Night Watch: The DNA Break That Finally Exposed the Golden State Killer (Part 3)

Summary

Crime House 24/7 – Night Watch: The DNA Break That Finally Exposed the Golden State Killer (Part 3)

Episode Overview

In the third and final installment of Crime House 24/7’s deep dive into the Golden State Killer case, host Katie Ring recounts how Joseph James DeAngelo’s decades-long reign of terror finally came to an end. This episode tracks DeAngelo’s escalating violence, the decades of investigative frustration, and the ultimate breakthrough using DNA technology and genetic genealogy, culminating in his arrest and conviction. The episode also highlights survivor experiences and the profound impact of the case on criminal justice.

---

Main Case Recap & Timeline

[02:53]
Katie Ring begins with a timeline outlining DeAngelo’s criminal evolution:

• 1973-1976:
  • DeAngelo serves as a police officer in Exeter, California; secretly, he commits ~100 burglaries as “The Visalia Ransacker.”
• 1976-1979:
  • Moves to Auburn and becomes "The East Area Rapist", escalating to sexual assaults, starting with women living alone before targeting couples. He taunts police and victims.
• Dec 2, 1977:
  • DeAngelo calls police:

    “You’re never going to catch me. I’m going to rape again tonight.”
    (Katie Ring, 05:41)

  • Attacks another couple; begins calling and intimidating victims.
• Feb 2, 1978:
  • First double homicide: Brian and Katie Maggiore shot while walking their dog in Rancho Cordova. This deviated from his usual method, leading to speculation that they recognized DeAngelo.
• Late 1970s:
  • Crime expands to Davis, Concord, Walnut Creek, and other Bay Area suburbs. He continues breaking into homes, traumatizing couples, and calling victims to taunt them.

---

Psychological Profile & Behavioral Escalation

[07:20]
Host discusses DeAngelo’s desire for power and control, and his erratic emotional displays during attacks:

• Victims recount him breaking down, crying, and making disturbing statements like:

  “‘I hate you, Bonnie. I hate you... I’m sorry, Mom. Mommy, please help me. I don’t want to do this.’”
  (Katie Ring, 08:06)

  • Psychologists debate: emotional regression, fantasy intrusion, or manipulation?
• Lead prosecutor Tin Ho reveals DeAngelo witnessed his sister’s assault as a child, which some believe influenced his M.O.:

  “He would tie men up so they were helpless while he SA’d the person they cared about the most.”
  (Katie Ring, 08:47)

---

Shift to Southern California & New Moniker

[09:49]

• July 5, 1979: Victims thwart an attack in Danville; the husband confronts DeAngelo directly. Both escape unharmed—the first time this happens.
• After being fired from Auburn PD for shoplifting, DeAngelo relocates.
• Late 1979 onward:
  • A new series of assaults and murders in Southern California as “The Original Night Stalker.”
  • Notoriously brutal:
    • Dec 30, 1979: Dr. Robert Offerman & Dr. Deborah Manning murdered in Goleta.
    • 1980-1981: Multiple couples murdered (the Smiths, the Harringtons, Manuela Whitten, Sherry Domingo, Gregory Sanchez).
    • May 4, 1986: Janelle Cruz, 18, assaulted and killed in Irvine. After this, the attacks stop.

---

Long-Term Investigation & DNA Breakthrough

[15:52]
By the late 1980s, the case is fragmented across jurisdictions. Decades pass with no connections made, despite 100 burglaries, 51 sexual assaults, and 13 murders attributed to the killer.

• DNA Technology Advances
  • 1998: FBI launches Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) to link offenders across the nation.
  • 2001: DNA links East Area Rapist and Original Night Stalker cases to the same suspect, but no CODIS match as DeAngelo’s DNA was never in the system.

[17:47]

• Enter Michelle McNamara, crime writer who reframes and publicizes the case as “The Golden State Killer”:

  “She is credited with keeping the story alive by publishing articles, collaborating with investigators, and pushing for renewed testing and focus...”
  (Katie Ring, 18:36)

• Detective Paul Holes tries a new approach:
  • Genetic genealogy via GEDmatch database.
  • Builds family trees to narrow down suspects. Joseph James DeAngelo emerges as the prime match.

[21:02]

• April 18, 2018: Investigators obtain DNA from DeAngelo’s car door handle.
• Five days later, a discarded tissue provides a match.

