Golden State Killer Sentencing Hearing Underway, Victims Speak

ORANGE COUNTY, CA —On Tuesday, victims and family members of California's most notorious murderer and rapist confronted Joseph James DeAngelo with impact statements on how their lives forever changed upon the night of their attacks.

The horror story of DeAngelo's reign of terror played out for all to witness over the past two years. He was known as the East Area Rapist, and the Original Night Stalker in the 1970s. Later, his moniker changed to the Golden State Killer as crime bloggers, and detectives worked to solve the convoluted case of over 50 rapes and 13 murders.

His arrest marked the first time a person publicly arrested through genetic genealogy: DNA traced from a family member to DNA left behind at a crime scene. Since DeAngelo's arrest, over 150 criminal suspects have been identified in the same manner.

During sentencing, his victims and their relatives took the opportunity to disclose how the long shadow of his actions affected their lives. His victims so numerous, it would take three days for them to tell their stories.

DeAngelo, 74, has admitted to the murder of 13 people, including the 1980s murder of Manuela Witthuhn in Irvine, Janelle Cruz, Irvine, and Keith and Patty Harrington of Dana Point.

Along with his murder spree, he also admitted guilt in 161 other crimes, including rapes, robberies, and burglaries, for which he was never charged. The statute of limitations has expired on those crimes, but the profound and lingering impact has never been forgotten.

Victims, whose attacks occurred beyond the statute of limitations, shared their horror of the attacks and the struggle of regaining their lives in the days, months, and years afterward.

Upon learning of DeAngelo's arrest at his Citrus Heights home, emotions were dredged to the surface as his victims realized how close he lived in proximity to their day to day lives.

It was unnerving.

For decades, he lived the illusion of a typical life. DeAngelo had a wife, children, grandchildren. He lived free while his victims and their families lived through their post-traumatic stress in nearby neighborhoods.

Who knows how many times they passed by him in a grocery store or sat behind them at the movies?

Upon each courtroom appointment, DeAngelo appears elderly and infirm, on the arm of his attorney. The relatives of his victims say they "aren't buying it," more than once during Tuesday's impact statements.

Orange County victims and survivors, family members, will have a chance to speak Thursday afternoon.

His sentencing will occur Friday.

Victim statements, Tuesday, Aug. 18:

Was it planned?
On Sept. 4, 1976, DeAngelo attacked and raped "Jane Doe #1."
Patricia Murphy's daughter spoke out on behalf of her mother, attacked while loading laundry into her car. After the attack, and the rapes that came after, she spent the next many years "looking over her shoulder, expecting someone to jump out.

"I wonder why he picked me. Did he come upon me by accident? Was it planned? Did he know where I would be? Would he follow me from now on?"

He and his knife had complete control over me for two hours. I did what I had to do to stay alive. He stole my car and purse, and because of that, I moved out of my apartment so he couldn't find my children or me.

I returned to work with a black eye and swollen nose, and a lump that never disappeared.

"I told people I was mugged. What really happened was a dark secret, save for a few close friends."

Not Jane Doe #22.
Pete Schultz, together with his two daughters, on behalf of his mother, sister, and father, family victim statement:

Schultz referred to DeAngelo as a "Sick monster."

"On Oct. 18, 1976, Joseph DeAngelo entered our home in Carmichael Calif. I was 11-years-old, his sister 5. Both were sleeping with their mother when DeAngelo broke into their home and woke them.

Pete Schultz was tied to the bed, left until his hands turned blue, as DeAngelo "performed horrific acts" upon his mother.

"My mother is not Jane Doe #22," Pete Schultz says. "We are the family of Winnie Schultz, and we have all survived because of her bravery, for doing whatever she could to save her family."

The rape of Winnie Schultz was never charged, but according to her family, she is a survivor. "She had the courage and the bravery to survive that night. It took many years for the family to return to normalcy, he says. Dad slept with a baseball bat. His sister slept under the bed.

Upon describing his mother, Pete Schultz's voice strengthened.
"Winnie is a college graduate, a teacher, a ski instructor, a breast cancer survivor, and a stroke survivor. A wife of 55 years. She raised two children, and has four amazing grandchildren."

The case of Jane Doe #22 was the 7th in Sacramento. Though it was never charged, she added an important piece of evidence.

"My mother told authorities she was certain that DeAngelo had a 'very inadequate penis.'" Schultz says. "DeAngelo stole her wedding ring, jewelry, and $250 that Pete Schultz collected for the American Cancer Society.

"For 44 years, we've suffered, but your suffering has just begun," Pete Schultz added. He offered a tribute to his mother for her courage and bravery and her love.

"We are inspired by her to go on and enjoy our lives," he said. "She can feel the sun on her face and love in her heart. She enjoys a nice cup of coffee. She is, at last, sleeping well, knowing you are gone. The boogeyman is done."

Innocence Shattered:
I slept with knives under my pillow. I fantasized about killing him. I was preparing in my mind, a victim's daughter says. I wanted a do-over. An opportunity to right the wrongs and see that justice got served.

As a direct result of the heinous actions, I have scars. Ultimately this was a shattering of innocence.

The Devil Can keep you company.
I was a normal kid.

It was one week before Christmas, and my world was small, predictable, and safe. That night my world changed forever.

I sang "Jesus Loves Me" in my head as I waited to die. The next morning, I woke up realizing I would never be a child again. I didn't understand what happened or why, I didn't know what kind of God would allow this to happen to me when I tried so hard to be God, or why my parents didn't want me to ever talk about that day. I couldn't make sense of any of it.

"Try to act normal, try to act normal," I would tell myself. I began a constant journey alone. I no longer fit. I would never be a typical teenager again. I changed schools three times, moved to a new city, and quit going to church.

I could not talk about the rape, so I had to act like it never happened. For 41 years, I struggled with panic attacks, job changes, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and few friends.

DeAngelo stole my youth, my innocence, my faith, and my trust. Who would I have grown up to be (without him?) I will never know. I see in him a pathetic coward.

His family has been forced to walk a torturous journey.

He was a husband, their dad, her grandpa. DeAngelo has guaranteed that his family will never be free of the stain he has left on their name.

She asks of her attacker: "do you feel any remorse? Or humiliation? Your secrets are exposed, and your double life is over. The entire world knows who you are and what you did—a repulsive coward.

"The devil can keep you company as you sit in your cell, and gnaw on whatever soul you have left. You hid in plain sight, but now you cannot escape. There is not a prayer strong enough to save you."

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