SACRAMENTO, CA — Joseph DeAngelo, the retired police officer suspected of being the Golden State Killer, has been charged with four additional counts of first-degree murder. This brings the total number of murder charges to 12.
The Golden State Killer, who was also known as the East Area Rapist and the Original Night Stalker, among other monikers, terrorized California during the 1970s and the 1980s. Investigators say he is responsible for 50 rapes, 12 murders, and over 100 burglaries during this time.
DeAngelo, 72, worked as a police officer in the California towns of Exeter and Auburn during the 1970s. Later, he worked as a mechanic.
Related: Golden State Killer Suspect Arrested — Ex-Cop Joseph James DeAngelo, 72
DeAngelo was arrested on April 24 at his home in the Citrus Heights suburb of Sacramento.
The new murder charges are from Santa Barbara County, where authorities believe he killed Robert Offerman and Alexandria Manning in December 1979 and Cheri Domingo and Gregory Sanchez in July 1981. Each of the four new counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances carries a possible sentence of death or life in prison without parole.
Related: Golden State Killer Suspect’s Sister & Bro-In-Law Voice Shock, Sympathy For Victims
“Violent cold cases never grow cold for their victims or loved ones,” Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley said at a news conference.
DeAngelo will appear in court in Sacramento on Monday.
Investigators used genealogy websites to help find DeAngelo.
Related: Police: “Golden State Killer” Suspect Is Also The “Visalia Ransacker”
Paul Holes, a retired investigator with the Contra Costa County district attorney’s office, said last month that investigators believed that DeAngelo may have been initially motivated by his anger following the breakup of a relationship in the 1960s. Holes describes DeAngelo as an “anger retaliatory offender.”
Watch the full series of Investigation Discovery’s The Golden State Killer: It’s Not Over on ID GO now!
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Main photo: Joseph James DeAngelo [Sacramento Sheriff’s Office]
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