  “They finally unlocked the mystery and found the man who had terrorized California and gotten away with it for 45 years.”
  (Katie Ring, 21:30)

• April 24, 2018: DeAngelo is arrested outside his Citrus Heights home, age 72.

---

Arrest, Aftermath & Victim Impact

[24:50]

• The arrest dominates headlines. Survivors experience relief but also resurfacing trauma.

• Margaret Warren Wardlow, DeAngelo’s youngest victim, shares:

  “She was glad that the cruel man whose identity she thought she'd never know, would finally face justice. She also said that she hopes he lives a long and healthy life. Rotting in jail.”
  (Katie Ring, 25:22)

• April 25, 2018: DeAngelo appears in court, “old and frail”; stark contrast to his former power.

• June 29, 2020: DeAngelo pleads guilty to multiple murders and admits dozens of assaults in a deal removing the death penalty.

  • Due to so many victims/families, hearings are held in a university ballroom.
  • Over 100 victim impact statements over several days. Survivors describe lost years, ongoing fear, family trauma, and the odd disconnect of facing an aged predator.

  “This was no longer a story told about them. It was a story told by them.”
  (Katie Ring, 27:31)

• Joseph James DeAngelo is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

---

Reflections on Justice & Legacy

[28:09]

• The case transforms police approaches to cold cases:
  • Accelerates adoption of DNA technology and genetic genealogy.
  • Shows the necessity of interagency cooperation.
  • Most importantly, brings overdue justice to survivors and families.
• Survivors go on to advocate for others or reclaim their lives in privacy, determined not to let DeAngelo define the rest of their stories.

“What united them was the refusal to let d' Angelo define the rest of their lives.”
(Katie Ring, 28:41)

---

Notable Quotes

• “He was responsible for around 100 burglaries, 51 essays and 13 murders. His crimes spanned Northern and Southern California. But this is the story of how he was finally brought to justice.”
  – Katie Ring, [02:53]
• “This was a man who thrived off of power, control and fear.”
  – Katie Ring, [07:44]
• “He would tie men up so they were helpless while he essayed the person they cared about the most.”
  – Katie Ring, [08:47]
• “They finally unlocked the mystery and found the man who had terrorized California and gotten away with it for 45 years.”
  – Katie Ring, [21:30]
• “This was no longer a story told about them. It was a story told by them.”
  – Katie Ring, [27:31]
• “What united them was the refusal to let d' Angelo define the rest of their lives.”
  – Katie Ring, [28:41]

---

Key Timestamps

• [02:53] – Recap: Timeline of DeAngelo’s crimes
• [07:20] – Psychological insights and victim experiences
• [09:49] – End of the Northern California spree and transition to Southern California
• [15:52] – Investigation stalls, then DNA technology advances
• [18:36] – Michelle McNamara’s contribution and new focus on the case
• [21:02] – Genetic genealogy breakthrough and DeAngelo identified
• [24:50] – Arrest, plea, and survivor impact statements
• [28:09] – Conclusion: Justice, legacy, and lessons of the case

---

Tone & Language

The episode maintains Katie Ring’s empathetic, methodical narration. She balances fact with sensitivity, especially when discussing victim experiences and psychological theories. The language is clear, direct, but compassionate, reflecting the podcast’s respect for both the investigative process and those affected by the crimes.

---

This episode provides an engaging, detailed account of how investigative persistence, survivor resilience, media attention, and emerging genetic genealogy finally exposed the Golden State Killer after 45 years, setting new standards for criminal justice.

Transcript

[Vanessa Richardson]

On the Crime House Original podcast, Serial Killers and Murderous Minds, we're diving into the psychology of the world's most complex murder cases.

[Dr. Tristan Ingalls]

From serial killers to cult leaders, deadly exes and spree killers, we're examining not just how they killed, but why.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Is it uncontrollable rage? Overwhelming fear? Or is it something deeper? Serial Killers and Murderous Minds is a Crime House Studios original new episodes drop every Monday and Thursday Friday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.

