Joseph James DeAngelo, Jr., is a 72-year-old California man who is accused of being the notorious Golden State Killer/East Area Rapist. DeAngelo has been charged with two counts of murder. However, the infamous serial killer is said to have committed 13 homicides, between 45 and 51 rapes, and numerous home burglaries between 1973 and 1986, according to the co-author of the book I’ll Be Gone In The Dark. DeAngelo was arrested Tuesday afternoon and then booked into jail on Wednesday morning at about 2:30 A.M for the murders of Lyman and Charlene Smith.
According to authorities, DNA-testing led to the arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo, Jr. He has been arrested on eight counts of capital murder, including crimes stemming from 1980, specifically the murders of Lyman and Charlene Smith. They are just two of 12 suspected murder victims of the East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer (who is also suspected of committing between 45-51 rapes).
DeAngelo is currently charged with eight murders and more charges are expected. His arrest was related to the 1980 cold case murders of Lyman and Charlene Smith. He was soon charged in Sacramento County with the 1978 murders of Brian Maggiore and his wife, Katie. He is also facing four counts of murder in Orange County relating to the killing of Patrice Harrington, Manuela Witthuhn and Janelle Cruz. More charges are expected since the Golden State Killer has committed at least 13 known murders during his crime spree from 1975 to 1986.
Who Is Joseph James DeAngelo Jr.?
The Sun – screenshot
Joseph James DeAngelo has been charged with eight counts of capital murder He was arrested in the afternoon of April 24, after DNA evidence linked him to the murders.
“It is very possible that he was committing the crimes while he was a police officer, but we’re unsure if he did those while on the job,” Sheriff Scott Jones said during a press conference.
Exeter Police Chief John Hall told CNN reporters, “It is absolutely shocking that someone can commit such heinous crimes, and finding out someone in a position of trust could betray that is absolutely unbelievable.”
The Auburn Police Department released a statement that said they will “do everything within its power to support this investigation and any prosecution that follows. We will pull out all the stops for our Sacramento-area law enforcement partners in this horrific and historic case.”
DeAngelo is a former Navy officer, Vietnam War veteran, as well as a former California policeman who lost his job after being arrested for shoplifting a hammer and a can of dog repellent at a Sacramento drug store, according to an archived article that was later posted on Twitter by Billy Jensen. DeAngelo had been a police officer from 1973 to 1979. During the time of the (shoplifting) arrest, DeAngelo worked as an officer in Auburn, California.
According to a 1973 newspaper article from The Exeter Sun, a 27-year-old DeAngelo was hired as a police officer in Exeter in August ’73. The newspaper also states that he is a native of Bath, New York, as well as a veteran of the Vietnam War. Regarding his educational background, DeAngelo graduated from Folsom Senior High School in June 1964. He then received his associates with honors in political science at Sierra College. He also attended California State University, where he received a degree in criminal justice, with a specialization in criminal law.
Before setting off for the police department in Auburn, DeAngelo interned with the Roseville Police Department, and was stationed with the patrol, identification and investigation divisions.
It isn’t publicly known when DeAngelo made the move from the Exeter to Auburn police departments. However, it is clear that DeAngelo lost his job as an officer following the shoplifting arrest, according to a 1979 newspaper report by the Auburn Journal.
“Auburn City Manager Jack Sausser said DeAngelo failed to answer any of the city’s investigations and did not request an administrative hearing so was dismissed Monday,” according to the Auburn Journal. Sausser said to reporters, “There was justifiable grounds to remove him from the public sector.” Auburn Police Chief Nick Willick said, “It is very important that the community have the utmost trust and faith in its officers’ integrity; when this trust and faith has been compromised, officers can no longer effectively function in the community.”
When you read the suspect was once arrested for shoplifting “dog repellant and a hammer” in Sacramento. #goldenstatekiller #michellemcnamara #IllBeGoneInTheDark pic.twitter.com/KjWDbwIboH
— Billy Jensen (@Billyjensen) April 25, 2018
The shoplifting-related arrest occurred on July 21, 1979, at the Pay N’Save Store off Greenback Lane in Citrus Heights.
