#8
The Golden State Killer
aka East Area Rapist
aka Original Night Stalker
aka Diamond Knot Killer
aka Visalia Ransacker
aka Dollner Street Prowler
aka Joseph James DeAngelo
The American serial killer known as the Original Night Stalker/East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer (shortened to EARONS) committed his crimes from 1974-1986 in the State of California. He claimed the lives of at least 12 victims and terrorized many others, including more than 50 rapes.
*Joseph DeAngelo has not been convicted of any crimes as of the writing of this blog*
Joseph James DeAngelo was born in Bath, New York on November 8, 1945. The DeAngelo family moved to California while Joseph was growing up. He attended high school in California and then joined the United States Navy. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War and earned several awards including a National Defense Service Medal, a Vietnam Campaign Medal, and a Vietnam Service Medal. After the war, he attended college and earned a Bachelor's degree in criminal justice. DeAngelo worked as a police officer in Exeter, California from 1973 until 1976. He then left that department and went to work at the police department in Auburn, California. DeAngelo was fired from his position there in 1979 when he was caught shoplifting dog repellent and a hammer. His employment from 1979 until 1990 is unknown. From 1990 until his retirement in 2017, DeAngelo worked as a mechanic at a distribution center for Save Mart Supermarket. DeAngelo married Sharon Huddle, an attorney, in 1973. They had 3 children together but separated in 1991. His latest address was in Citrus Heights, California, which is a suburb of Sacramento.
You might be asking yourself, "he sounds like an average joe so where does everything hit the fan?" I'm glad you asked, let's crack into it! (If you don't already, listen to the And That's Why We Drink podcast--you won't regret it! Find them here: Podcast Link)
As you might have noticed above, this criminal had quite a few nicknames. It took years before all of the crimes were connected to a single assailant. His methods were ever evolving and the locations changing, making a connection difficult. In 2018, we have more information about all of the crimes than ever before which makes it easier to see the big picture. Lucky us. I'm going to go chronologically through the attacks in the order that we now know that they occurred.
The first span of crimes began in March 1974 in the area of Visalia, California.
On March 19, 1974, a piggy bank was robbed and $50 worth of coins was stolen. This was the very first incident reported that has been definitively linked. There were many reports of a burglar breaking into homes and going through possessions. Oddly enough, the burglar took items not worth much and left typically stolen items like cash and jewelry, even if it was out in plain sight. He would re-arrange items in the home so that they were on "display" when the homeowners returned. It was not unusual for this particular burglar to rob several homes on the same day. In fact, November 30, 1974 saw 12 separate robberies all chalked up to the same guy.
This burglar quickly earned the moniker of The Visalia Ransacker.
His actions and patterns were very distinctive, thus making it possible to link his crimes.
His MO entailed: wearing gloves to make fingerprints unlikely; prying open multiple points of entry; leaving multiple escape routes open; scaling fences; placing removed window screens on the beds; and placing breakable items against entry points so that he could be warned if someone were to enter.
(source: "The Visalia Ransacker - Basics". www.visaliaransacker.com)
The Ransacker continued his burglary spree for about 18 months.
But things took a turn on September 11, 1975. A burglar entered the home of Claude Snelling at 532 Whitney Lane in Visalia, California. Claude was a 45 year old journalism professor at a local college. He was awakened around 2:30 am by strange noises in his home. Claude gets out of bed and goes to investigate. He was already wary because he had chased away a lurker near his home several months before. Claude soon sees that an assailant is holding his sixteen year old daughter at gunpoint in their carport. Claude was shot twice but managed to make it back into the home. He later died from his injuries. The assailant flees the scene but abandons his stolen bike at a nearby house. The daughter underwent hypnosis and was able to give details about the attack & the assailant. After this attack, the local police department offered a $4000 reward for any information about the murderer. Thinking that he might strike again, law enforcement sets up stake-outs near homes that he had previously burgled but caught nothing. The Ransacker outsmarted them and managed to continue his activities out of the eye of law enforcement.
