A new book by Sacramento District Attorney Thien Ho claims that the Golden State Killer, Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., was ultimately identified and connected to multiple crimes due to victims’ descriptions of his unusually small penis, which investigators confirmed while he was in custody. This circumstantial evidence played a pivotal role in linking him to the East Area Rapist attacks, leading to his comprehensive conviction.
The revelation comes from Ho’s forthcoming publication, ‘The People vs. the Golden State Killer,’ which TMZ first reported and outlets like Page Six and Sky News have previewed. The book details how the unique physical characteristic became a crucial element in the investigation, underscoring the innovative methods prosecutors employed to build a solid case against DeAngelo.
Joseph James DeAngelo, a 72-year-old former police officer, was arrested in 2018 and pleaded guilty in 2020 to 26 charges, including murders and rapes committed across California from the 1970s to 1980s. His crimes, which included dozens of sexual assaults and at least 13 murders, terrorized communities for years, and he received multiple life sentences without parole, ending one of the most prolonged manhunts in U.S. criminal history.
Victims of both the initial crimes DeAngelo was suspected of and the unsolved East Area Rapist incidents consistently reported that the attacker had a micropenis. This description emerged as a recurring theme in victim statements, prompting investigators to consider it as potential corroborating evidence for unifying the cases under a single perpetrator.
With no DNA evidence available for some of the crimes, DA Ho sought to confirm the micropenis claim to strengthen the case. He authorized photographs of DeAngelo’s genitalia while he was in jail, and according to the book, a photographer struggled to capture clear images due to the size, leading a police officer to exclaim, ‘There’s nothing there,’ in frustration.
The police assessment noted that DeAngelo’s penis was smaller than the circumference of a dime and its length matched the tip of a pinky finger. This verification provided the circumstantial proof needed to align with victim accounts, enabling prosecutors to confidently pursue charges for the broader set of offenses and secure a guilty plea.
Ho’s account emphasizes how this unconventional evidence was instrumental in unifying the investigation, demonstrating that even minor details can be decisive in complex legal battles. The book offers insights into the procedural challenges and the importance of victim testimony in achieving justice, highlighting the dedication of law enforcement in persistent cases.
