True Crime Vault: Golden State Killer

Summary

True Crime Vault: Golden State Killer – Detailed Summary

Introduction to the Golden State Killer

"20/20" delves deep into one of America's most infamous cold cases—the Golden State Killer. This episode chronicles the harrowing journey from the initial assaults in the 1970s to the eventual arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo in 2018. Hosted by Elizabeth Vargas and David Muir, with investigative reporting by Whit Johnson, the episode underscores the relentless pursuit of justice over four decades.

The Reign of Terror Begins

The story unfolds in 1976 in Citrus Heights, Sacramento, where 30-year-old Jane Carson becomes the fifth victim of a meticulously brutal serial rapist. Jane recounts her terrifying experience:

Elizabeth Vargas [03:25]: "He told us with clenched teeth, shut up or I'll kill you."

Jane's life, seemingly ordinary as a nursing student and mother, is shattered in minutes. Her attacker exhibited a chilling modus operandi (M.O.): wearing a ski mask, gagging victims, tying them up with shoelaces, and methodically inflicting fear by tearing sheets or towels to heighten the terror.

Escalation and Community Fear

Over the next few years, the East Area Rapist's crimes escalate, spreading beyond Sacramento to neighboring cities like Stockton, Modesto, Davis, Concord, and San Ramon. The community grappled with mounting fear as attacks continued unabated:

Whit Johnson [04:33]: "It was a completely devastating story of predatory evil connected to the psyche of the town in a way I've never seen before."

Public safety initiatives included community forums urging residents to defend themselves, leading to a surge in gun sales despite police warnings about the potential dangers of increased weapon ownership.

Investigation Challenges

Detective Carol Daley and her team faced immense challenges due to the rapist's cunning and lack of physical clues. The perpetrator's knowledge of law enforcement tactics suggested a possible background in the police or military. Victims provided varying descriptions, making it difficult to pinpoint the suspect. Notably, the rapist's frequent threat:

Elizabeth Vargas [15:00]: "He had some significant female in his life named Bonnie, and he had some anger against what Bonnie had done to him."

The investigation hit a deadlock until forensic advancements provided a glimmer of hope.

Breakthrough with DNA and Genetic Genealogy

The turning point came with the preservation of semen samples from victims, which remained untouched for decades. In the mid-1990s, DNA technology began to link cases, but it wasn't until the advent of genetic genealogy that the case saw a significant breakthrough. Cece Moore, a genetic genealogist, and Detective Paul Holes pioneered the use of platforms like GEDmatch to trace the killer's lineage.

Whit Johnson [24:47]: "I created an undercover account and I just uploaded the Golden State Killer's profile and allowed the GEDmatch servers to do their magic."

This meticulous process narrowed the suspect list to Joseph James DeAngelo, a former police officer with a history that matched the rapist's profile.

Arrest and Identification of Joseph James DeAngelo

In April 2018, after decades of relentless pursuit, DeAngelo was finally apprehended in his Sacramento suburb. He was discovered living a seemingly normal life, working at a grocery distribution center and raising a family. His arrest sent shockwaves through the community:

Elizabeth Vargas [30:22]: "And I just was shaking everywhere, just shaking like the adrenaline just flood."

DeAngelo's background as a former police officer provided him with the skills to evade capture for years, blending seamlessly into society.

Aftermath and Ongoing Questions

While DeAngelo faced multiple murder charges, the statute of limitations prevented prosecution for his numerous rapes. The episode raises poignant questions about the extent of his crimes and why his spree suddenly ended in 1986. Experts suggest factors like aging or a pivotal event, such as a confrontation that scared him, may have contributed to his cessation.

Brad Garrett: "If you're psychopathic, you're psychopathic and you're going to take that to your grave."

Victims’ Stories and Advocacy

The episode highlights the resilience of survivors like Jane Carson, who transformed her trauma into advocacy. Jane emphasizes the importance of remembering victims over the perpetrator:

Elizabeth Vargas [42:55]: "I want people to remember the victims. You know, everybody's going to be talking about the rapist, but the victims are the most important part of this story."

Survivors speak out about their experiences, advocating for support systems and advancements in forensic science to aid future investigations.

Conclusion: A Game Changer in Law Enforcement

The Golden State Killer case stands as a testament to the power of perseverance and technological advancements in solving cold cases. The integration of genetic genealogy revolutionized criminal investigations, offering a roadmap to capturing elusive criminals. As Elizabeth Vargas poignantly notes, the key to solving such cases often lies in the dedication to remember and honor the victims.

Elizabeth Vargas [40:53]: "No matter how cold your case is, it's not hopeless."

The episode concludes with a reflection on the enduring impact of the Golden State Killer case on law enforcement and the pursuit of justice.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Elizabeth Vargas [00:52]: "He told us with clenched teeth, shut up or I'll kill you."
• Whit Johnson [04:33]: "It was a completely devastating story of predatory evil connected to the psyche of the town in a way I've never seen before."
• Whit Johnson [24:47]: "I created an undercover account and I just uploaded the Golden State Killer's profile and allowed the GEDmatch servers to do their magic."
• Elizabeth Vargas [30:22]: "And I just was shaking everywhere, just shaking like the adrenaline just flood."
• Elizabeth Vargas [42:55]: "I want people to remember the victims. You know, everybody's going to be talking about the rapist, but the victims are the most important part of this story."

