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Joseph James DeAngelo

Also known as: Golden State Killer, East Area Rapist, Original Night Stalker, Visalia Ransacker

Active

1974–1986

Region

California, USA

Status

Pleaded guilty

Victims

13

Joseph James DeAngelo, a former police officer, committed at least 13 murders, more than 50 rapes and well over 100 burglaries across California between 1974 and 1986, moving from Visalia to the Sacramento area, the East Bay, and Southern California. The case went unsolved for decades until investigators in 2018 compared crime-scene DNA with profiles on the genealogy site GEDmatch, built family trees from a relative's match, and confirmed the link with DNA he discarded. He was arrested at his Citrus Heights home on April 24, 2018, pleaded guilty to 13 murders and 13 kidnapping-related charges in June 2020, and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Victims

We remember the people whose lives were taken.

• Claude Snelling, 45 · September 11, 1975
• Brian Maggiore, 21 · February 2, 1978
• Katie Maggiore, 20 · February 2, 1978
• Robert Offerman, 44 · December 30, 1979
• Debra Alexandra Manning, 35 · December 30, 1979
• Lyman Smith, 43 · March 13, 1980
• Charlene Smith, 33 · March 13, 1980
• Keith Harrington, 24 · August 19, 1980
• Patrice Harrington, · August 19, 1980

  Sources differ on her age (27 or 28).

• Manuela Witthuhn, 28 · February 1981
• Cheri Domingo, 35 · July 27, 1981
• Gregory Sanchez, 27 · July 27, 1981
• Janelle Cruz, 18 · May 1986

  Sources differ on whether she was killed on May 4 or May 5, 1986.

Timeline of locations

1. May 1973
   Exeter Police Department (Workplace, approximate area)

   DeAngelo worked as a police officer in Exeter, in Tulare County, from May 1973 to August 1976.

2. March 19, 1974
   Visalia Ransacker burglaries (Other, approximate area)

   More than 100 burglaries in and around Visalia in 1974 and 1975, attributed to the "Visalia Ransacker", were later linked to DeAngelo.

3. September 11, 1975
   Snelling home (Visalia) (Crime scene, approximate area)

   Claude Snelling was shot and killed at his home in Visalia.

4. June 18, 1976
   East Area Rapist attacks (Sacramento County) (Other, approximate area)

   As the "East Area Rapist", DeAngelo committed dozens of attacks in Sacramento County, centred on Carmichael, Citrus Heights and Rancho Cordova.

5. August 1976
   Auburn Police Department (Workplace, approximate area)

   DeAngelo was an Auburn police officer from August 1976 until he was fired in 1979 after a shoplifting arrest.

6. September 6, 1977
   Attacks in Stockton and Modesto (Other, approximate area)

   Attacks in Stockton and Modesto in 1977 and 1978 were also linked to the East Area Rapist.

7. February 2, 1978
   Maggiore shooting (Rancho Cordova) (Crime scene, approximate area)

   Brian and Katie Maggiore were shot and killed while walking their dog in the Rancho Cordova area.

8. October 7, 1978
   Attacks in Contra Costa County (East Bay) (Other, approximate area)

   From late 1978 to mid-1979 attacks shifted to East Bay communities including Concord, Walnut Creek, San Ramon and Danville.

9. December 30, 1979
   Offerman home (Goleta) (Crime scene, approximate area)

   Robert Offerman and Debra Manning, both doctors, were shot and killed in his Goleta condominium.

10. 1980
    DeAngelo's home (Citrus Heights) (Killer's residence, approximate area)

    DeAngelo and his wife bought a house in the Sacramento suburb of Citrus Heights in 1980. He was living there when he was arrested.

11. March 13, 1980
    Smith home (Ventura) (Crime scene, approximate area)

    Lyman and Charlene Smith were killed in their Ventura home. DNA from this case was later used in the genealogy search that identified DeAngelo.

12. August 19, 1980
    Harrington home (Dana Point) (Crime scene, approximate area)

    Keith and Patrice Harrington were killed in their Dana Point home.

13. February 1981
    Witthuhn home (Irvine) (Crime scene, approximate area)

    Manuela Witthuhn was killed in her Irvine home in early February 1981.

14. July 27, 1981
    Domingo home (Goleta) (Crime scene, approximate area)

    Cheri Domingo and Gregory Sanchez were killed in a house in Goleta.

15. May 1986
    Cruz home (Irvine) (Crime scene, approximate area)

    Janelle Cruz was killed in her family's Irvine home while her family was away. She was his last known murder victim.

16. 1990
    Save Mart distribution center (Roseville) (Workplace, approximate area)

    DeAngelo worked as a truck mechanic at a Save Mart Supermarkets distribution center in Roseville from 1990 until he retired in 2017.

17. April 24, 2018
    Arrest at his Citrus Heights home (Arrest, approximate area)

    After a genealogy-site match to a relative and DNA collected from items he discarded, Sacramento County sheriff's deputies arrested DeAngelo outside his home.

18. June 29, 2020
    University Union ballroom, Sacramento State (Court / trial)

    Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the court held its hearings in a makeshift courtroom in the University Union ballroom. DeAngelo pleaded guilty there on June 29, 2020, and was sentenced on August 21, 2020, to consecutive life terms without parole.

19. November 2020
    North Kern State Prison (Prison)

    DeAngelo was transferred to North Kern State Prison in Delano in November 2020.

20. February 2025
    California State Prison, Corcoran (Prison)

    As of February 2025, DeAngelo was held in protective custody at California State Prison, Corcoran.

Sources

• Joseph James DeAngelo (Wikipedia)
• Golden State Killer suspect pleads guilty in hearing at Sac State (The State Hornet)
• Golden State Killer sentenced to life without parole in historic hearing at Sac State (The State Hornet)
• Golden State Killer pleads guilty to 13 murders, including 4 OC slayings (FOX 11 Los Angeles)
• DNA testing and the suspected Golden State Killer (NBC Bay Area)
• Suspected Golden State Killer known to neighbors as quiet suburban homeowner (CBS News)

Each location also lists its own sources in the data file.