California man faces 26 charges in Golden State Killer case

Posted at 6:49 AM, June 29, 2020 and last updated 2:53 PM, July 26, 2023

FILE – In this March 12, 2020, file photo, Joseph James DeAngelo, charged with being the Golden State Killer, appears in Sacramento County Superior Court in Sacramento, Calif.  (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., a former police officer, faces 13 rape-related charges and 13 murder counts stemming from crimes in the 1970s and 1980s across six counties in California. He is expected to enter a guilty plea during a hearing Monday. Authorities allege the 74-year-old is the elusive Golden State Killer, also known during the crime sprees by nicknames including the East Area Rapist and Visalia Ransacker.

The charges linked to rapes were filed as kidnappings to commit robberies because the statute of limitations for sexual assaults has expired.

Here are the charges that have been consolidated into one proceeding in Sacramento:

Contra Costa County:

Four counts of kidnapping to commit robbery using a gun and knife between Oct. 7, 1978, and June 11, 1979, with the victims identified as Jane Does numbers 10-13.

Orange County:

Four counts of murder in the Aug. 21, 1980, slaying of Keith Harrington, 24, and rape and slaying of Patrice Harrington, 27, of Dana Point; the Feb. 6, 1981, rape and slaying of Manuela Witthuhn, 28, of Irvine; and the May 5, 1986, rape and slaying of Janelle Cruz, 18, of Irvine.

Sacramento County:

Two counts of murder in the Feb. 2, 1978, shootings of Kate Maggoire, 20, and Brian Maggoire, 21, as they walked their dog in their Rancho Cordova neighborhood.

Nine counts of kidnapping to commit robbery using a gun and knife between Sept. 4, 1976, and Oct. 21, 1977, with the victims identified as Jane Does numbers 1-9.

Santa Barbara County:

Four counts of murder in the Dec. 30, 1979, rape and slaying of Debra Manning, 35, and slaying of Robert Offerman, 44, of Goleta, and in the July 27, 1981, slaying of Gregory Sanchez, 27, and Cheri Domingo, 35, of Goleta.

Tulare County:

One count of murder in the Sept. 11, 1975, slaying of Claude Snelling, 45, during an attempted kidnapping of the victim’s daughter from their home.

Ventura County:

Two counts of murder in the rape and slaying of Charlene Smith, 33, and slaying of Lyman Smith, 43, of Ventura between March 13 and March 16, 1980.