Final Thoughts

"True Crime Vault: Golden State Killer" serves as a compelling narrative of fear, resilience, and the unyielding quest for justice. It underscores the profound impact of community solidarity and the transformative role of forensic innovations in overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Transcript

[David Muir]

This episode is brought to you by Lifelock. During tax season, your personal info travels to a lot of places between payroll.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Your tax consultant and the IRS.

[David Muir]

If your W2 gets exposed, that's just the ticket for identity thieves. That's why LifeLock monitors millions of data points every second. If your identity is stolen, they'll fix it, guaranteed or your money back. Don't let identity thieves take you for a ride. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit lifelock.com podcast terms apply. Welcome to the 2020 True Crime Vault, where heart stopping headlines come to life.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Hello. Hello. He told us with clenched teeth, shut up or I'll kill you. Sorry, it's just, you know, finding out what she went through.

[David Muir]

Tonight on 20 20, the so called Golden State Killer, a 40 year old cold case. Back in the news tonight, the police.

[Whit Johnson]

Are saying, lock up. Is this my last moment alive?

[Elizabeth Vargas]

He wanted fear. He wanted to see fear in me. Hands tied, legs tied. He'd say, shut up, shut up, shut up. One of the most notorious and elusive serial killers in American history. He's a pro.

[David Muir]

Nobody even knows what he looks like.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

He was like a puff of smoke in the night. We have his DNA. We just need a name to go with this DNA.

[David Muir]

Tonight.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

We have one. I think they got him.

[David Muir]

Now we're taking you inside the epic manhunt.

[Whit Johnson]

We have a master suspect name list.

[David Muir]

Of 8,000 names honing in on his MO. He would balance plates on many of his victims.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

That was his thing, you know, if he hears the plates rattle, he's gonna come back.

[David Muir]

And how they developed a profile from the bizarre details. What was he saying?

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Mommy, Mommy, I don't want to do this anymore. Why am I doing this?

[Whit Johnson]

I have talked to victims who said he called them in the 90s and said, I'm coming back.

[David Muir]

Now. How an obsessed detective and his team.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

And a tiny DNA sample almost forgotten in cold for four decades, led to last week's arrest.

[Whit Johnson]

Finally, I got to see the face of the man that I've been hunting for 24 years.

[David Muir]

And you won't believe the man authorities.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Say is behind the mask. I'm Elizabeth Vargas.

[David Muir]

And I'm David Muir. And this is 20 20. And ABC's Whit Johnson tonight reporting this hour. He's been on this story from the start.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

And he begins tonight with the words from an author who spent much of her life obsessed with this case. Control was this offender's chosen language. It was in the bindings. The blitz attacks. He ruled in the houses. He sneaked into a static Mask imposing horror. Tuesday, October 5th, 1976. It was about 6:30 in the morning. My husband had just left for work. My 3 year old son hopped in bed with me for a snuggle. Within one to two minutes I saw a flashlight shining down the hall and I screamed out to my husband, what have you forgotten? Next thing I knew I looked up and there was a man shining this flashlight in my eyes with a ski mask on, holding a large butcher knife. He told us with clenched teeth, shut up or I'll kill you.

[David Muir]

She would soon become victim number five. But before that terrifying morning, she was simply Jane Carson, a 30 year old nursing student at Cal State Sacramento, living with her Air Force pilot husband and their young son in the suburb of Citrus Heights.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Life was very good back then, just a normal routine. Getting up in the morning, taking my son to daycare. Then I would go to school, come home, fix dinner.

[David Muir]

That month's number one song was Chicago's if youf Leave Me Now. If you leave me now, you'll take.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Away the biggest part of me.

[David Muir]

Rocky was due to hit theaters. A new president, Jimmy Carter was on the cusp of election and Sacramento was still an up and coming capital city with a small town feel.

[Whit Johnson]

It was a sleepy town.

[David Muir]

Friendly, safe.

[Whit Johnson]

People didn't lock their doors.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

You could park your car in the driveway and you could leave it unlocked. You could leave the keys in it.

[Whit Johnson]

And you didn't worry about your safety. That was until 1976.

[David Muir]

For Jane, her once secure home would soon become her prison.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

The next thing is, he gags us, blindfolds us, he ties us up with shoelaces. He started ripping sheets or towels, I'm not sure, but it was very methodical and it was very slow.

[Whit Johnson]

That tearing sound, he's doing that purposefully because he knows the victims can hear that.

[David Muir]

He wanted to inflict absolute fear and.

[Whit Johnson]

Suffering in these victims and that was his primary goal.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

His next move was to move my son. This is where the fear really took place. My heart was pounding through my chest and I just prayed, Dear Lord, please, please let my son be safe. And he came around and he untied my ankles. I wasn't paying attention to the rape. I was paying attention to what had he done with my son. After the assault, her son is put back in bed with her. I feel his body and then I was relieved. And then he said, don't move or I'll come back and kill you. Then he goes into the kitchen and he starts rattling pots and pans. It's like he's cooking something. And I went, wow, this is really off the wall. This is really weird, strange.