Claude Snelling
source: visaliatimesdelta.com
December 12, 1975: a masked prowler entered the backyard of 1505 W. Kaweah Avenue in Visalia. The Ransacker had reportedly been seen in the area so law enforcement was keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity. A detective just happened to be staking out this particular home and saw the prowler entering the yard. He quickly moves to detain the intruder. The intruder screams and removes his mask when the detective fires a warning shot with his gun. He surrenders as the detective approaches. But he then leaps over the neighboring fence, pulls out his own gun, and fires toward the detective. Luckily, his shot misses and only the detective's flashlight is hit. He flees the area and cannot be located.
The Ransacker was described as a young white male, approximately five feet eight inches tall. He was reportedly around 180-200 pounds. He was fit as he could easily scale fences & enter through windows. From encounters, he was believed to be left-handed and obviously comfortable/skilled with weapons. He did not seem to treasure items with high monetary value.
Local law enforcement launched a massive investigation to attempt to capture The Ransacker. Some other evidence was able to be collected such as ballistics and shoe impressions but nothing definitive was ever determined. As of April 2018, law enforcement have still not been able to officially establish DeAngelo as the Visalia Ransacker as no DNA evidence has been recovered. Above all, the statute of limitations has expired on all robbery charges so prosecution would be impossible.
All Ransacker burglary activity seems to suddenly stop in mid-1976.
East Sacramento suburbs begin seeing burglaries and rapes around the same time frame.
Having the whole picture now, we know that DeAngelo moved from the Visalia area to the Sacramento area around this time. Although not definitively linked, it is strongly suspected that The Ransacker is the same person as the soon-to-be-known East Area Rapist and this person is Joseph DeAngelo.
The East Area Rapist (EAR) started out around June 1976 by staking out middle class neighborhoods at night and would look specifically for women alone in single story homes that had a clear, easy escape route. His first spree was targeted in Sacramento County from around June 1976 until May 1977. He was spotted & almost caught several times but managed to escape. During one of his escapes, he shot and wounded a teenager that was pursuing him. It was not unusual for targets to see a prowler on their property and have a break-in before they were attacked. The attacker would survey the home, unlock windows, and place guns/binding materials in the homes during his break-ins. He would also call the targets regularly leading up the attack to try to get their daily schedule figured out. He would hang up or pretend to have the wrong number so victims would not be alarmed.
As his crimes progressed, he moved into attacking couples instead of single women or women alone with children. He would enter the home late at night while the occupants were sleeping & then wake them up with a flashlight while threatening them with a gun. His victims were bound, usually with rope or shoelaces; he would force the female to tie up the male then he would tie her up. He would then blindfold and gag them. He would typically gag the victims with their own towels that he would carefully cut into strips. The couple was then separated into different rooms. The weirdest part? He would stack dishes on the back of the male victim & threaten to kill them if he heard the dishes move or if one broke. He would then rape the female repeatedly, with the rape sometimes lasting several hours. While his victims remained bound, he would spend time going through the home and taking personal items from the occupants. He would also eat their food and drink food. When he grew tired of lollygagging around, he would go back to the male and threaten them all over again before he went to rape the female again. Then he would silently leave on foot. He was so quiet, his victims were sometimes unsure if he had left at all. One victim reported laying still for quite some time and the house was deadly silent. Thinking the attacker had left, they attempted to free themselves. As soon as they made a noise, the attacker jumped out of the darkness and threatened their life. The attacker moved around counties around Sacramento County from May 1977 until July 1979.
The exception to his normal routine occurred on February 2, 1978. A young couple was walking their dog in the neighborhood. They were confronted in the street by an assailant and attempted to flee; they were found shot dead. The EAR was suspected from the beginning as this crime occurred near a cluster of other EAR victims as well as a shoelace being found near the scene.
December 30, 1979: 44 year old Dr. Robert Offerman and 35 year old Dr. Debra Manning were shot dead at Dr. Offerman's home in Goleta, CA. When the victims were discovered, it appeared as though both
had been tied up but Dr. Offerman had managed to escape his bindings. It looks as though he attempted to charge his attacker but was shot in his attempt. Upon questioning, neighbors reported hearing gunshots but no one called the police at the time of the crime. It also appears as though the attacker ate leftover turkey out of the fridge while he was in the home. Paw prints from a large dog were found near the scene, leading police to believe that the killer brought a dog with him. The killer also stole a neighbor's bike as he was leaving; the bike was later recovered.
