Robert Joseph Zani

The Zani Murders

  Active for 14 years
(1967-1980) in United States

6

CONFIRMED
VICTIMS

6

POSSIBLE
VICTIMS
Jump to:
  1. Summary
  2. Serial Killer Profile
  3. Serial Killer Type
  4. General Information
  5. Characteristics
  6. Childhood
  7. Cognitive Ability
  8. Incarceration
  9. Death
  10. 18 Timeline Events
  11. Serial Killers Active During Spree
  12. Boolean Statistical Questions
  13. 12 Books About Robert Joseph Zani
  14. 2 External References
  15. Internal References

Robert Joseph Zani an American serial killer known as The Zani Murders. Zani would typically shoot or beat his victims to death. Zani was born in 1944 as only child, who was sexually abused by his mother as a teenager. He attended school and attained good grades. It wasn’t until his first murder in 1967 that he had done anything notably illegal. Zani was arrested in 1980 for the murders of three of his victims. He was convicted of murder for two of his victims and second degree murder for killing his own mother on 1982. On March 31, 1986 the murder conviction for his mother was overturned. Robert Joseph Zani is currently serving his sentence in Texas.

Robert Joseph Zani Serial Killer Profile

Serial Killer Robert Joseph Zani (aka) The Zani Murders, was active for 14 years between 1967-1980, known to have ( 6 confirmed / 6 possible ) victims. This Serial Killer was active in the following countries: United States

Robert Joseph Zani was born on February 26th 1944 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, US. He was raised by his mother. He was raised as a only child and had no siblings. His father, an unnamed man who divorced Robert's mother in 1944 and separated from the family, he was in the Army. His mother, Gladys Zani, worked as a receptionist for a gas company in Oklahoma was murdered by Robert in 1974. Robert Joseph Zani was sexually, psychologically abused at some point of his life.

He completed 16 years of school, received a college degree. He married Irma Serrano Reyes in 1967. He had two children with Irma Serrano Reyes and two additional step-children.

In 1967 (Age 22/23) Robert Joseph Zani started his killing spree, during his crimes as a serial killer he was known to rob, mutilate, murder his victims. Robert Joseph Zani used a weapon and was in possession of a firearm during his crimes. He was known to kill at the home of the victim. At the time of his crimes he was living with his wife and four children.

He was arrested on March 28th 1980 (Age 36), convicted on March 18th 1981 (Age 37), sentenced to life imprisonment at an unnamed prison in Texas, US.

Robert Joseph Zani died on February 22nd 2011 (Age 66), cause of death: natural causes at an unknown location in Huntsville, Texas, US.

Profile Completeness: 90%
serial killers by profile completeness

Robert Joseph Zani has been listed on Killer.Cloud since June of 2017 and was last updated 5 years ago.

Robert Joseph Zani a known:

Robert Joseph Zani
Serial Killer Profile:

Updated: 2019-06-18 Collected by Killer.Cloud
General Information
Name: Robert Joseph Zani
Nickname: The Zani Murders
Victims: 6 - 6
Years Active: 1967 - 1980
Ages Active: 22/23 - 35/36
Active Countries: United States
Life Span: 1944 - 2011
Characteristics
Gender: Male
Sexual Preference: heterosexual
Astrological Sign: Pisces
Feb 18 - Mar 20
Birth Month: February
Marital Status: married Irma Serrano Reyes in 1967
Children: two children with Irma Serrano Reyes and two additional step-children
Living With: his wife and four children
Childhood Information
D.O.B.: Feb 26, 1944
Birth Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, US
Birth Order: 1st of 1
Siblings: no siblings
Raised By: his mother
Birth Category: only child
Mother: Gladys Zani, worked as a receptionist for a gas company in Oklahoma was murdered by Robert in 1974
Father: an unnamed man who divorced Robert's mother in 1944 and separated from the family, he was in the Army

Cognitive Ability
IQ: N/A
Highest School: 16 years of school
Highest Degree: college degree

Incarceration
Arrested: Mar 28, 1980 (Age 36)
Convicted: Mar 18, 1981 (Age 37)
Sentence: life imprisonment
Prison Location: an unnamed prison in Texas, US
Executed: N/A
Previous Crimes: FALSE
Previous Jail: FALSE
Previous Prison: FALSE

Death Information
Death Date: Feb 22, 2011 (Age 66)
Cause of Death: natural causes
Death Location: an unknown location in Huntsville, Texas, US
Killed In Prison: N/A
Suicide: N/A
18 Timeline Events of Serial Killer
Robert Joseph Zani

The 18 dates listed below represent a timeline of the life and crimes of serial killer Robert Joseph Zani. A complete collection of serial killer events can be found on our Serial Killer Timeline.

Date Event Description
Feb 26 1944Robert Joseph Zani was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, US.  #19440226
Sep 21 1962
(Age 18)
enrolled in college #19620921
Location: University of Texas in Austin, Texas, US

Feb 26 1964
(Age 20)
20th Birthday
May 26 1965
(Age 21)
started a new job #19650526
Location: University of Texas in Austin, Texas, US

Robert Joseph Zani was hired as a clerical assistant in the main library at the University of Texas.

1967
(Age 22/23)
Robert Joseph Zani started his serial killing spree. #1967
Jun 01 1967
(Age 23)
job promotion #19670601
Location: University of Texas in Austin, Texas, US

Robert Joseph Zani was promoted to translator in the archives section of the UT library.