[David Muir]

When her attacker finally leaves, the sun is rising. Jane and her little boy still bound in bed. Then she breaks free.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

And when I got my blindfold down, would you believe that my 3 year old was asleep? That was God's protection for that child.

[David Muir]

Carol Daley, a detective with the Sacramento Sheriff's Department, was one of the first on scene.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

By the time our patrol officer got in the area and started looking for him, he was nowhere around, nowhere close. No.

[David Muir]

There had been four similar attacks in Sacramento in recent months. At what point point did you realize you had a serial rapist on your.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Hands with Jane Carson? When we looked back and realized she was number five of similar rapes.

[David Muir]

In each case, the Same meticulous, petrifying M.O.

[Whit Johnson]

He always had a mask on, he always had gloves on. Sometimes he would break into the house the night before. Part of that is probably to figure out the layout of the house.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

He would be in there anywhere from one to three hours. In the assault, they could hear him going into the kitchen. He would eat food, he would drink a beer.

[David Muir]

This was about power for this guy. This was not about sex. He's thinking to himself, I'm king here and I'm just going to relish that feeling. So he would just make himself at.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Home, knowing that he had the victim secured.

[Whit Johnson]

He would find their wallet. He would take their driver's license. He'd say, I know where you live. I know who you are.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

He took rings off from the victim, take some of the jewelry, anything that would be a memento for him to look back and say, that was my.

[Whit Johnson]

Victim and he's simply driving a stake through people's psyche.

[David Muir]

After Jane's attack, there are three more rapes just that month. Police have been keeping them quiet, certain they would soon solve the case. But public safety was at risk and rumors had begun to spread.

[Whit Johnson]

It was almost like wind through the trees. Everybody knew something was going on, but nobody knew exactly what.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

The sheriff decided that we would hold community forums. If you are going to defend yourself, you must injure your attacker. I had no idea there were going to be several hundred people that would show up. Concern over rape is mounting in this community. I live alone and I would like to learn how to protect myself.

[David Muir]

I imagine a lot of women in.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

The area are scared and are nervous.

[David Muir]

Terror gripping the city. Residents desperate to protect themselves from a madman now dubbed the East Area Rapist. People in these quiet East Bay suburbs have wondered and worried, wondered about why the police can't catch the rapist and worried about their own homes being violated.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Locks were flying off the hardware shelves. Felt like it's getting too close to home. I put locks on my doors, peepholed in. Just last week, gun sales soared.

[Whit Johnson]

They just want to protect themselves and protect their families.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

I have a gun, but I still don't feel safe being, you know, at home alone every day. In the newspaper, it was number eight, it was number 10, it was number 15, 20, 28, 30. You know, it just kept going on and on and on.

[David Muir]

This map of the area showed the rapist's brazen ability to strike wherever and whenever he wanted. This particular rape happened within one block of another rape. The initial attacks are on women home alone or with their children. But then the east area rapist shifts his target to couples.

[Whit Johnson]

It tells me that this guy has the self confidence in his abilities to be able to go into a house with the threat of this male present and take control.

[David Muir]

One of the town meetings addresses the new development.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

A man stood up and said, I don't believe somebody could be raped. If a man was in the house.

[David Muir]

What happened to him?

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Well, several months later, he and his wife were victims of the hysteria rapist.

[David Muir]

It's chilling to think that this guy said, oh, yeah, really? You think you can protect your wife? And then he attacked them.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

I believe the rapist was in that room and followed him home.

[Whit Johnson]

It's a completely devastating story of predatory evil connected to the psyche of the town in a way I've never seen before.

[David Muir]

Until he's caught, this area will continue to live in fear.

[Whit Johnson]

This one man could change a city.

[David Muir]

Next.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

I was fortunate that I was number five because after my rape, he became much more aggressive. As time went by, we felt that our next call was going to be to a homicide.

[David Muir]

Stay with us. The IRS is the most powerful collection agency in the world. And with the April 15 deadline fast approaching, enforcement is in full swing. If you have back taxes or unfiled returns, time is running out. Waiting isn't just risky, it could cost you big. Let the experts at Tax Network USA handle it all for you. Take control before the IRS does. The experts at Tax Network USA have helped clients resolve over $1 billion in tax debt using proven strategies that work in your favor. Whether you owe $10,000 or $10,000,000, why wait? Our top attorneys and negotiators can stop IRS harassment, protect your assets, and get you the best possible resolution. Your first consultation is free. Stop the threatening letters. End the sleepless nights. Protect yourself from bank levies and property seizures is right around the corner. Call 1-800-958-1000 or visit tnusa.com 20today. That's tnusa.com 20. The IRS won't wait. Neither should you.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Oh, sheet, honey, chill. It's just laundry. Not that I'm talking about these Arm and Hammer Power sheets.

[David Muir]

All the power of Arm and Hammer.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Laundry detergent in a convenient tossable sheet.

[David Muir]

Oh, geez.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

That's what I'm saying. And Arm and Hammer power sheets deliver.

[David Muir]

An effective clean at a great price.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Think of all the laundry we'll do and all the money we'll save. Oh, sheet, arm and Hammer. More power to you. The majority of violent fantasizers never act. What makes the ones who do cross over? The daydreamer steps out of his trance and into a stranger's house. Every time the East Area Rapist strikes in a new city, the police switchboard lights up.