Dr. Robert Offerman and Dr. Debra Manning
March 13, 1980: 33 year old Charlene Smith and 43 year old Lyman Smith were found murdered in their home in Ventura, CA. Lyman was set to be appointed as a Judge. Both had been bludgeoned to death by a log from their fireplace after being bound by drapery cords. The cords were tied into a very specific knot known as a Chinese knot or diamond knot, earning the killer the nickname of the Diamond Knot Killer. This knot had also been seen at EAR crimes. There was evidence that Charlene had been raped.
Lyman and Charlene Smith
source: reddit.com
August 19, 1980: 27 year old Patrice Harrington and 24 year old Keith Harrington were found bludgeoned to death in their home in Dana Point, CA. There was evidence that Patrice had been raped. There was also evidence that they had been bound but no ligatures were found at the scene. Bruce Harrington, Keith's brother, was devastated by this crime & would later spend nearly $2 million supporting CA Prop 69 to help bring justice for his brother.
Keith and Patrice Harrington
source: truecrimearticles.com
February 6, 1981: 28 year old Manuela Witthuhn was found murdered in her home in Irvine, CA. There was evidence of rape and ligature but nothing was found at the crime scene. It is believed that she was bludgeoned to death in the home and then moved to the backyard to attempt to make it look like a botched robbery. The killer took a lamp and a crystal knickknack with him. Manuela's husband was in the hospital recuperating from an illness at the time of the murder, luckily for him.
Manuela Witthuhn
source: thequesterfiles.com
July 27, 1981: 35 year old Cheri Domingo and 27 year old Gregory Sanchez were murdered in Goleta, CA. Cheri was temporarily staying in the home, which was located just a few blocks away from the Offerman-Manning murder. Gregory was found with a bullet wound in his cheek, though this wound was not fatal. He was not bound. His cause of death was determined to be bludgeoning from a garden tool found at the home. Neighbors later reported (once again) hearing a gunshot but did not call the police at the time of the crime. Police believe that Gregory recognized the attacker as the same one from the Offerman-Manning murder and attempted to fight him off. Cheri was also found bludgeoned to death. There was evidence that she had been raped and bound, though no ligatures were found at the scene. One piece of twine was found near Cheri's body and numerous unknown fibers were found on her body.
Cheri Domingo and Gregory Sanchez
source: defrostingcoldcases.com
May 4, 1986: 18 year old Janelle Cruz was found raped and bludgeoned to death in her home in Irvine, CA. The murder weapon was believed to be a pipe wrench.
Janelle Cruz
source: thequesterfiles.com
As you can see, there is a large gap in time between the Domingo-Sanchez murders and the Cruz murder. At this time, very little is known about why there was such a gap and what EARONS might have been doing during this time.
In total, it is believed that EARONS/Golden State Killer is responsible for 13 murders, 125 burglaries, 2 attempted murders, and more than 50 sexual assaults.
The East Area Rapist (EAR) started out around June 1976 by staking out middle class neighborhoods at night and would look specifically for women alone in single story homes that had a clear, easy escape route. His first spree was targeted in Sacramento County from around June 1976 until May 1977. He was spotted & almost caught several times but managed to escape. During one of his escapes, he shot and wounded a teenager that was pursuing him. It was not unusual for targets to see a prowler on their property and have a break-in before they were attacked. The attacker would survey the home, unlock windows, and place guns/binding materials in the homes during his break-ins. He would also call the targets regularly leading up the attack to try to get their daily schedule figured out. He would hang up or pretend to have the wrong number so victims would not be alarmed.