“Dog repellant. Hammer. And refuses a hearing after shoplifting charge. Just took his punishment and left the force so no one would look deeper,” said Billy Jensen on Twitter.
Sketch of #EastAreaRapist aka #GoldenStateKiller on the right, suspect Joseph James DeAngelo Jr (in the late 1970s) on the left. What do you think?
Source: https://t.co/QaUlsjrzUw pic.twitter.com/pO5aKN5zi4— 💀Crime by the Bar Podcast🍸 (@crimebythebar) April 25, 2018
He was found guilty for shoplifting on October 31, 1979, and sentenced to six months probation and a $100 fine. He tried to appeal his firing, but later dropped the appeal as he was found guilty in criminal court.
More Important Info About Joesph James DeAngelo Jr.
U.S. Navy
According to a 1967 California newspaper archive, DeAngelo served in the U.S. Navy as a damage controlman 2nd class on the USS Canberra, and was “expected to dock at San Diego … following service on the gun line off North Vietnam.”
DeAngelo completed basic training in 1964. However, the navy has not confirmed any information regarding his service.
According to the F.B.I.’s Most Wanted Page, profilers for the East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer believe that the killer had military experience. “He may have had an interest in the military, or had some military training, leaving him familiar and proficient with firearms,” according to the F.B.I.’s page.
Another archived newspaper article reveals that DeAngelo had been engaged to be married in 1970, but did not end up marrying that woman. He ended up marrying a different woman in 1973 by the name of Sharon Marie Huddle, an attorney. Huddle and DeAngelo divorced in 1991, according to Fox 40. Public records also suggest that DeAngelo has a daughter who is in her 30s and has two children. DeAngelo reportedly has three children altogether.
One of DeAngelo’s neighbors spoke with the Sacramento Bee and told the paper that “Joe” lived with his daughter and granddaughter. The neighbor, Cory Harvey, said that DeAngelo spoke with her recently and said that he had retired two weeks ago. Harvey reportedly was looking forward to retiring for a long time and going fishing. It’s not yet know what was DeAngelo’s most recent occupation.
DeAngelo’s brother-in-law, James Huddle, told Oxygen.com, “Oh my goodness. Wow. I’ll have to process this,” after he found out about DeAngelo’s arrest. He remarked that DeAngelo was a “good father” to his three daughters. Huddle also said that DeAngelo was interested in guns and ammunition.
“He actually asked me about it once. He said, ‘What do you think of that East Area Rapist? What would you do, Jim?’” Huddle told Oyxgen. “(The case) was a big deal at the time. We were all concerned about our families.”
Huddle also said that DeAngelo was into “normal hobbies” such as fishing, modeling airplanes, as well as “guns and reloading ammunition.” He said that he didn’t notice anything unusual or sinister about the man now accused of being the Golden State Killer/East Area Rapist.
How Did Police Link Joseph James DeAngelo To The Crimes Of The Golden State Killer?
Sacramento Sheriff’s Office
According to Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, DNA evidence linked Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. to the murders of Lyman and Charlene Smith. The break in the case reportedly came through during the last six days as a result of DNA-testing conducted in the Sacramento County Crime Lab.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Grippi told the Sacramento Bee that investigators from the prosecuter’s office and the crime lab observed “online family trees that appeared to have matches to DNA samples from the East Area Rapist’s crimes … They then followed clues to individuals in the family trees to determine whether they were potential suspects.”
To make sure that the DNA matched, authorities collected a second “more robust sample,” according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Grippi. Test results came back Monday night and warrants were sent out for DeAngelo’s arrest. He was taken into custody without incident on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 25, 2018. He was booked into jail at 2:30 A.M. Wednesday morning.
According to NBC Los Angeles, a public tip helped lead authorities to the arrest after renewed attention was placed on the case. In 2016, a $50,000 reward was offered to the public, 40 years after the first murder, for any information leading to the capture of the Golden State Killer.
According to Sheriff Scott Jones, police had been conducting surveillance on DeAngelo after obtaining DNA that confirmed his identity as the suspect. He was taken into custody without incident on the morning of Wednesday, April 25, 2018.
