Golden State Killer, Nightstalker Caught Decades Later: Cops

CALIFORNIA — DNA cracked the case. The Golden State Killer raped and murdered his victims between June 1974 and May 1986. The former cop now charged in the case got away with his crimes for more than 40 years, but it was technology that wasn't even invented when his crime spree began that ultimately led to his arrest, according to multiple law enforcement leaders who gathered for a news conference in Sacramento Wednesday afternoon.

The man accused of the shocking crimes that terrorized residents from Sacramento to the Bay Area to Southern California is Joseph James DeAngelo, 72. He was arrested at his home in Citrus Heights, and his house is still swarming with law enforcement agents. DeAngelo was booked early this morning on two counts of murder out of Ventura County, according to Sacramento County jail records.

Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said investigators got DeAngelo's "discarded DNA," which allowed him to be positively identified as the man who committed multiple crimes. DNA is not available for all cases linked to the Golden State Killer. Some are linked by his crime methods, or modus operandi (MO).

Jones said that DeAngelo was arrested outside his home, "When he came out of his residence we had a team in place to take him into custody."

While not revealing much about DeAngelo's personal life, the sheriff did reveal that the suspect has adult children. He said that some family members have been interviewed and they are cooperating with investigators.

The investigation and interviews into the case continue on many fronts.

DeAngelo was a police officer in Exeter, near Visalia, from 1973-76, and in Auburn from 1976-79 when he was fired. According to an old newspaper clipping, he was fired for shoplifting a hammer and a can of dog repellent.

One of the Golden State Killer's victims was then-Citrus Heights resident Jane Carson-Sandler, who was sexually assaulted at knifepoint. She now lives in Sun City, S.C., where she told the local newspaper that she received emails Wednesday from two detectives informing her of the arrest.

"I just found out this morning," she said. "I'm overwhelmed with joy. I've been crying, sobbing." She went on to say, "I just can't tell you how I feel...After 42 years — wow!"

The sister of a Golden State Killer murder victim was also informed that an arrest has been made. Janelle Cruz was killed in 1986 in Irvine when she was only 18 years old. Her sister Michelle told KCRA in Sacramento, "I'm so excited and overwhelmed. I'm feeling very blessed today and now I will be able to breathe again."

Law enforcement agencies around the state have been sharing Cold Case information about the Golden State Killer, and there have been books and documentaries keeping the case alive. At Wednesday's news conference, multiple law enforcement leaders said that it was a task force that was formed in June 2016 that solidified the investigation. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert brought together police and sheriff's detectives, crime lab investigators, and district attorneys from every jurisdiction with cases linked to the Golden State Killer, along with the Sacramento office of the FBI. The FBI threw the resources of Quantico behind the investigation.

Special Agent in Charge of the Sacramento FBI Office, Sean Reagan, credits all law enforcement players in the case. But he also thanked the public for offering thousands of tips just since 2016. He also credited the media for keeping the case in the public eye.

Last month, Patch posted a story about the Golden State Killer and the $50,000 reward available in the case. A recording of the suspected killer was included.

• Joseph James DeAngelo: 5 Things To Know About Golden State Killer
• Golden State Killer: A Timeline Of Terror

The serial killer and rapist is known to have struck in Sacramento, Stanislaus, Yolo, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Alameda, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Orange counties. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news from your California neighborhood. Also, download the free Patch iPhone app or free Patch Android app. Also, be sure to follow your local Patch on Facebook!)

FBI Links:

• Reward Announced
• Case Review

-Mug shot via Sacramento County Sheriff's Office; Drawing and audio via FBI