As his crimes progressed, he moved into attacking couples instead of single women or women alone with children. He would enter the home late at night while the occupants were sleeping & then wake them up with a flashlight while threatening them with a gun. His victims were bound, usually with rope or shoelaces; he would force the female to tie up the male then he would tie her up. He would then blindfold and gag them. He would typically gag the victims with their own towels that he would carefully cut into strips. The couple was then separated into different rooms. The weirdest part? He would stack dishes on the back of the male victim & threaten to kill them if he heard the dishes move or if one broke. He would then rape the female repeatedly, with the rape sometimes lasting several hours. While his victims remained bound, he would spend time going through the home and taking personal items from the occupants. He would also eat their food and drink food. When he grew tired of lollygagging around, he would go back to the male and threaten them all over again before he went to rape the female again. Then he would silently leave on foot. He was so quiet, his victims were sometimes unsure if he had left at all. One victim reported laying still for quite some time and the house was deadly silent. Thinking the attacker had left, they attempted to free themselves. As soon as they made a noise, the attacker jumped out of the darkness and threatened their life. The attacker moved around counties around Sacramento County from May 1977 until July 1979.
The exception to his normal routine occurred on February 2, 1978. A young couple was walking their dog in the neighborhood. They were confronted in the street by an assailant and attempted to flee; they were found shot dead. The EAR was suspected from the beginning as this crime occurred near a cluster of other EAR victims as well as a shoelace being found near the scene.
East Area Rapist Victims:
6/18/76: Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, CA
7/17/76: Carmichael, Sacramento, CA
8/29/76: Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, CA
9/4/76: Citrus Heights, Sacramento, CA
10/5/76: Citrus Heights, Sacramento, CA
10/9/76: Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, CA
10/18/76: Carmichael, Sacramento, CA
10/18/76: Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, CA
11/10/76: Citrus Heights, Sacramento, CA
12/18/76: Carmichael, Sacramento, CA
1/18/77: Glenbrook, Sacramento, CA
1/24/77: Citrus Heights, Sacramento, CA
2/7/77: Citrus Heights, Sacramento, CA
2/16/77: Ripon Court, Sacramento, CA
3/8/77: Sacramento, CA
3/18/77: Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, CA
4/2/77: Orangevale, Sacramento, CA
4/15/77: Crestview, Sacramento, CA
5/3/77: Glenbrook, Sacramento, CA
5/5/77: Orangevale, Sacramento, CA
5/14/77: Citrus Heights, Sacramento, CA
5/17/77: Carmichael, Sacramento, CA
5/28/77: Sacramento, CA
9/6/77: Lincoln Village, San Joaquin, CA
10/1/77: Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, CA
10/21/77: Foothill Farms, Sacramento, CA
10/29/77: Sacramento, CA
11/10/77: Sacramento, CA
12/2/77: Foothill Farms, Sacramento, CA
1/28/78: Sacramento, CA
2/2/78: Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, CA
3/18/78: Stockton, San Joaquin, CA
4/14/78: South Sacramento, Sacramento, CA
6/5/78: Modesto, Stanislaus, CA
6/7/78: Univeristy of California Davis, Yolo, CA
6/23/78: Modesto, Stanislaus, CA
6/24/78: Rivendell, Yolo, CA
7/6/78: Davis, Yolo, CA
10/7/78: Concord, Contra Costa, CA
10/13/78: Concord, Contra Costa, CA
10/28/78: San Ramon, Contra Costa, CA
11/4/78: San Jose, Santa Clara, CA
12/2/78: San Jose, Santa Clara, CA
12/9/78: Danville, Contra Costa, CA
12/18/78: San Ramon, Contra Costa, CA
3/20/79: Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, CA
4/4/79: Fremont, Alameda, CA
6/2/79: Walnut Creek, Contra Costa, CA
6/11/79: Danville, Contra Costa, CA
6/25/79: Walnut Creek, Contra Costa, CA
7/5/79: Danville, Contra Costa, CA
All in all, there have been about 51 crimes linked to the East Area Rapist.
In July 1979, EAR activity suddenly ceases. Beginning in October 1979, criminal activity starts up around Santa Barbara County in Southern California. The criminal linked to this activity soon became known as the Original Night Stalker (Night Stalker was already taken by Richard Ramirez); it wasn't until decades later that these crimes were linked to the East Area Rapist and then became known as EARONS.
