10 Foul Details Surrounding The Golden State Killer, Who Evaded Capture 40 Years

6 /10 Serial Killer

His first recorded murder victims were a Sacramento couple, Brian Maggiore and Katie Maggiore, on a February night in 1978.

In 1979, he moved to southern California, killing his victims by gunshots or bludgeoning.

Although his first attack was on a Santa Barbra couple that proved futile, he committed many more murders across various Southern California counties.  

Of his victims were 18-year old Janelle Lisa Cruz, whom he also raped, 28-year-old Manuela Witthuhn, Charlene and Lyman Smith, and others.

Due to his murders, he earned the nickname the Night Stalker, which later became the Original Night Stalker.

5 /10 Serial Rapist

In 1976, DeAngelo moved to Sacramento and focused his rapes on Sacramento’s Eastside (hence the alias, East Side Rapist).

His targets were single women who lived alone or with their children before moving on to attacking couples.

He was known to tie up and gag his victims, threatening them with firearms while he went ahead to rape the females repeatedly. He also ate in his victims’ homes, drank their beer, and ransacked their homes for weapons and cash.

4 /10 Serial Burglar

With about 120 burglaries across California, it will not be exaggerated to say that DeAngelo was a serial burglar, which earned him the nickname Visalia Ransacker.

His first recorded burglary happened in March 1974, where he stole a sum of money from a piggy-bank.  

Since then, he had gone ahead to break-into many homes, perpetuating his theft by scaling fences, prying windows open, and likes. Although he wasn’t charged for these crimes… once a burglar, always a burglar, yes?

3 /10 A Case For DeAngelo's Actions?

Just like some serial killers who are masters at hiding their dark side from their family and friends, DeAngelo was able to successfully lead his family into thinking he was the husband, brother, father, uncle, and grandfather he posed to be.

One of his nieces even ascribed her knowledge of riding a bike to him. 

According to his sister, DeAngelo suffered abuse at his father’s hands while growing up, which could have triggered a chain reaction that resulted in his becoming a killer in his adult years.

Is daddy to be blamed, though? We leave that to the behavioral experts to answer.

2 /10 Jerry Did It

Sometimes we wonder what has to happen for an average individual to turn into a sadistic serial killer and rapist suddenly.

Where did it go wrong? According to DeAngelo, Jerry, his alter ego made him commit the terrible things he did. Another theory is that the breakup with his ex-fiancée – Bonnie – could have triggered the crimes.  

But whatever the case, DeAngelo was a person who did many bad things and hurt many innocent people. According to prosecutors, this desire for torture and murder was experimented on animals in his teenage years.

1 /10 Justice At Last?

DeAngelo was confronted at his trial by some of his rape victims and the loved ones of people he murdered.

And although he feels sorry now about the things he did, these people will have to live with the memories, the scars, and the hurt from the pain he inflicted.

And while his victims will never have their lives remain the same, we can say that justice was done at last, and the man behind the crimes is now behind bars. 

While the Golden State Killer is now securely behind bars, there might still be many like him out there lurking around, searching for their next victims. So do well to guard yourself against such predators and always trust your instinct.