Who Is DeAngelo, the Golden State Killer?
DeAngelo is the nickname of Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., a former U.S. police officer convicted of committing a series of violent crimes in California during the 1970s and 1980s. He is known as the Golden State Killer because of the number of attacks across the state.
Crimes and Investigation
DeAngelo was linked to multiple murders, sexual assaults, and burglaries. Investigators used DNA evidence and genealogy research to identify him, leading to his arrest in 2018. The case drew widespread attention for the role of forensic genealogy in solving cold cases.
Conviction and Current Status
In 2020, DeAngelo pleaded guilty to multiple counts of murder and kidnapping and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He is currently incarcerated, and the case remains a notable example of modern criminal investigation techniques. For more details, see the Biography entry on DeAngelo.