[Katie Ring]

This is crime house. For 45 years, the Golden State Killer got away with his crimes. He was responsible for around 100 burglaries, 51 essays and 13 murders. His crime spanned Northern and Southern California. But this is the story of how he was finally brought to justice. Welcome to Night watch on Crime House 24 7. I'm your host Katie Ring and together we'll be following the cases making headlines now, where justice is still unfolding. Follow us wherever you are listening and if you want ad free episodes, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts plus subscribe to our YouTube channelightwatchpod. This episode discusses an active criminal case. The information we share is based on what's publicly available at the time of recording and may change as new evidence comes to light. We aim to inform, not to decide guilt or innocence. So everyone mentioned is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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[Katie Ring]

Welcome to the last episode of our three part series on the Golden State Killer. If you haven't watched parts one and two, I highly recommend giving them a listen. But this is a little recap. And as you know, I love a timeline. The first criminal spree connected to Joseph DeAngelo occurred from 1973 to 1976 while he was a cop in Exeter, California. Ironically, he was assigned to the burglary department, so he was investigating his own crimes. Of course, there was never any evidence, and during this time, he got away with around 100 burglaries, and the media gave him his first moniker, the visalia Ransacker. In 1976, DeAngelo moved to Auburn with his family and got a job with the Auburn Police Department. After moving to Auburn, d' Angelo became more bold and started escalating from burglary to essay. At first, he was attacking women who lived alone, but he eventually started targeting couples. The crimes were so horrendous and so sporadic that communities all over the Sacramento area were on edge, sleeping with one eye open, triple checking locks, and guns were even flying off the shelves. During this period, DeAngelo became known as the East Area Rapist. And from 1976 to 1979, he got away with around 40 essays. In the last episode, we got all the way through 1977. This is when D' Angelo started taunting the police. On December 2, 1977, he called the police claiming to be the east area Rapist and said, quote, you're never going to catch me. I'm going to rape again tonight. That same night, another couple was attacked. He also sent a poem to the mayor and started calling his victims. In an interview, one of the lead investigators, Carol Daly, said that this is when she knew he was going to escalate to murder, and she was just waiting for the call. On February 2, 1978, that call came. A young couple had been shot in Rancho Cordova, California. Brian Maggiore was 21 and his wife Katie was 20, and they had been married only a few months. According to reports, they were walking their dog in their neighborhood in the early evening. No one knows exactly what happened or why he targeted the couple, but witnesses later reported seeing them running. Minutes later, Brian and Katie Maggiore were found shot to death in a nearby backyard. Because this was so far off from his normal M.O. and despite investigators believing he would escalate to murder, this crime was treated as an isolated incident. Only decades later did detectives come to believe that DeAngelo was responsible for their murders as well. Investigators still aren't sure why he deviated from his normal methods to murder out in the open. But one theory is that the Maggiores encountered him unexpectedly and potentially recognized him and this theory probably stems from the fact that after these murders, d' Angelo went back to his normal movie of breaking into couples homes and assaulting them. He did not stop offending, but he did expand geographically into Davis, Concord, Walnut Creek, San Ramon and other Bay Area suburbs. But soon, d' Angelo would escalate again and would be given a third name, the original Night Stalker. In the months after Brian and Katie Maggiore were murdered in Rancho Cordova in 1978, attacks continued to plague the Sacramento area and even expanded into Davis, Concord, Walnut Creek, San Ramon and other Bay Area suburbs. From the first recorded crimes in 1973, Joseph DeAngelo slowly escalated from burglaries to SA of single females to attacks of couples. The more crimes he got away with, the more confident he became. He started playing with his victims, many times taking breaks to eat or drink something in their kitchen before continuing the attack. He started taunting the authorities and public officials, and he started calling his victims. This was a man who thrived off of power, control and fear. But there was another detail that kept resurfacing in survivor accounts that felt somewhat out of place. During a home invasion in Davis, a victim reported that the attacker suddenly broke down in tears, started crying into a pillow mid assault, and then erupted into a furious chant. I hate you, Bonnie. I hate you. Across multiple assaults that year, victims described him whimpering like a child, saying things like, I'm sorry, Mom, Mommy, please help me, and I don't want to do this. Watching interviews, even psychologists don't have a definitive