[David Muir]

Crocker Police Department. We're getting an awful lot of calls.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Some people even turning in their neighbors.

[Whit Johnson]

Because they think he might be the rapist.

[David Muir]

It's the fall of 1977. Sacramento, California is under siege. A violent serial rapist on the prowl. With this guy, the next rape could be anywhere.

[Whit Johnson]

This guy was a menace. He was striking time and time again. The fact that they couldn't catch this guy just ignited the city in fear.

[David Muir]

A lot of people are buying guns.

[Whit Johnson]

The cops say that's a bad idea.

[David Muir]

Noting the weapons are a bigger danger than the rapist. This spunky 13 year old named Margaret Wardlow couldn't get enough of those headlines.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

It really piqued my interest. Like what was making this guy tick? Why was he doing this? Anything that she could read or hear about on TV of the East Area Rapist, she was just intrigued by it.

[David Muir]

Thursday, November 10th. It's a school night. Margaret goes to bed early.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

I was awoken about 2:30 in the morning with a flashlight in my face. And I knew at that moment, this is the East Area Rapist.

[David Muir]

Most likely Margaret's mother, tied up in the next room, the rapist stacking plates on her back.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

He did that with so many of the victims. When there was more than one person.

[David Muir]

In the house, why would he stack the plates?

[Elizabeth Vargas]

So if he heard anybody moving, he was right back and told them, don't move. Don't move. I'm going to kill you. I'll kill you.

[David Muir]

Like an alarm system?

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Yes, like an alarm system. The whole time he'd been threatening me, he'd been saying, do you want to die? And I answered him very clearly, saying, I don't care.

[David Muir]

He said, I'm going to kill you. And you told the serial rapist, I don't care.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

I knew by telling him this, he most likely would leave sooner than later. He wasn't getting what he wanted. He wanted fear. He wanted to see fear in me. Margaret was probably the strongest young victim I have ever talked to.

[David Muir]

She was victim number 27. But the attacks continued to escalate, now spreading to neighboring cities. He moved on to Stockton, Modesto and Davis.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

He surfaced in Concord and San Ramon.

[David Muir]

Then two nights ago, he hit Fremont, the east area rapist, taunting his victims even further with chilling phone calls.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Hello, Arpit got to kill you. He would say things like, remember the fun we had? And sometimes it was just heavy breathing, but they knew it was him.

[David Muir]

How long after the fact would he make these calls?

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Sometimes it was within a week, and sometimes it was years later.

[David Muir]

So it was as if as soon as a victim started to get comfortable, he would circle back and try to prolong the fear and suffering.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

He did everything he could to make sure that he tormented them for the rest of their life. The infamous masked man made his 44th attack.

[Whit Johnson]

Our biggest problems are in being able to clearly identify a suspect.

[David Muir]

What did he look like as far as what the victims were saying?

[Elizabeth Vargas]

5, 10, 180. We thought he had lighter brown hair.

[Whit Johnson]

Eye color was sometimes dark, sometimes light. Some said he had a strange smell.

[David Muir]

Did the victims give a description that was unique about him?

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Most of the victims described him as having a very small penis.

[David Muir]

Detective Carol daly says they thoroughly checked out all leads.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

There was not a stone left unturned in trying to identify this rapist, and we didn't have any luck there.

[David Muir]

Authorities canvassed neighborhoods, surveilling at all hours. They even brought out canines. All those resources, and yet you still couldn't catch him.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

No, we didn't catch him.

[David Muir]

There were few physical clues left behind, But a blood sample showed the east area rapist had a rare genetic condition that would eliminate 85% of the population.

[Whit Johnson]

They would bring a cloth out of a little kit, and you would chew it so they would get your saliva.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

We went to UPS briefings and delivery people just volunteered officers because at one time, everybody thought it could be a cop.

[David Muir]

Was there a point in time when there were clues that maybe he was former law enforcement or military?

[Whit Johnson]

In attack number three, they're confronted with this man. He's got a mask on, he's got a T shirt on, and he's got a gun in one hand and a padded baton in another hand, and he says, freeze or I'll shoot. When you look at his tactics, he definitely had an understanding of how law enforcement would respond to this type of attack. He understood how law enforcement would investigate that.

[David Muir]

Well, he was definitely good at getting away with it.

[Whit Johnson]

He was very good at getting away with it.

[David Muir]

And there is something else striking. The east area rapist reportedly said during one of his assaults. A name.

[Whit Johnson]

He is sobbing and saying, I hate you, Bonnie. I hate you, Bonnie, over and over.

[David Muir]

What was the significance of that?

[Whit Johnson]

That he had some significant female in his life named Bonnie, and he had some anger against what Bonnie had done to him. And he's taken that anger out on this victim that he's raping.

[David Muir]

The only thing we really know about.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

The east area rapist is that he's a pro. He's been at this for four years.

[David Muir]

Now, and still nobody even knows what he looks like.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

We felt that our next call was going to be to a homicide. We really felt he was ready to kill.

[David Muir]

Suddenly, the spree of sex assaults stopped abruptly in 1979. With no rhyme or reason. What investigators didn't know was their biggest fear had come true. The rapist re emerging in Southern California. Now a killer.

[Whit Johnson]

It can happen to you, and it.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Apparently can happen without reason or motive.

[David Muir]

Ten murders in succession, earning him the nickname original night stalker. Among the victims, prominent attorney Lyman Smith and his wife Charlene. Daughter Jennifer was just 18 at the time.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

He was bigger than life. He loved to laugh. Charlene was vivacious, musical, loved to cook. She had a flair for style.

[Whit Johnson]

They had been bludgeoned in the head with a log that had been collected from a wood pile outside the house.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

It was horrible to think you're blindfolded, your hands are bound, they're behind your back.

[Whit Johnson]

So Arlene's body was. Was processed for sexual assault evidence and semen was found.

[David Muir]

Police preserved that semen sample from Charlene Smith's rape kit. It would take 17 years to match the killer's DNA to the DNA collected at three other murder scenes.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

So they worked them independently for many, many, many years. It wasn't till the advent of DNA technology in the mid-90s that they were able to link a crime.

[David Muir]

Then, four years later, in a stunning development, authorities are finally able to connect the original night stalker to the east area rapist. This serial offender was probably one of the most prolific, certainly in California, possibly within the United States. Your serial rapist in Northern California was The same serial killer they were dealing with in Southern California. How significant was that development?

[Whit Johnson]

Holy smokes. This is like the big break. Because they got more insight. 50 cases worth of investigation.

[David Muir]

Now they know the rapist and the killer are one man. A 10 year crime spree spanning 500 miles. At least 12 murders and 50 rapes, investigators say. Now rebranded as the Golden State Killer.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

We have his DNA. We just need a name to go with this DNA.

[David Muir]

How? A genetic roadmap led investigators to an alleged criminal mastermind.

[Whit Johnson]

The DNA came back and it's looking like it's him.

[David Muir]

Next.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Your data is like gold to hackers. They're selling your passwords, bank details and private messages. McAfee helps stop them. Secure VPN keeps your online activity private. AI powered text scam detector spots phishing attempts instantly. And with award winning antivirus, you get top tier hacker protection. Plus, you'll get up to $2 million in identity theft coverage. All for just $39.99 for your first year. Visit McAfee.com, cancel anytime terms apply. Now streaming on Hulu.

[David Muir]

It's a serial killer case.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

He's the Dahmer you've never heard of. I definitely felt the presence of evil. But did he act alone?

[David Muir]

Now? Finally, not many people live to tell about their involvement with the serial killer. The one man who helped break the case. Never before a face to face interview with the camera. Why now?

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Let me ask you, what do you think? Am I the evil, evil culprit? The accomplice?

[David Muir]

I'd like to know how the audience views me. The Fox Hollow murders.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Playground of a serial killer.

[David Muir]

Now streaming on Hulu 2020 continues with to Catch a Killer.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

It was a power play, a signal of ubiquity. I am both nowhere and everywhere. You may not think I have something in common with your neighbor, but you do. Me.

[David Muir]

Despite the discovery of a DNA link among his many vicious crimes, the man known as the original Night Stalker would elude investigators for decades. How frustrating was that at the time? To have the DNA but not have a name or a face to go with it? I mean, it's frustrating. The clue that would unlock the mystery of the Golden State serial killer for police was hidden inside that 1980 murder of Lyman Smith and his wife Charlene.

[Whit Johnson]

I'd arrive at the scene with my.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Little suitcase, a tube rack and dry ice and a microscope.

[David Muir]

Pathologist Dr. Peter Speth investigated the Smith case when the use of rape kits was in its earliest stages. Speth had an unusual methodology.

[Whit Johnson]

I always made duplicate kits and Both kits were identical. To my knowledge, there are no other.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Medical examiners who make duplicate rape kits.

[David Muir]

Speth's decision to make two kits would prove prophetic.

[Whit Johnson]

That turned out to be a gold mine for us because that second kit had sat in the coroner's possession for 38 years untouched. And so these swabs collected from Charlene Smith's body were pristine.

[David Muir]

For years, those pristine swabs languished in an evidence room past rows of case files. The DNA of the man who authorities say killed 12 people and raped 50 sat undisturbed in a freezer for almost four decades. Police were sitting on a genetic fingerprint, waiting for the science to catch up. Little did they know that years later, a brave new world of genetic genealogy would begin to flourish. Ancestry.com searches the world's largest online family history resource. Now everyone looking to find their family roots or a long lost relative could spit into a test tube and compare it to millions of other samples.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

About 2009, this new type of DNA to use for genealogy was introduced and it's become a huge industry.

[David Muir]

Cece Moore, a genetic genealogist, helped pioneer the use of DNA to help build family trees and has helped thousands find long lost relatives.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

You're a mom.

[David Muir]

Oh, give me a hug.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Adoptees and people with unknown parentage started coming to me and asking me to identify the their birth parents.

[David Muir]

But law enforcement was slow to realize its power until Detective Paul Holes started to wonder, could this genetic genealogy create a roadmap to a serial killer?

[Whit Johnson]

I started watching these PhDs, these genetic genealogists, explain the technology. And I was like, that looks interesting.

[David Muir]

Holes went back to that freezer and took the killer's DNA information and uploaded it onto a no frills genealogy website called GEDmatch. How did you plant the mystery DNA of that unknown attacker into the website?

