Joseph DeAngelo wasn’t always known as the Golden State Killer. In the mid-1970s, a perpetrator known as the Visalia Ransacker burglarized homes and sexually assaulted women in the city of Visalia, California. He often burglarized homes while the residents were away and ransacked the home or rearranged women’s undergarments. He also stole jewelry and firearms (via Visalia Ransacker). In 1975, a confrontation occurred between the perpetrator and two officers. The Visalia Ransacker shot at an officer, and fortunately, the bullet hit the officer’s flashlight. However, the ransacker was able to flee. He was described as a white male of average height with a cleft chin.
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From 1976 to 1979, DeAngelo’s crime spree occurred in the Sacramento area. His actions escalated and he stalked women, broke into their homes, and raped them. He always wore a mask over his head and blindfolded his victims to avoid identification, as noted by Golden State Killer. Several rapes and burglaries were reported in the area, and the perpetrator was dubbed the East Area Rapist. Authorities were not aware that he was the same man that terrorized Visalia years prior. DeAngelo went from raping to murdering, and the crime scenes were different enough that they weren’t linked together. The murderer was called the Original Night Stalker to differentiate him from another killer, Richard Ramirez, who was called the Night Stalker. DeAngelo’s last known murder was committed in 1986.
