The April 2018 arrest of Joseph DeAngelo as the Golden State Killer—a serial predator who terrorized California in the 1970s-80s—marked a breakthrough in forensic genealogy and reignited cold case investigations nationwide.
The Crimes
Between 1974-1986, the East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker committed:
- At least 13 murders
- Over 50 rapes
- 120+ burglaries
- Terrorized California communities for over a decade
The Breakthrough
Investigators used GEDmatch, a public genealogy database, to build a family tree from crime scene DNA, narrowing suspects to DeAngelo. This was the first major case solved via forensic genealogy.
Social Media Explosion
#GoldenStateKiller trended for days after the arrest:
- True crime communities had followed Michelle McNamara’s investigation
- Her book I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (2018) had just been published
- McNamara died in 2016 before seeing the case solved
- HBO documentary (2020) chronicled her obsessive investigation
The Trial
- June 2020: DeAngelo pleaded guilty to 13 murders, 13 kidnappings
- August 2020: Sentenced to life without parole
- Victims gave impact statements over multiple days
- Court proceedings live-streamed due to COVID-19 pandemic
Legacy
The case revolutionized cold case investigations, with forensic genealogy solving dozens of other cases. It also raised privacy debates about DNA databases and consumer genetic testing.
Sources: