The infamous Golden State Killer reportedly wreaked havoc across California in the 1970s and 1980s. However, it took decades before authorities identified a suspect.
In 2018, authorities arrested Joseph DeAngelo, announcing that they had finally caught the Golden State Killer. They put the serial killer on trial, and he pleaded guilty to 13 counts of first-degree murder.
Despite authorities sentencing him to life without parole for killing 13 and raping 50 people, various reports have suggested that DeAngelo is responsible for a much higher number of crimes. He was arrested on April 24, 2018, and is still alive. DeAngelo is currently 77 years old.
Who is the Golden State Killer and where is he now?
Born on November 8, 1945, in Bath, New York, Joseph DeAngelo experienced a troubled childhood. Numerous reports indicate that his father abused him while he was growing up. He enlisted in the United States Navy in September 1964 and actively served for 22 months during the Vietnam War. In 1971, he attended Sacramento State University, earning a degree in criminal justice. After completing his degree, he pursued further police training and ultimately became a police officer.
However, things took a dark turn when his crime spree rocked the entire nation. On June 18, 1976, a man broke into a home in Rancho Cordova, a Sacramento suburb, and assaulted a woman in her home. This incident was the first crime thought to be connected to DeAngelo.
In the beginning, he sought out women who lived alone, but he later started to actively target couples. He would tie up both the partners but would rape the woman. Over the next two years, DeAngelo reportedly carried out 38 attacks in the Sacramento and Stockton areas.
However, his killing spree marked a pause in 1981. Five years later, someone discovered Janelle Cruz, 18, raped and beaten to death in her home. The media mostly forgot about the crimes for many years until TV writer Michelle McNamara started researching and blogging about the Golden State Killer. In April 2018, using new DNA technology, authorities linked Joseph James DeAngelo to the 1978 murders of the Rancho Cordova couple. On August 21, 2020, authorities sentenced DeAngelo to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Although his current whereabouts are unknown, 77-year-old DeAngelo is reportedly still alive.