October 1, 1979: an intruder broke into a home in Goleta, CA. He tied up the victims, a young couple. They became even more alarmed when the intruder began to talk to himself, saying "I'll kill 'em" repeatedly. The couple attempted to escape, which scared off the intruder. He fled the scene on a bike. Luckily, the couple's neighbor was an FBI agent who heard the commotion and pursues the intruder. The intruder escapes.Original Night Stalker Victims:
December 30, 1979: 44 year old Dr. Robert Offerman and 35 year old Dr. Debra Manning were shot dead at Dr. Offerman's home in Goleta, CA. When the victims were discovered, it appeared as though both
had been tied up but Dr. Offerman had managed to escape his bindings. It looks as though he attempted to charge his attacker but was shot in his attempt. Upon questioning, neighbors reported hearing gunshots but no one called the police at the time of the crime. It also appears as though the attacker ate leftover turkey out of the fridge while he was in the home. Paw prints from a large dog were found near the scene, leading police to believe that the killer brought a dog with him. The killer also stole a neighbor's bike as he was leaving; the bike was later recovered.
Dr. Robert Offerman and Dr. Debra Manning
March 13, 1980: 33 year old Charlene Smith and 43 year old Lyman Smith were found murdered in their home in Ventura, CA. Lyman was set to be appointed as a Judge. Both had been bludgeoned to death by a log from their fireplace after being bound by drapery cords. The cords were tied into a very specific knot known as a Chinese knot or diamond knot, earning the killer the nickname of the Diamond Knot Killer. This knot had also been seen at EAR crimes. There was evidence that Charlene had been raped.
Lyman and Charlene Smith
source: reddit.com
Diamond Knot
August 19, 1980: 27 year old Patrice Harrington and 24 year old Keith Harrington were found bludgeoned to death in their home in Dana Point, CA. There was evidence that Patrice had been raped. There was also evidence that they had been bound but no ligatures were found at the scene. Bruce Harrington, Keith's brother, was devastated by this crime & would later spend nearly $2 million supporting CA Prop 69 to help bring justice for his brother.
Keith and Patrice Harrington
source: truecrimearticles.com
February 6, 1981: 28 year old Manuela Witthuhn was found murdered in her home in Irvine, CA. There was evidence of rape and ligature but nothing was found at the crime scene. It is believed that she was bludgeoned to death in the home and then moved to the backyard to attempt to make it look like a botched robbery. The killer took a lamp and a crystal knickknack with him. Manuela's husband was in the hospital recuperating from an illness at the time of the murder, luckily for him.
Manuela Witthuhn
source: thequesterfiles.com
July 27, 1981: 35 year old Cheri Domingo and 27 year old Gregory Sanchez were murdered in Goleta, CA. Cheri was temporarily staying in the home, which was located just a few blocks away from the Offerman-Manning murder. Gregory was found with a bullet wound in his cheek, though this wound was not fatal. He was not bound. His cause of death was determined to be bludgeoning from a garden tool found at the home. Neighbors later reported (once again) hearing a gunshot but did not call the police at the time of the crime. Police believe that Gregory recognized the attacker as the same one from the Offerman-Manning murder and attempted to fight him off. Cheri was also found bludgeoned to death. There was evidence that she had been raped and bound, though no ligatures were found at the scene. One piece of twine was found near Cheri's body and numerous unknown fibers were found on her body.
Cheri Domingo and Gregory Sanchez
source: defrostingcoldcases.com
May 4, 1986: 18 year old Janelle Cruz was found raped and bludgeoned to death in her home in Irvine, CA. The murder weapon was believed to be a pipe wrench.
Janelle Cruz
source: thequesterfiles.com
As you can see, there is a large gap in time between the Domingo-Sanchez murders and the Cruz murder. At this time, very little is known about why there was such a gap and what EARONS might have been doing during this time.
In total, it is believed that EARONS/Golden State Killer is responsible for 13 murders, 125 burglaries, 2 attempted murders, and more than 50 sexual assaults.
source: fbi.gov
Law enforcement was able to come up with both a physical and psychological profile for the suspect beginning with EAR and later with ONS. Of course, we now know that Joseph DeAngelo has been arrested as the prime suspect but they didn't know any of this at the time when these profiles were developed. Knowing what we do now, we can see that there are many similar characteristics between this profiled subject and DeAngelo.
