A notorious serial killer who spread fear in California for over ten years was finally apprehended, thanks to a unique identifying trait – the small size of his genitalia. The People vs. the Golden State Killer, a new book by Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, reveals the intricate investigation that led to the capture of Joseph DeAngelo, also known as the Golden State Killer, after a long reign of terror.
DeAngelo, now 80 years old, confessed to 13 murders, over 50 rapes, and more than 100 burglaries that plagued California from 1974 to 1986. Formerly a police officer, he utilized his law enforcement background to stalk and assault his victims, often breaking into homes at night, restraining his victims, and committing heinous acts.
According to Ho’s book, investigators meticulously gathered evidence to link the elderly suspect arrested in 2018 to the elusive killer who had evaded capture for decades. One crucial piece of corroboration came from the victims themselves, who had described the perpetrator’s unusually small genitalia.
Upon DeAngelo’s arrest in Citrus Heights, detectives obtained a warrant for a thorough medical examination. Officers were tasked with documenting DeAngelo’s anatomy to compare it with witness descriptions. The process included a police photographer capturing multiple angles of his genitals, leading to the revelation of his remarkably small and minute genitalia.
Despite the humiliating nature of this detail, it proved vital as it aligned with victim accounts from the 1970s and 80s, describing the assailant’s “minute” penis – a peculiar but verifiable signature that helped confirm the identity of the perpetrator.
DeAngelo’s capture followed years of frustration for law enforcement, as he had eluded authorities despite an extensive manhunt. The breakthrough came in 2018 when investigators uploaded crime scene DNA to a genealogy website, eventually narrowing down the suspect pool to the DeAngelo family.
Subsequently, DNA obtained from a discarded tissue outside DeAngelo’s home matched samples from the crime scenes, conclusively linking him to the murders. The former police officer, who had been dismissed for theft, was finally exposed as the mastermind behind decades of terror.
In 2020, faced with overwhelming evidence, DeAngelo pleaded guilty to multiple counts of murder and kidnapping, avoiding the death penalty. During the sentencing, survivors and victims’ relatives shared their harrowing impact statements, providing closure to families haunted by the crimes for years.
DeAngelo now resides at California State Prison in Corcoran, serving multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole.
