A former police officer from the state of California has been identified as the infamous mass murderer responsible for multiple murders and rapes during the 1970s and ’80’s. On Tuesday night the Sacramento County Sheriff Department arrested Joseph James Deangelo Jr. for the 1978 deaths of Brian Maggiore and his wife, Katie, who are believed to be the Golden State Killer’s first victims.
The Daily Mail reports:
Investigators said DeAngelo has multiple adult children and previously worked as a police officer in Auburn, California before he was fired for shoplifting a hammer and dog repellent from a Sacramento drug store. He was also a police officer in Exeter, California from about 1973 to 1976.
Investigators believe he was committing the crimes while he was an officer.
Currently Deangelo is being held at the Sacramento County main jail without bail. Deangelo is believed to have been responsible for these murders and rapes between 1976 and 1986. According to The Daily Mail:
Investigators said he gained access to the homes by prying open a window or door while the victims slept. He would then shine a light in the face of his victims and tie up the female victim. If a male victim was present, the Golden State Killer would tie him up as well before ransacking the home and raping the female victim.
Detectives said the killer often took small items during his burglaries such as coins, cash, ID cards and jewelry. Some victims told authorities that the killer called them after the crimes.
It’s believed the first victims were killed in 1978. Brian Maggiore and his wife, Katie, were walking their dog in their Rancho Cordova neighborhood on February 2, 1978 when they were chased down and murdered by the Golden State Killer, the FBI said.
Interest in the case was rekindled by the New York Times Best Seller crime novel, “I’ll be Gone in the Dark” which was posthumously released by Michelle McNamara, her husband actor Patton Oswalt, and journalist Billy Jensen. Flip the page for pictures of Deangelo’s sketch, his fingerprints, and crime scenes.