Patton Oswalt and Michelle McNamara: A Personal and Professional Bond

Patton Oswalt, a well-known comedian and actor, was married to Michelle McNamara, a true crime writer and journalist, from 2005 until her untimely death in 2016. Their relationship was both personal and, in later years, deeply tied to McNamara’s obsessive pursuit of the unidentified serial offender later known as the Golden State Killer. This connection became significant in the context of the case, as Oswalt took on the role of advocate for McNamara’s work after her passing, ensuring her contributions to the investigation gained widespread recognition.

The couple met in the early 2000s and shared a life that included raising their daughter, Alice. While Oswalt built a career in entertainment, McNamara focused on true crime, eventually dedicating much of her life to investigating the series of rapes and murders committed by the East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker. In a 2013 article for Los Angeles Magazine, McNamara coined the term "Golden State Killer," a name that unified the various monikers previously used for the offender and became the widely accepted identifier for Joseph DeAngelo, who was arrested in 2018.

Timeline of Their Connection and McNamara’s Work

McNamara’s investigation into the Golden State Killer began in earnest in the early 2010s, during her marriage to Oswalt. She spent years compiling an extensive database of evidence, collaborating with law enforcement, and connecting with other researchers. Her work was cut short by her sudden death on April 21, 2016, at the age of 46, due to an accidental overdose combined with an undiagnosed heart condition. At the time of her passing, her book, I'll Be Gone in the Dark, was unfinished.

Following her death, Oswalt committed to completing and publishing McNamara’s manuscript. He collaborated with researcher Paul Haynes and journalist Billy Jensen to finalize the book, which was released in February 2018. This publication came just two months before DeAngelo’s arrest on April 24, 2018, a breakthrough achieved through forensic genealogy. Oswalt has since spoken publicly about McNamara’s dedication, emphasizing her role in maintaining public and law enforcement focus on the case during periods when it had gone cold.

Significance to the Golden State Killer Case

The relationship between Oswalt and McNamara holds particular importance in the context of the Golden State Killer investigation due to the posthumous impact of McNamara’s work. I'll Be Gone in the Dark became a bestseller and was later adapted into an HBO documentary series in 2020, significantly renewing public interest in the case. While McNamara did not live to see DeAngelo’s identification and arrest, her efforts in documenting the crimes and advocating for justice are widely credited with keeping the case alive in the public consciousness.

Oswalt’s role as a public figure amplified the reach of McNamara’s findings, ensuring her meticulous research reached a broader audience. Their personal connection, rooted in marriage and mutual support, thus translated into a lasting contribution to the eventual resolution of one of the most notorious cold cases in American history.