Jun 28 1967
(Age 23)
married Irma Serrano Reyes #19670628
Location: Mexico City, Mexico

Feb 26 1974
(Age 30)
30th Birthday
1980
(Age 35/36)
Robert Joseph Zani ended his serial killing spree. #1980
Mar 28 1980
(Age 36)
Robert Joseph Zani arrested. #19800328
Jun 30 1980
(Age 36)
conviction #19800630
Location: Austin, Texas, US

Robert Joseph Zani was convicted of credit card theft.

Mar 18 1981
(Age 37)
Robert Joseph Zani was convictedand sentenced to life imprisonment at an unnamed prison in Texas, US.  #19810318
Dec 16 1982
(Age 38)
conviction #19821216
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, US

Robert Joseph Zani was convicted of the second-degree murder of his mother.

Feb 26 1984
(Age 40)
40th Birthday
Mar 31 1986
(Age 42)
conviction overturned #19860331
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, US

Robert Joseph Zani's murder conviction of his mother was overturned

Feb 26 1994
(Age 50)
50th Birthday
Feb 26 2004
(Age 60)
60th Birthday
Feb 22 2011
(Age 66)
Robert Joseph Zanidied.cause of death:natural causesat an unknown location in Huntsville, Texas, US. #20110222

32 / 40
ANSWERED
Serial Killer
Boolean Questions:
Killer
Question
Killer
Answer
Total
Answered
living with children TRUE 268
psychologically abused TRUE 224
sexually abused TRUE 226
kill at victims home TRUE 323
used weapon TRUE 453
used gun TRUE 451
mutilated TRUE 447
robbed TRUE 418
problems in school FALSE 221
teased in school FALSE 218
physically defect FALSE 300
speach defect FALSE 300
head injury FALSE 299
physically abused FALSE 231
psychologist FALSE 258
forensic hospital FALSE 257
previous crimes FALSE 367
previous jail FALSE 352
previous prision FALSE 336
kill at killers home FALSE 320
rape FALSE 453
torture FALSE 426
stalk FALSE 418
blindfold FALSE 363
bound FALSE 406
strangle FALSE 443
sex with body FALSE 430
ate part of body FALSE 451
drank blood FALSE 442
posed body FALSE 365
totem body part FALSE 365
totem personal item FALSE 354


Books that Mention Robert Joseph Zani

Book: The Devil's Dozen (mentions serial killer Robert Joseph Zani)
Katherine Ramsland
The Devil's Dozen
Book: The Human Predator (mentions serial killer Robert Joseph Zani)
Katherine Ramsland
The Human Predator
Book: Neurology in Clinical Practice (mentions serial killer Robert Joseph Zani)
Robert B. Daroff
Neurology in Clinical Practice
Book: The Zani Murders (mentions serial killer Robert Joseph Zani)
Kelly Fero
The Zani Murders
Book: Operative Pediatric Surgery, Sevent... (mentions serial killer Robert Joseph Zani)
Lewis Spitz
Operative Pediatric Surgery, Seventh Edition
Book: Serial Killers (mentions serial killer Robert Joseph Zani)
Stéphane Bourgoin
Serial Killers
Book: United States Supreme Court Reports... (mentions serial killer Robert Joseph Zani)
United States. Supre...
United States Supreme Court Reports, Lawyers...
Book: The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers (mentions serial killer Robert Joseph Zani)
Michael Newton
The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers

12 Books that mention Serial Killer
Robert Joseph Zani

ISBN10 Book Title Killers
0425270777 The Devil's Dozen 5
1101619058 The Human Predator 16
1455728071 Neurology in Clinical Pra... 1
044020898x The Zani Murders 2
1444117157 Operative Pediatric Surge... 1
2246462290 Serial Killers 3
0327102160 United States Supreme Cou... 4
0816069875 The Encyclopedia of Seria... 108
1787205754 The Blue Devils in Italy 1
022635590x Subject to Death 1
1618908049 The Secret Life of John P... 1
0698176146 Sons of Cain 8
External References
  1. Juan Ignacio Blanco, Robert Joseph ZANI on murderpedia.org, Retrieved on Dec 14, 2018.
  2. Autumn Hagy, Michael Thompson, Robert Joseph Zani on maamodt.asp.radford.edu, Retrieved on Dec 14, 2018.
Internal References

Robert Joseph Zani is included in the following pages on Killer.Cloud the Serial Killer Database

  1. #17 of 38[ Page 2 ] of Serial Killers with birthdays in February
  2. #22 of 40[ Page 2 ] of Pisces Serial Killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  3. #111 of 651[ Page 8 ] of serial killers sorted by Years Active
  4. #135 of 651[ Page 9 ] of serial killers sorted by Profile Completeness
  5. #139 of 327[ Page 10 ] of Serial Killers active in the United States
  6. #303 of 651[ Page 21 ] of serial killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  7. #649 of 651[ Page 44 ] of the A-Z List of Serial Killers
Statistics:
Serial Killers Statistics, charts Robert Joseph Zani is included in: Active Serial Killers by Country, Serial Killers By Gender, Age of Serial Killer by Date, Killers By Astrological Sign, Killers By Birth Month, Serial Killers IQ Level, Highest Degree Achieved, Sexual Preference, Birth Category, Active Serial Killers by Year and Statistical Boolean Questions.
Years Active: