Notorious Golden State Killer Caught

[Boozy]

One of the most notorious serial killers/rapists in American history. Turns out he's an ex-cop, Joseph James DeAngelo.

On Wednesday, California police said they had arrested a 72-year-old former police officer, DeAngelo, in connection with the case.

They said "discarded DNA" had been used to match him to crimes attributed to the so-called Golden State Killer - suspected of 12 murders, 51 rapes and more than 120 burglaries.

Mr DeAngelo has initially been charged with eight counts of murder.

 

[Major Tom]

Anyone interested in this case should listen to the Casefile podcast episodes on the East Area Rapist. Absolutely compelling listening. Can’t believe they may have found him after all these years

 

[Jess]

There was a recent book about it, a writer Michelle McNamara, seems to have drawn attention back to it, she did her own research.

She sadly died very young maybe 2 years ago? She was married to the comedian Patton Oswalt.

 

[Major Tom]

There was a recent book about it, a writer Michelle McNamara, seems to have drawn attention back to it, she did her own research.

She sadly died very young maybe 2 years ago? She was married to the comedian Patton Oswalt.

And this is the book by Michelle McNamara, published posthumously:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071YRW9C...KX6Zws0ZDX3ww&slotNum=0&_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

 

[Some Random Guy]

He is also thought to be the "Visalia Ransacker" which has long been a theory and was working as a police officer while he was committing those offenses.

Authorities believe the "Golden State Killer," the "East Area Rapist," the "Original Night Stalker," and the "Visalia Ransacker" are all the same person.

His crimes seemed to have escalated to rape and eventually murder once he was fired from the police.

 

[David76]

Read quite a bit about this case. Easily one of the most sadistic I've come across, a really nasty piece of work who phoned victims up a few months after the event to let them know he was still around.

Known to have raped 50 women and murdered 10.

Unusual in that he used to break into the home on the day and hide his rope/tools/whatever in the house - and commit the offences at night using said equipment.

He was also brazen in that a couple went to a community event about his crimes and said something like he'd never do that to my wife. The very same night the Golden State killer murdered the couple. People assumed it must have been someone from the community who was present at the event - seems they were right but didn't realise it was a policeman.

Probably the most meticulous serial killer on record in everything he did. Makes sense it was a policeman as he would have had a head start in terms of preparation.

Bizarrely, also used to tie them up and then go and sit for hours eating food and watching the TV before returning to the victims.

As said, I can't think of anyone in the Western world who committed so many numerous, brutal crimes and went undetected. more than

 

[Major Tom]

a really nasty piece of work

He used to make the blokes get down on their hand and knees, tie them up, and stack plates on there backs whilst he raped the women. Threatening to kill them if he heard the plates smash. That way he'd have an audible clue if the bloke was trying to escape and wouldn't get surprised by them. Absolute mentalist.

 

[David76]

Yep, he was very focused on self-preservation. Always wore a ski mask, shone a torch in to their eyes to make it hard for them to see him, he pre-planned the attacks and studied their movements to know when they get home at night and had several escape routes with most of the houses being near parkland or a canal so he could jump a fence and be away.

His psychology is also intriguing. How he 'evolved' from ransacking to raping women who lived alone, then when the local newspaper said he would only target single women his very next victim was a married couple. And then ultimately once he killed he'd taken that leap and kept killing.

Horrific and sadistic but it'll be very interesting to see what he says in his police interviews.

 

[Bandit]

There's a documentary series just came out about the case called 'Unmasking A Killer' which is very good. Now they've got him it's even more fascinating because you can see how the guy they've caught fits the profile.

Before the rapes in Sacramento started there was a guy going round called The Visalia Ransacker who would break in to houses and steal random things - mostly things with sentimental value like photo albums - but he was never properly linked to the East Area Rapist. It turns out the guy they've arrested firstly worked as a policeman in Visalia as part of the 'anti-burglary squad'. He then transferred to Sacramento and 'evolved' from burglary/ransacking to raping.

As someone else has already mentioned, he frequently broke in to the houses, left his ropes/cable ties hidden and then return on the night to commit the crimes. There was one instance where a woman was hoovering during the day and lifted a cushion up off the sofa and found a pre-tied rope. Obviously freaked out, called the police and they 'lay in wait' overnight hoping to catch him as he came in. They waited 3 days and nights but he didn't come. Clearly now we know he was a policeman he probably knew they were waiting for him.

He then evolved his MO further and went from raping to murdering when a couple fought back it was unplanned but after he'd had a 'taste' of murder the rest of his victims were murdered. He stopped in 1984 but popped up again in the mid 2000s when he contacted a couple of his victims from the 70s. He called one of them at home (the call was recorded) and he called one at work where she worked as a waitress. They reckon he went for a meal and recognised her.

What's interesting about the guy they've arrested is that his kids were born weeks after the last crime. He also was ex-miltary and ex-police which they suspected (he was fired from the police after shoplifting dog repellent - many victims had dogs but said their dogs never made a sound when he was there). He was a member of a divers association and was an expert at using rope and tying knots.

 

[Shelby]

There's a documentary series just came out about the case called 'Unmasking A Killer' which is very good

What channel is this on? Got any links?