[Whit Johnson]

I created an undercover account and I just uploaded the Golden State killer's profile and allowed the GEDmatch servers to do their magic and produce the list of people that potentially shared some DNA with my offender.

[David Muir]

Why did investigators choose GEDmatch?

[Elizabeth Vargas]

It's a public database. The largest databases, 23andMe and AncestryDNA, only accepted saliva samples. And so you have to spit in that tube, create quite a bit of saliva. So you can't get that from a crime scene biological sample.

[David Muir]

And remember, investigators had that DNA from a 1980 crime scene rape kit to work with. So investigators, even if they wanted to, they didn't have the ability to submit a sample on something like ancestry or 23andMe.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

That's correct. And those companies have purposely tried to make that difficult because they don't want law enforcement using their databases for these purposes.

[David Muir]

GEDmatch says they were not approached by law enforcement. Their policy statement says users should expect their information will be shared with other users. And despite the GEDmatch database being significantly smaller than 23andMe and Ancestry.com, detective Holes got lucky.

[Whit Johnson]

I got a list of individuals that shared DNA with the offender on the order, roughly, of third cousins to fourth cousins.

[David Muir]

Holes spent months building out family trees, working with a team of investigators, including a genetic genealogist. They pored over obituaries, grave site locators, census records, and DNA databases to begin a process of elimination. In the end of this painstaking process, narrowing down, sifting through the family tree, how many people did you end up with in your final group?

[Whit Johnson]

We start looking at his geographic profile and seeing that he has a Sacramento area connection and a Southern California area connection. We're evaluating these people that were of the right age, they were of the right physical size, that we knew our offender to be somebody who's roughly 5, 8, 5, 10, 160, 80 pounds. We had settled on roughly 5.

[David Muir]

How do you narrow in on Joseph D'Angelo?

[Whit Johnson]

We started focusing on Joe D'Angelo because he looked better than the remainder.

[David Muir]

But still, at that point, he wasn't a prime suspect, was he?

[Whit Johnson]

No. In fact, he was just somebody who. Who rose to the level, as many people have. It wasn't anybody thinking this is the guy.

[David Muir]

To narrow the focus, police knew they needed to get fresh DNA from DeAngelo to match against that 1980 sample. How did they get the DNA from him?

[Whit Johnson]

By a surveillance team that watched him for days. And when he went to a public location, he discarded some of his DNA at that public location that was then collected.

[David Muir]

Learning new details about the arrest of the suspected Golden State Killer case with.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Help from genealogy websites.

[David Muir]

Years and years later, a genealogy site. Paul Holes retired in March after nearly three decades chasing the killer, but was so driven, he was still actively working the case. Where were you when you got the news?

[Whit Johnson]

I was outside a restaurant in Colorado. I received a call from the Sacramento DA's office, and they told me, don't say a word. But the DNA came back, and it's looking like it's him.

[David Muir]

When we come back. How did the man accused of being one of the most notorious criminals in American history blend into his neighborhood, his workplace, for over 40 years?

[Elizabeth Vargas]

He's been right here the whole time. Under all of our noses. Living his life. Most violent criminals smash through life like human sledgehammers. They're caught easily. But every so often, a blue moon surfaces. A snow leopard slinks by. The reason that he has evaded capture for so long is that he's so evidence savvy.

[David Muir]

After an hour and a half, it.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Was over and he fled without a trace. It was like he knew every step that law enforcement was doing all along with this guy.

[David Muir]

The next rape could be anywhere.

[Whit Johnson]

In my estimation, he's the most prolific.

[David Muir]

Major crime.

[Whit Johnson]

Perpetrator maybe in American history.

[David Muir]

It's April 25, 2018. Police say they now have the Golden State killer in custody. 42 years after the Golden State Killer commits his first crime, a break in the case drops like a bombshell.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Thousands of nightmares and thousands of sleepless nights have come to arrest.

[David Muir]

The man accused of being one of the most violent serial criminals in American history is found hiding in plain sight.

[Whit Johnson]

Finally, I got to see the face of the man that I've been hunting for 24 years.

[David Muir]

He's 72 year old Joseph James DeAngelo, that former police officer who authorities say went on a reign of terror for so many years.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

And I just was shaking everywhere, just shaking like the adrenaline just flood.

[David Muir]

The Vietnam War veteran is discovered living in this sleepy Sacramento suburb. Living just a few hours away from you.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Can you say the balls involved in being right here under all of our noses? He's been right here the whole time living his Life.

[David Muir]

Authorities say DeAngelo was tinkering on a woodworking project in his garage when investigators took him into custody. He really said was that he had a roast in the oven. Joe D'Angelo appeared to live a quiet and normal life, working 27 years at this grocery distribution center fixing trucks before retiring last year. He was married to a local attorney, the couple raising three daughters before reportedly separating in 1991. Were you surprised to learn that Joseph D'Angelo was a father, a grandfather, family man?

[Whit Johnson]

I wasn't because I had predicted that he likely would just be blending in.

[David Muir]

It was a different story for some of his neighbors, who say the man who kept a meticulous front lawn also had an explosive temper.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

He would go into a yelling tirade.

[Whit Johnson]

Not sure who he was yelling at.