answer for this behavior. Some think it could have been emotional regression under stress. Others think it could have been internal fantasy intrusion. And some think it could have been another tactic of him manipulating and taunting his victims. But one thing I found really interesting was that according to the lead prosecutor in this case, Tin Ho, when d' Angelo was a young boy, he witnessed his little sister, who was 8 or 9 at the time, get essayed by two military service members. And he was held down and had to watch that. Again. I'm not a psychologist, but his M.O. somewhat parallels that experience. He would tie men up so they were helpless while he essayed the person they cared about the most. Whatever the cause, it was clear that d' Angelo was obsessed with harming others to gain a sense of power and control. However, in one of his next attacks, that control slipped away. Around 4am on July 5, 1979, Daniel, a couple in Danville, was startled awake and saw a dark figure in their room. The husband jumped out of bed and instead of submitting to the attacker, he yelled and confronted him, giving his wife a chance to run downstairs and yell for help in the street. The husband was also able to run out of the house unharmed, and DeAngelo fled the scene. For the first time, both people were able to escape unharmed. This incident was the last reported attack in Northern California. Shortly after the attack, the careful double life Joseph d' Angelo had maintained for years began to collapse. While working as a police officer In Auburn, California, DeAngelo was caught shoplifting from a local hardware store, stealing dog repellent and a hammer. An internal investigation followed, and in October of that year, DeAngelo was fired from the Auburn Police Department and stripped of that badge and authority he had once used as his cover. Shortly after, DeAngelo and his family relocated. But the violence did not stop. It became even more depraved. By the end of 1979, similar attacks began appearing in Southern California. Couples were targeted in their homes at night. Men were restrained and controlled. Women were essayed. DeAngelo moved through the houses methodically. He bound victims, separated partners, and used threats to maintain control. To the communities experiencing these crimes, the cases seemed local and unrelated. D' Angelo was given yet another moniker, the original Night Stalker. This was another reflection of how disjointed the jurisdictions in California were at the time. But to be fair, each time d' Angelo was given a new name, his MO had changed, and his level of violence had slowly escalated. And it would be years before anyone connected all of these crimes to one man. His first recorded attack in Southern California was in Goleta, a town neighboring the University of California, Santa Barbara, and my old stomping grounds, isla Vista. On October 1, 1979, a couple in Goleta was attacked in their home. The victims were bound, but miraculously, the attack was interrupted when a neighbor heard a noise and both victims survived. This was the second time victims were able to escape, which may have been part of the reason his next crimes would end in murder. On December 30, 1979, Dr. Robert Offerman, a 44 year old orthopedic surgeon, and Dr. Deborah Alexandra Manning, a 35 year old psychologist, were found shot to death inside Offerman's condo in Goleta, California. Both victims were bound, and it appeared as if he had used some of his same tactics as before. And reports later showed that Deborah Manning had been SA'd. This was the first confirmed double homicide in Southern California and the first one that occurred after a home invasion and attack. But despite some of the similarities, the crimes were not connected to the east area rapist, particularly due to the lack of communication between jurisdictions, but also because homicide did not fit his previous MO. Then just months later, on March 13, 1980, Charlene and Lyman Smith were murdered in Ventura County. Lyman was a prominent attorney and public servant, and Charlene was a business owner and mom. Charlene was essayed. And then in a new display of horror, the couple was bludgeoned to death inside of their home. Their brutality shocked the community. But once again, the investigation remained largely local. The killings continued. On August 19, 1980, Patrice and Keith Harrington were murdered in their Laguna Niguel home. On February 26, 1981, Manuela Whitten was essayed and bludgeoned to death in Irvine while her husband was in the hospital. On July 27, 1981, Sherry Domingo and Gregory Sanchez were murdered in Galita. Each case devastated families, each one deep in the sense of terror. And still the suspect remained unnamed. And on May 4, 1986, in Irvine, California, the violence resurfaced one last time. 18 year old Janelle Lisa Cruz's family was out of the country and she was home alone. She was essayed and bludgeoned to death in her bedroom. After that, the attack stopped completely. There was no arrest, no confession, no explanation, and no justice for the victims. By the late 1980s, so many counties throughout California were left with questions. Why did these crimes stop? Did he die? Did he randomly stop? Or was he potentially lying in wait? This was the most unsettling question of all, and one that wouldn't be answered for over 40 years.