Known and probable physical characteristics:
White Male
Type A Blood
Physically Agile
Slender
Appx. 5'10" tall
Size 9-9.5 shoe size
Does not secrete antigens in sperm
18-25 years old @ time of crimes (60-75 years old in 2018)
Blond/Light Brown Hair
Blue/light-colored Eyes
Small/smaller than average penis
Psychological characteristics from 2012:
Possibly works in construction based on paint chips found @ scenes
Good physical condition
Engaged in sex with prostitutes
Dressed well & would blend in
Criminal record as a teenager that was expunged
Some knowledge of police investigative techniques
Skilled cat burgular
Emotional age of around 26-30 years old @ time of murders
Had sexual fetishes
Intense, "brutal" sex in his personal life
Lived/worked near Ventura, CA in 1980
Sexually functional
Can ejaculate with both consenting & non-consenting partners
Had a job but did not work in the early morning hours
Intelligent
Articulate
Self-assured and confident
Hated Women
Likely started out as a "peeping tom" in his teenage years
Neat
Well-organized
Drives a well-maintained vehicle
If married, wife is submissive and tolerates sexual preferences
Peeped into windows of many potential victims
Possibly unmarried & not committed to long-term relationships
Arrogant
Domineering
Manipulative
Chronic Liar
Will continue committing crimes until caught or killed
Might have been incarcerated starting in 1986
Slight possibility that might have committed suicide
Could have moved to another country to continue crimes
If you've been following the blog, then you know by now that these psychopaths like to get attention for their crimes. BTK and Zodiac are both infamous for writing letters to law enforcement to taunt them and flaunt their own invincibility. Well, EARONS is no different. He contacted law enforcement and past victims throughout his spree.
March 18, 1977: the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department receives 3 phone calls. The caller claims to be the East Area Rapist. None of these calls were recorded. The first two calls ended with the caller laughing and hanging up. The third & final call was different. The caller said "I'm the East Side Rapist and I have my next victim already stalked and you guys can't catch me." He kept his word and attacked victim #16 that evening.
December 2, 1977: Sacramento Police receive a phone call from a caller claiming to be EAR. The caller said "You're never gonna catch me, East Area Rapist, you dumb fuckers, I'm gonna fuck again tonight. Careful!" He again kept his word and attacked that evening. This call was recorded and was later released to the public.
December 9, 1977: a past victim received a phone call from her attacker who wanted to wish her a Merry Christmas. Heartwarming.
December 10, 1977: the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department and the City of Sacramento Police Department each receive phone calls around 10 pm. The caller states that he is going to attack again tonight on Watt Avenue. Police patrols were increased due to this threat. A suspicious figure was spotted by law enforcement twice that evening but eluded capture. These calls were recorded and were soon tied to the same caller as previous calls.
December 11, 1977: a poem is received by local media and the Sacramento Mayor's Office from someone claiming to be the EAR. It is believed that EAR wrote this poem following his close calls the night before:
'Excitement's Crave'
All those mortal's surviving birth / Upon facing maturity,
Take inventory of their worth / To prevailing society.
Choosing values becomes a task; / Oneself must seek satisfaction.
The selected route will unmask / Character when plans take action.
Accepting some work to perform / At fixed pay, but promise for more,
Is a recognized social norm, / As is decorum, seeking lore.
Achieving while others lifting / Should be cause for deserving fame.
Leisure tempts excitement seeking, / What's right and expected seems tame.
"Jessie James" has been seen by all, / And "Son of Sam" has an author.
Others now feel temptations call. / Sacramento should make an offer.
To make a movie of my life / That will pay for my planned exile.
Just now I' d like to add the wife / Of a Mafia lord to my file.
Your East Area Rapist
And deserving pest.
See you in the press or on T.V.
Take inventory of their worth / To prevailing society.
Choosing values becomes a task; / Oneself must seek satisfaction.
The selected route will unmask / Character when plans take action.