[David Muir]

A lot of four letter curse words. He'd accuse us kids here of spying on him in the backyard. He was paranoid at times. Grant Gorman, who lived in the house directly behind DeAndre, says his neighbor once left his family an anonymous but threatening voicemail. And it said if you don't shut that dog up, I'll deliver a load of death. Perhaps the most alarming of revelations, that D'Angelo at one point had actually been a police officer. In 1973, he was working in Exeter, California.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Well, I don't think anybody really got to know the guy.

[David Muir]

Ferrell Ward says he worked patrol with D'Angelo for three years.

[Whit Johnson]

And I told him he was over educated. So why would he want to stay in Exeter?

[Elizabeth Vargas]

He should be an FBI.

[David Muir]

It was while he was a police officer. Authorities allege DeAngelo's reign of terror begins.

[Whit Johnson]

Now that we've identified D'Angelo and he was a law enforcement officer, then it's like, well, sure, he's been through the academy. He's been working on the force. He understands all that, and he's used using that to his advantage to commit these attacks.

[David Muir]

By then, he had moved north, working here at the Auburn Police Department outside Sacramento.

[Whit Johnson]

He had a nickname on the department.

[David Muir]

It was Junk Food Joey. Junk Food Joey, yes. What was that about?

[Whit Johnson]

He would always have a Coke in his hand, a bag of chips, a candy bar.

[David Muir]

At times, DeAngelo's behavior made his colleagues uncomfortable.

[Whit Johnson]

When he talked to you, he'd get kind of close to your face and always be touching you. I remember one time I told him, because I said, you know, Joe, my mother doesn't touch me as much as you do.

[David Muir]

How did he respond to that?

[Whit Johnson]

He got his feelings hurt.

[David Muir]

Nick Willock fired DeAngelo in 1979 for stealing dog repellent and a hammer from a local hardware store, saying DeAngelo later filed a lawsuit against the department.

[Whit Johnson]

The investigator told me that Joseph had gone to my house one night to kill me and said that he walked around the house looking in the windows, but couldn't find my bedroom.

[David Muir]

And when you heard that, you thought, what?

[Whit Johnson]

I just never saw him as a person who could, you know, kill somebody.

[David Muir]

But Willick says, looking back, he now remembers something else.

[Whit Johnson]

A short time after he had been fired. I woke up one morning and my daughter said, dad, last night there was someone looking in my bedroom window with a flashlight.

[David Muir]

Did you think that could have been Joseph D'Angelo outside your home?

[Whit Johnson]

No, I did not. I did not.

[David Muir]

There is one more chilling detail that helped investigators target their suspect. Remember that mysterious name, Bonnie? The name one woman told authorities her rapist cried out. Could that hold the clue to the Golden State Killer's rage? You thought this guy had a grudge?

[Whit Johnson]

He had a grudge, and we didn't know. Was Bonnie his Mom, a wife, Ex wife, Girlfriends. We just knew that there was a Bonnie in his life.

[David Muir]

Tell me how Bonnie's name later on helped you zero in on Joseph D'Angelo.

[Whit Johnson]

When we're looking at Joe D'Angelo, we run across a newspaper article of an engagement to a Bonnie back in 1970. So now we have a guy that has a Bonnie in his life and we couldn't find any indication that they ever got married.

[David Muir]

Now, after linking the Golden State Killer to 12 murders and 50 rapes, could there be more surprises for investigators?

[Whit Johnson]

It's possible there's attacks out there that we haven't linked to him.

[David Muir]

When 2020 continues with T Mobile. No, Trendspotter has to deal with Trendspotty service because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network. Switch now keep your phone and T Mobile will pay it off up to $800 per line via prepaid card. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com keepandswitch up to 4 lines of via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service report in 90 plus days device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card is no cash access and expires in six months. 2020 continues with to Catch a Killer. He's been called the east side Rapist, Original Night stalker and the Golden State Killer. Today it's our pleasure to call him defendant. It was the first of likely many appearances before a judge last week as Joseph D'Angelo was rolled into a Sacramento courtroom.

[Whit Johnson]

In custody of D'Angelo.

[David Muir]

The 72 year old appeared sullen and feeble. Barely enough energy to respond to Judge Michael Sweet.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Is Joseph James D'Angelo your true incorrect legal name? I'm sorry. Yes.

[David Muir]

Coughing him to the wheelchair seemed almost pointless. His eyes barely able to stay open as the charges were read.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

I think that he was either tranquilized or it's all an act.

[Whit Johnson]

I don't believe it at all.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Completely fake.

[David Muir]

Thought it was a big show.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Yep.

[Whit Johnson]

This is a physically capable 72 year old man. For him to be in that wheelchair. Based on what was seen in the week prior, he's faking it.

[David Muir]

The week before he was arrested, he was seen riding a motorcycle.

[Whit Johnson]

Yes, he's the ultimate tactician. And now he is employing a strategy to get sympathy. I'm a frail old man.

[David Muir]

So far, DeAngelo's been hit with eight murder charges spread over three counties on this day. Two counts for the 1978 double homicide of Katie and Brian Maggiore. No bail. And a public defender copied the order made for.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

She couldn't speak. She had to lean in. Oh, and touch him to hear his words. When you hear his neighbors, he could be here shouting in anger. Come on, dude, let's make it a fair fight. Let's go. Stand up.

