A newly published account from a lead prosecutor details how a specific and unusual physical characteristic described by victims became a crucial piece of circumstantial evidence in a historic serial crime case.
For years, a perpetrator terrorized communities across California, committing a series of rapes and murders throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The individual, who would later be publicly identified as Joseph DeAngelo, operated under monikers including the “East Area Rapist” and the broader “Golden State Killer” designation. His crimes typically involved entering homes through windows, restraining couples, and assaulting female victims before murdering both individuals.
Despite an extensive investigation, the case remained unsolved for decades. A breakthrough eventually came through advanced forensic genetic genealogy, which led authorities to DeAngelo in 2018. However, according to the new narrative, confirming his connection to the earlier “East Area Rapist” crimes required additional corroboration beyond the initial DNA link.
The key, as detailed in the account, lay in consistent victim testimony. Multiple survivors independently described their assailant as having an exceptionally small penis. This unique identifier provided investigators with a specific physical detail to seek confirmation.
The narrative describes how law enforcement officials, after DeAngelo’s arrest, were tasked with obtaining photographic evidence of this characteristic. The process is said to have been challenging due to its minute size, with an officer reportedly commenting on its dimensions in relation to common objects.
The prosecutor writes that this photographic evidence served as vital circumstantial proof, directly corroborating the victims’ statements and helping to solidify the connection between DeAngelo and the full scope of the crimes. Prior to his life of crime, DeAngelo had served as a police officer in Auburn, California, during the late 1970s.
