Leopold and Loeb -- An Introduction

Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb met in 1920 at the University of Chicago.  Both were extremely intelligent.  Leopold was a child prodigy was a law student and expert ornithologist.  He was 19 when the pair began their plot. 

 Loeb, who was 18 at the time of the murder, was the youngest person to graduate from the University of Michigan.  He was enrolled at the University of Chicago and intended to pursue law.  

Leopold and Loeb were both from Kenwood, a wealthy Jewish suburb south of Chicago.   They became close friends and accomplices.  The pair believed themselves to be Nietzsche superman, who could easily commit the “perfect crime,” due to their inherently superior qualities and intelligence.  In their minds, the “perfect crime” was an undetectable and flawless kidnapping/murder that they spent seven months planning.  They aimed to target a young boy in their neighborhood, who had wealthy parents and was small enough to be easily overpowered.