[David Muir]

Frail or not, Deangelo will likely avoid prosecution on the 50 rapes he suspected of.

[Whit Johnson]

He raped a 29 year old housewife.

[David Muir]

There was a knife used and he.

[Whit Johnson]

Was wearing a mask or hood of some sort.

[David Muir]

The statute of limitations has long since expired.

[Whit Johnson]

But there's no statute of limitation on murder. We were talking 40 years, but they found him and now he's going to pay.

[David Muir]

If convicted, he could face the death penalty. But for now, there are unanswered questions about Deangelo's alleged reign of terror. First, could it have been even worse than authorities suspect? And I was wondering, what else had he done?

[Whit Johnson]

Who knows?

[David Muir]

He might have gone to summer camp somewhere. He might have, you know, gone on vacation somewhere. Still, there is much speculation about one big question. Why did the Golden State Killer finally end his years long crime spree?

[Whit Johnson]

What do you think happened in 1981? He ends up going in to kill Gregory Sanchez and Sherry Domingo and he gets in a physical fight with 6 foot 3 Gregory Sanchez. And I think that physical altercation with Sanchez scared him. We don't have an attack for five years, but then he runs across beautiful 19 year old Janelle Cruz and can't help himself and kills her. But at this point, he's an aging offender.

[David Muir]

His testosterone might have gotten lower, he.

[Whit Johnson]

Might have gotten heavier. He wasn't able to jump around the.

[David Muir]

Way he was doing before.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

I always felt he quit because he lost the ability maybe to control, maybe to be as agile and as quick as he used to.

[David Muir]

So he just retired from the killing business?

[Whit Johnson]

I think it's possible, but it's also possible there's attacks out there that we haven't linked to him.

[David Muir]

Even if the killer finally gave up on rape and murder, criminal profilers Mary Ellen O'Toole and ABC News consultant Brad Garrett say it's possible the killer didn't stop in 1986. He just moved on to different crimes or changed his M.O.

[Whit Johnson]

If you're psychopathic, you're psychopathic and you're.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Going to take that to your grave. It is just unbelievable to me that he stopped cold Turkey in 1986 because those urges don't go away.

[David Muir]

Perhaps the biggest unknown. Is it even possible to know what triggered the killer's rampage fantasy drives him.

[Whit Johnson]

And the fantasy get richer.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

And to fulfill whatever excitement, thrill, need.

[Whit Johnson]

Sexual thing he needs, he's got to.

[David Muir]

Bump it up a notch.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

When people have those facades of normalcy around them. Good jobs, good backgrounds with families, they fly under our radar screen far longer than that serial killer that's out there just grabbing people off the street.

[David Muir]

Just yesterday, Deangelo's public defender was back in court.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

You can call my office.

[David Muir]

And failing in her attempt to block investigators from collecting more DNA, fingerprints, and photographs of specific parts of DeAngelo's body. As for Paul Holz, he personally doesn't need any more evidence. Now that you've seen his face after all these years, what do you see in his eyes?

[Whit Johnson]

I saw glimpses of the evil when he had saw a female and his face turned into rage briefly. And I thought, that is the real Joe Deangelo.

[David Muir]

When we return, the sister survivors of the Golden State Killer speak out.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

No matter how cold your case is, it's not hopeless.

[David Muir]

Stay with us.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

Unsolved murders became an obsession. I need to see his face. He loses power when we know his face.

[David Muir]

Michelle McNamara's book ends with a hope that one day a killer would be unmasked. She would have been thrilled. She would have been looking through her files, which is what every investigator is doing now that has been involved with this. Unexpectedly, Michelle passed away in her sleep a little over two years ago, before she could finish her book or see the arrest of Joseph D'Angelo.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

One day soon, you'll hear a car pull up to your curb. You'll hear footsteps coming up your front walk. This is how it ends for you. Open the door. Show us your face. Walk into the light. It's been 42 years. I carried a backpack of feelings of revenge, of hate, of shame for a long time. But I no longer carry that. I don't want them to be remembered.

[David Muir]

For this, but now they might be remembered for perhaps being the link that solved the case.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

The key. The key. This is indeed a game changer, because every law enforcement department in the country, maybe in the world, just realized the power of genetic genealogy. I kept a big binder of information just so I could be able to answer questions over the years. And pretty soon, I can burn it all. It'll be gone.

[David Muir]

What is the most important thing that you want people to remember about this story?

[Elizabeth Vargas]

I want people to remember the victims. You know, everybody's going to be talking about the rapist, but the victims are the most important part of this story.

[David Muir]

Jane Carson is now an advocate for rape survivors like herself, speaking out at rallies like this one last Friday night.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

I have in a hot mess. I have just been on an emotional roller coaster. Gotta make your mess a message. You can't let it destroy your life. Life is too beautiful. What a survivor. We will continue to follow this incredible story. And that's 2024 tonight. I'm Elizabeth Vargas.

[David Muir]

And I'm David Muir. From all of us here at ABC News, thank you for watching. Have a great evening. Good weekend, good night. Thanks for listening to the 2020 True Crime Vault. We hope you'll join us Friday nights at 9 on ABC for all new broadcast episodes.

[Elizabeth Vargas]

See you then.

[David Muir]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. It's Brad Milke, host of ABC's Daily News podcast. Start here. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations.