Joseph James DeAngelo and Original Night Stalker Murders (1979-1986)
Connection Details
DeAngelo committed at least 13 murders in Southern California from 1979 to 1986.
About the Entities
Joseph James DeAngelo
person
Former California police officer who pleaded guilty in 2020 to 13 murders as the Golden State Killer and was sentenced to life without parole after a 2018 arrest based on genetic genealogy.
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Original Night Stalker Murders (1979-1986)
event
From October 1979 to May 1986, the offender later known as the Original Night Stalker committed at least 13 murders in Southern California, including couples in their homes in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Orange, and other counties. The murders escalated from the Sacramento-area rapes, with the killer now targeting and killing both victims. The connection to the East Area Rapist was not established until 2001, when DNA from the rape cases was matched to DNA from the Southern California murder scenes — finally proving one person was responsible for the entire crime series.
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Related Connections
DeAngelo committed over 100 burglaries as the Visalia Ransacker while serving as a police officer in nearby Exeter.
DeAngelo committed at least 50 sexual assaults across the Sacramento area from 1976 to 1979.
DeAngelo served as an Exeter police officer from 1973-1976, committing crimes while employed in law enforcement.
DeAngelo committed the majority of his sexual assaults in Sacramento-area communities.
DeAngelo pleaded guilty to 13 counts of murder and admitted to the full scope of his crimes.
DeAngelo committed murders across Southern California counties as the Original Night Stalker.
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