Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., also known as the “Golden State Killer”, was an American serial killer, rapist, burglar, and voyeur who committed a series of violent crimes across California from 1974 to 1986. During this time, he is believed to have committed at least 13 murders, 51 rapes, and 120 burglaries.
File
- Full name: Joseph James DeAngelo Jr.
- Stage Name: Golden State Killer
- Date of birth: November 8, 1945
- Age: 78 years old
- Place of birth: Bath, New York, United States
- Nationality: American
- Occupation: Police
- Height: 1.73m
- Parents: Kathleen Louise Bosanko and Joseph James DeAngelo Sr.
- Siblings: Connie Ryland, John DeAngelo and Rebecca Thompson
- Spouse: Sharon Marie Huddle (divorced)
- Children: 3
- Relationship: Divorced
- Net worth: Unknown
Early life and education
Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. was born on November 8, 1945, in Bath, New York, United States. He was raised by his parents, Kathleen Louise Bosanko and Joseph James DeAngelo Sr., and grew up with three siblings: Connie Ryland, John DeAngelo, and Rebecca Thompson.
DeAngelo attended Sierra College in Rocklin and then California State University. He is white and Christian.
Career
Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. was a police officer who worked in Exeter, California in the early 1970s and later joined the Auburn Police Department in the late 1970s. However, DNA evidence linked him to a series of murders and rapes across California, as well as hundreds of other crimes such as burglary, theft, and stalking.
DeAngelo’s criminal activity began in May 1973 in the Visalia area, where he committed one murder and approximately 120 burglaries over a 20-month period. He became known as the “Visalia Ransacker” because of his modus operandi of breaking into homes, rummaging through belongings, and stealing small items such as coins and jewelry while often leaving behind cash.
During the late 1970s and 1980s, DeAngelo committed at least 50 known rapes across several California counties, as well as multiple murders in Goleta, Ventura, Dana Point, and Irvine. He was also linked to two other murders in Goleta and three more in Rancho Cordova and Visalia through DNA evidence and modus operandi.
Although the statute of limitations had expired on many of his previous crimes, DeAngelo was formally charged in 2018 with the 1975 murder of Claude Snelling in Visalia, to which he pleaded guilty in 2020. Investigators believe his early criminal activities in the Visalia area served as a training ground before he went on to commit his more notorious crimes as the “East Area Rapist” and the “Golden State Killer.”
Social media
Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. has no social media accounts.
Personal life
Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., known as the “Golden State Killer,” married Sharon Marie Huddle in 1973. The couple had three children together, although their names have not been publicly disclosed. However, DeAngelo’s crimes ultimately led to the couple’s separation in 2019, ending their marriage of more than 40 years.
Net worth
Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., also known as the “Golden State Killer,” is a former police officer whose professional life was largely overshadowed by his involvement in a series of heinous crimes. His net worth is unknown.
