The Long Road To Justice: How the Golden State Killer Case Finally Came to an End

In 2020, one of the most feared criminals in American history was finally sentenced. Joseph DeAngelo, known as the Golden State Killer, an ex-police officer, received life in prison without parole. The ruling closed a case that had haunted victims and investigators since the 1970s.

A court in California handed down the punishment after DeAngelo admitted to killing 13 people. He also confessed to multiple rapes, burglaries, and other crimes. The plea deal spared him the death penalty.

At the time, executions were suspended in California. Judge Michael Bowman called for the maximum sentence allowed by law. "When a person commits monstrous acts they need to be locked away where they could never harm another innocent person," Judge Bowman said. “The survivors have spoken. Clearly, the defendant deserves no mercy,” he added.

DeAngelo, then 74, stayed silent through days of emotional testimony. But just before sentencing, he stood up from a wheelchair and spoke, “I've listened to all of your statements. Each one of them. And I'm truly sorry to everyone I've hurt."

Prosecutors painted a chilling picture of his past while examining the case. They said his crimes spanned 87 victims and 53 crime scenes across 11 counties. His attacks began in 1975 and lasted over a decade. What started as stalking and theft soon turned into brutal violence.

Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert called him a “sociopath in action.” She said he showed no real remorse. “He has no respect for the law, no compassion, no empathy,” she said. She also challenged his weak appearance in court. Video from jail showed him moving with strength and care, proving that he could easily deceive others.

The case was finally solved in 2018 using a new DNA method. Investigators matched crime scene evidence to a genealogy website. They built a family tree and tracked DeAngelo. Later, they confirmed the match using DNA from discarded rubbish. This method has helped solve many other cases.

In court, victims shared painful memories. One of them, Kris Kedretti, was attacked at age 15, who said, “At three different times that night, I thought I was going to die.” She added, “I woke up knowing I would never be a child again.”

On the other hand, Pete Schiltze, whose mother was assaulted by DeAngelo, was also present there. He was 11 during the attack on his family, and said. “He did not steal the happiness, dreams, and spirits of our family. “

Even years later, the full scale of DeAngelo’s crimes may never be known.