Accepting some work to perform / At fixed pay, but promise for more,
Is a recognized social norm, / As is decorum, seeking lore.
Achieving while others lifting / Should be cause for deserving fame.
Leisure tempts excitement seeking, / What's right and expected seems tame.
"Jessie James" has been seen by all, / And "Son of Sam" has an author.
Others now feel temptations call. / Sacramento should make an offer.
To make a movie of my life / That will pay for my planned exile.
Just now I' d like to add the wife / Of a Mafia lord to my file.
Your East Area Rapist
And deserving pest.
See you in the press or on T.V.
January 2, 1978: a young woman receives a phone call asking for Ray; it's allegedly a wrong number call. A second phone call is received later that night and is recorded. The caller says "Gonna kill you...gonna kill you...gonna kill you...bitch...bitch...bitch...bitch...fuckin' whore." This young woman soon becomes the very first known rape victim and is able to identify the voice on the phone call recording as her rapist.
January 6, 1978: a phone call is received by a volunteer at a counseling service. The caller claims to be the EAR and says "I have a problem. I need help because I don't want to do this anymore." The volunteer attempts to talk to the caller but the caller becomes paranoid and accuses the service of tracing his call. He then hangs up.
December 9, 1978: 3 notebook pages are found near a crime scene in Danville, CA. One page was an essay on General George Custer. The second page was a journal entry on a teacher that humiliated the writer. The third page is a hand-drawn map of a neighborhood.
Custer Essay
Front of Journal Entry
Back of Journal Entry
Front of Map
Back of Map with "Punishment" written across it.
1982: a previous victim receives a phone call from her assailant while at work. He threatens to rape her again.
1991: another previous victim receives a phone call from her assailant. She can hear a woman and children in the background. She believes that he has started a family.
2001: an article is ran in local newspapers with the announcement that EAR and ONS have been linked as the same person. A previous victim receives a call from EAR the day after the article is printed who says "Remember when we played?" and then hung up.
Law enforcement remains stumped for decades as to the identity of EARONS. There is very little DNA evidence and no definitive leads on a suspect. In 2016, the FBI publicly releases new sketches of the murderer along with never before released information from the victims. The FBI offers a $50,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest. Leads began pouring in and several suspects were identified.
1. Joe Alsip. Alsip was the business partner and friend of Lyman Smith. Alsip allegedly confessed to the murders in a confessional with his pastor and was at the Smith home the day before the murders. He was arraigned for the murders in 1982 but all charges were dropped after the preliminary hearing. Alsip's pastoral confession is deemed inadmissible. He was also cleared by DNA evidence in 1997.
2. Brett Glasby. Glasby lived in Goleta, CA, making him geographically close to the crime scenes. Glasby was eliminated as a suspect as he was murdered in 1982 which was before the murder of Janelle Cruz.
3. Paul Schneider. Schneider was a career criminal and leader of the Aryan Brotherhood living in Orange County, CA. Schneider was serving an unrelated prison sentence during the 1990s when a DNA sample was taken and he was eliminated as a suspect.
4. Death Row Inmates. A police detective had visited San Quentin State Prison, suspecting that EARONS was already sitting on Death Row. None of the DNA samples collected matched and all were cleared of suspicion.
This is where Joseph DeAngelo comes back into the picture.
Law enforcement uploaded EARON's DNA profile, gathered from an intact rape kit, onto a genomics website. The database was able to identify around 15-20 potential relatives of EARONS based on shared great-great-great grandparents. Law enforcement was able to construct a family tree from this information and soon narrowed in on Joseph DeAngelo. Detectives gathered DNA evidence from DeAngelo from the trash outside of his home and soon definitively linked DeAngelo's DNA to that of EARONS.
He was arrested at his home on April 24, 2018 at age 72. He was living with a daughter and granddaughter at the time of his arrest. His main concern? He had a roast in the oven that he didn't want to burn. He was charged with 8 counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances. On May 10, 2018, he was charged with 4 additional counts of first-degree murder.
This story is still unfolding and more information is coming out about DeAngelo & his life.
We'll all see how this plays out in time.
Here is a really good timeline of EARONS crimes:
Timeline
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