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[Katie Ring]

That's nationaldebtrelief.com by the late 1980s, California was left with infamous cases spread across jurisdictions, none of them ever solved, none of them ever connected, and no clear explanation for why the violence stopped. Numerous detectives were left reeling over this case. There were so many questions and so many victims who had never gotten justice. From 1973 to 1986, Joseph DeAngelo was responsible for around 100 burglaries, 51 essays and 13 murders. As the years passed, evidence was boxed and stored. Files were revisited, then shelved again. Detectives retired and new investigators inherited stacks of reports that spanned counties and decades. But the question still lingered. How did someone capable of this level of violence simply vanish? But the investigation never truly stopped, and the mystery of these cases piqued many investigators interested in especially as new advancements in technology, specifically DNA technology, came around. In the 80s, forensic science and DNA testing started to change the way cold cases were approached, and in 1998 the FBI put together the Combined DNA Index System, also known as codis. CODIS is a national database run by the FBI that allows law enforcement agencies to compare DNA from crime scenes to with DNA from known offenders and from other unsolved cases across the country. The system became fully operational at the national level in 1998, which for the first Time made it possible to link crimes that crossed counties and state lines using DNA alone. In 2001, DNA from the east area rapist assaults and the original Night Stalker murders were both entered separately into codis. The DNA was a hit and connected both of these crimes to one suspect. But unfortunately, the crimes couldn't be linked to an actual person because DeAngelo had never been arrested for a qualifying offense. The way CODIS works is that it doesn't contain everyone's DNA. It primarily includes profiles from convicted offenders, some arrestees, and crime scene evidence so the system could connect cases to each other and. But not to him, because his DNA wasn't in the system. DeAngelo's last recorded crime was in 1986. By this time, DNA technology had advanced, and the first criminal conviction using DNA evidence in the US occurred in 1987. Although DeAngelo has never confirmed or denied this, some believe that this might have been the reason why he stopped. Being able to connect these cases to a single offender was a huge breakthrough. But unfortunately, when his DNA did not show up in the system, they hit another dead end. But there were a few people who would not let the case fade into the background. One of them was crime writer Michelle McNamara. She was not a detective and did not work for law enforcement. But what she did bring to the case was attention. She studied timelines and interviewed survivors and investigators. She visited crime scenes, connected patterns, and reframe the case as one person who committed countless crimes and terrorized California. Instead of three different offenders committing disconnected crimes. Michelle believed that one way to bring more attention to this cold case was to give it a catchy name. One single name that became an umbrella for all of the crimes he had committed and finally captured the scope of what he had done. She landed on the name the Golden State Killer. And although Michelle's work did not solve the case, it helped bring attention to the case. And attention means renewed interest from the public, which in turn means new resources and funds allocated to solving the cold case to satisfy the public. She is credited with keeping the story alive by publishing articles, collaborating with investigators, and pushing for renewed testing and focus, eventually writing a book titled I'll Be Gone in the dark. McNamara died suddenly in 2016, two years before the Golden State Killer was arrested. She never saw the case resolved, but her work helped carry it forward to the moment when technology finally caught up. Another person who took an interest in this case was a cold case detective named Paul Holes. With the advancement in DNA technology, he thought he would give it a shot and see what he could do. He looked again at the DNA that had been entered in POTUS to see if there were any matches. That DNA database has around 18 million profiles in it, but still there was no hit. He felt defeated. But he then learned about a new technique that would change the trajectory of how cold cases were solved. It is called genetic genealogy. Genetic genealogy is an investigative method that uses DNA in a different way than traditional law enforcement databases. Instead of looking for an exact match to a known offender, investigators compare crime scene DNA to public genealogy databases to find distant relatives of an unknown suspect. By building family trees and narrowing those relatives by age, location, and opportunity, incident investigators can gradually identify a person who fits the profile, even if that individual has never been arrested and their DNA has never been collected. Certain websites, like 23andMe, are mostly not available to law enforcement, But a website called GEDmatch was. Paul created an undercover profile with the killer's DNA and entered it into GEDmatch. After painstakingly searching through the data, identifying distant relatives, building family trees, narrowing possibilities, and cross referencing age and location, they narrowed it down to five potential suspects who had California connections and were the right age. They researched each one of them to see who these individuals were and if they had any characteristics that would compel investigators to look at them closer. One of the five suspects was a man named Joseph James DeAngelo. He fit the profile perfectly, was living in Sacramento, and was the right age to commit the crimes. DeAngelo was a former police officer who had once worked burglary cases. He was a husband, a father of three daughters, and a grandfather. He had been living quietly in a town called Citrus Heights in the greater Sacramento area. To neighbors, he was unremarkable, someone who completely blended in. Although armed with the DNA connection and his identity, investigators did not rush to arrest d'. Angelo. They watched and followed his routines, observed his movements, and waited for a moment when they could legally collect discarded DNA. On April 18, 2018, detectives pulled a DNA sample from his door handle outside of a Hobby lobby. Five days later, they grabbed a discarded tissue from his garbage, and it was a match. They finally unlocked the mystery and found the man who had terrorized California and gotten away with it for 45 years. On April 24, 2018, Joseph James DeAngelo was arrested outside of his home in Citrus Heights. He was 72 years old. For survivors and investigators that had dedicated years of their lives to this case, the news was surreal. The man that had destroyed so many people's lives may finally be brought to justice.

