Charles Sobhraj, a French serial killer who police say is responsible for a series of murders in the 1970s and 1980s, has been released from prison in Nepal. His associates described him as a con artist, a seducer, a robber and a murderer.
Called the “Bikini Killer” in Thailand, and also “The Serpent” for his ability to evade police and use various disguises, Sobhraj, 78, is suspected of killing more than 20 Western backpackers on the “hippie trail” through Asia.
However, the true number of his victims is unknown. Here is a timeline of his life and alleged killing spree:
1944: Born in Vietnam
Sobhraj was born in Saigon on April 6, 1944, to a Vietnamese mother and Indian father. His mother later remarried a Frenchman.
In 1963, he embarked on a life as an international lawbreaker, which would take him to Greece, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In 1970, he moved to…
