Skip to content
CivicMapleEveryday answers, clearly mapped.
History

Golden State Killer

What is golden state killer?

· Emily Grant

Key facts

Name Golden State Killer[1]
Real name Joseph James DeAngelo[3]
Roles serial killer; serial rapist; former police officer[1]
Time period 1976 to 1986[2]
Known aliases East Area Rapist; Original Night Stalker; Visalia Ransacker[1]
Crimes 12 homicides; 45 rapes; more than 120 residential burglaries[2]

The Golden State Killer is the nickname for Joseph James DeAngelo, a former police officer linked to a series of murders, rapes, and burglaries in California from 1976 to 1986.

Context

The Golden State Killer is the nickname for a California serial offender later identified as Joseph James DeAngelo, who was linked to murders, rapes, and burglaries across California in the 1970s and 1980s [1]. The FBI says the person known by that name and earlier aliases committed 12 homicides, 45 rapes, and more than 120 residential burglaries between 1976 and 1986 [2]. The case remained unsolved for decades before DeAngelo was arrested in 2018 [3]. He was a former police officer [1]. The crimes spanned multiple communities in California, including Sacramento-area locations and later Southern California counties [2]. The offender was known first as the East Area Rapist and later as the Original Night Stalker and Golden State Killer [2]. This series of crimes is a notable example of a serial killer case.

Documented claims

  • The Golden State Killer is the nickname for Joseph James DeAngelo, a former police officer. [1]
  • The offender committed 12 homicides, 45 rapes, and more than 120 residential burglaries between 1976 and 1986. [2]
  • The case remained unsolved for decades before DeAngelo was arrested in 2018. [3]

Related

Zodiac KillerBoth are infamous unidentified serial killers from the same era, often compared in true crime discussions.

Questions and answers

Who was the Golden State Killer?

The Golden State Killer was Joseph James DeAngelo, a former police officer who committed murders, rapes, and burglaries in California from 1976 to 1986 [1].

How many crimes did the Golden State Killer commit?

The FBI attributes 12 homicides, 45 rapes, and more than 120 residential burglaries to the Golden State Killer between 1976 and 1986 [2].

When was the Golden State Killer arrested?

Joseph James DeAngelo was arrested in 2018, decades after the crimes [3].

Sources

  1. TIMELINE: A look back at the Golden State Killer's crime ... — abc7news.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. For 40 years, police hunted the Golden State Killer. A discarded tissue brought him down — abc.net.au (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. The 'Golden State Killer': Inside the timeline of crimes — abcnews.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in History