[Vanessa Richardson]

What drives a person to kill? Is it uncontrollable rage? Overwhelming fear? Unbearable jealousy? Or is it something deeper, something in the darkest corners of our psyche?

[Dr. Tristan Ingalls]

Every Monday and Thursday, the Crime House Original Podcast Serial Killers and Murderous Minds dives deep into the minds of history's most chilling murderers. From infamous serial killers to ruthless cult leaders, deadly exes and terrifying spree killers. I'm Dr. Tristan Ingalls, a licensed forensic psychologist. Along with Vanessa Richardson's immersive storytelling full of high stakes twists and turns, in every episode of Serial Killers and Murderous Minds, I'll be providing expert analysis of the people involved, not just how they killed, but why.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Serial Killers and Murderous Minds is a Crime House Studios Original new episodes drop every Monday and Thursday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.

[Katie Ring]

When Joseph James DeAngelo was arrested on April 24, 2018, word spread rapidly. The case dominated most headlines in the country, and media and social media were covering the case extensively. For survivors and family members, the moment was accompanied with waves of emotions. Some felt hope, others felt like past traumas were brought back up to the surface. But most of them felt a sense of relief. He was found and he would finally be brought to justice. In interviews, DeAngelo's youngest victim, Margaret Warren Wardlow, described the relief and validation she felt when the long unsolved case was finally tied to a suspect. She was glad that the cruel man whose identity she thought she'd never know, would finally face justice. She also said that she hopes he lives a long and healthy life. Rotting in jail when D' Angelo appeared in court for the first time on April 25, 2018, the man who overpowered so many women and men looked old and frail. Many survivors described a sort of disconnect between the predator who had attacked them and this old, weak man who was hunched over. And although it had been decades since they were attacked and left with no answers, they were glad he was finally paying for what he did to them. And although he looked different and significantly older, the evidence was undeniable. Investigators believe that between 1973 and 1986, he committed more than 100 burglaries, at least 51 essays, and at least 13 murders across California. On June 29, 2020, after years of pre trial proceedings, Joseph James DeAngelo agreed to a plea deal. He pleaded guilty to the 13 murders and admitted responsibility for dozens of essays. In exchange, prosecutors removed the death penalty from consideration. One of the craziest parts about this case is that due to the sheer number of victims and family members who were affected by his crimes, and wished to attend the hearing and give victim impact statements. They had to move the hearing from the courthouse to a ballroom at Sacramento State University. Because DeAngelo's crimes spanned decades and dozens of victims across multiple counties, more than 100 survivors and family members were eligible to participate. In August of 2020, the court heard victim impact statements for multiple days. Survivors and family members stepped forward. Some spoke calmly. Some spoke with anger. They talked about what was taken from them the years afterward, panic attacks, strained marriages, and children raised in homes where fear was always present. One of the most striking elements of this sentencing was the sense of connection through shared trauma and how many people were affected by these crimes. Survivors sat together and many of them met for the first time in person. This was no longer a story told about them. It was a story told by them. Joseph James d' Angelo was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Golden State Killer case reshaped how law enforcement approached cold cases. It accelerated the use of DNA technology and legitimized genetic genealogy. It reinforced the need for interagency cooperation. And most importantly, it brought one of the most prolific criminals in California and US History to justice. In the years that followed, survivors continued to build lives beyond the case. Some became advocates, others chose privacy. But what united them was the refusal to let d' Angelo define the rest of their lives. What did you think of tonight's case? Drop your thoughts and theories in the comments. See you next time. If you haven't already, make sure to follow us wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe to our YouTube channel at NightWatchPod. Your support means everything.

[Vanessa Richardson]

What drives a person to murder? Find out from a licensed forensic psychologist on Serial killers and Murders Murderous Minds A Crime House Original Podcast New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.