence against him to be substantial.

Arrest

Gossman was arrested at the scene when he tried to snatch a customer’s bag in a Nuremberg department store. After the shooting connected to this incident, he had “no where to run” following the crime and was captured at the scene.

Timeline

• 1960 — Gossman studied theology and began a career in murder.
• 1962 — Gossman robbed a bank in Ochenbruch at midday and gunned down the bank’s director as the director left.
• March 29, 1963 — Gossman invaded a Nuremberg gun shop at noon, murdering the elderly proprietor and her 29-year-old son.
• December 1964 — Gossman joined the army.
• April 1965 — Gossman deserted the army four months later to escape rigid discipline.
• 1965 — He was sentenced to life in prison.

Trial

Gossman was tried for the murders. The trial evidence included his diary and other evidence found by police. It was also established that he was hatching an intricate plan to kidnap actress Elke Sommer.

Sentencing

He received life in prison for the murders.

Outcome

He remained in prison serving his life sentence.

Other details

Gossman was described as a perfectionist who planned his killings meticulously “down to the last detail.” He left the library one afternoon at the time the church bells began chiming for noon, shot two people dead, and returned to the library after the bells stopped to complete his studying. He also took out his diary where he recorded the murders.

During one bank robbery, he killed the bank’s director. In a later bank robbery that occurred a few months afterwards, he shot and killed a porter picked at random.

After invading the Nuremberg gun shop, he later joined the army in December 1964 and deserted four months later.

In his last incident, he tried to snatch a customer’s bag in a Nuremberg department store; when the victim decided she would not give him the bag without a fight, he pulled out his gun and shot her.

Michael Newton’s work titled An Encyclopedia of Modern Serial Killers included Klaus Gossman’s biography and description as the “Midday Murderer,” with his murders all occurring at midday because the church bells in his hometown of Nuremberg were loud enough to cover gunshots.

“Death’s Agent” — self-proclaimed designation attributed to Klaus Gossman.