The Golden State Killer: Who Was Joseph James Deangelo and What Did He Do?
Joseph James DeAngelo aka the Golden State Killer is an American serial killer, serial rapist, and burglar, who is responsible for at least 13 murders, 51 rapes, and 120 burglaries. He operated in the state of California and his terror lasted from the year 1974 to 1986.
Trigger warning: The article discusses death and violence.
Joseph James DeAngelo had several nicknames apart from the Golden State Killer, including Visalia Ransacker, East Area Rapist, East Side Rapist, East Bay Rapist, Creek Bed Killer, Diamond Knot Killer, Original Night Stalker, and EARONS. Born on November 8, 1945, to Kathleen “Kay” Louise DeGroat and Joseph James DeAngelo Sr., he had three siblings. Reportedly, he witnessed her sister’s rape as a child, when their family lived in West Germany.
Furthermore, according to another sister of his, DeAngelo’s father abused him while growing up. He attended Mills Junior High School and Folsom High School also played the school’s junior varsity baseball team. According to prosecutors, even in his teens, Joseph James DeAngelo took part in burglaries and tortured/killed animals.
In 1970, he got engaged to a nursing student named Bonnie Jean Colwell. However, this relationship ended in 1971 after his fiancee accused him of manipulation and abuse. In 1973, he married Sharon Marie Huddle and had three children with her. They remained married until their separation in 1991. Several months after DeAngelo’s arrest in 2018, Sharon filed for divorce, and the court passed it a year later.
In 2020, HBO released a six-part series named I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, that showcased the investigation of this notorious serial killer. Its directors were Liz Garbus, Elizabeth Wolff, Myles Kane, and Josh Koury.
The Golden State Killer: How did Joseph James Deangelo get caught?
According to Forbes, the detectives caught Joseph James Deangelo after following a process called genetic genealogy. In this method, DNA databases and family trees are combined to identify potential suspects.
The process begins with profiling the perpetrator. Investigators collect biological material like blood, hair, skin, or semen for a crime scene and scatter them over a genotyping chip. After this, the investigators search for the suspect’s relatives, build the family tree, and ultimately identify the suspect.
For his crimes, Joseph James Deangelo pled guilty and got the life sentence without parole. Furthermore, he apologized to the family members of his victims. According to ABC News, he stated, “I’ve listened to all your statements. Each one of them. And I’m truly sorry to everyone I have hurt. Thank you, your honor.”
In addition, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said, “I honestly believe that this person — not even a person, this beast — deserved the ultimate punishment of death. But we met with our victims. We knew the age of the case. We knew how long it took to solve. And we knew that this was the right thing to do.”
Furthermore, Spitzer ended his statement by saying, “For the victims whose voices have been stolen and the family members who sadly ran out of time and could not make it here today, I want you to know that there are 13 angels watching us today.”
According to an ABC 10 report, Joseph James Deangelo is currently at an undisclosed prison in California.
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