Joseph DeAngelo is the man suspected of having many aliases during his decade-long crime spree. DeAngelo has been known as the Golden State Killer, the East Area Rapist, and may very well have been the Visalia Ransacker. All of this is still conjecture, as DeAngelo has not been convicted of any crime yet. Reports by the Sacramento Bee and Oxygen were used for more of the information presented in this article.

However, thanks to DNA testing, California law enforcement and the FBI believe that they have their man. One detective, though, has posited the idea that some of DeAngelo's crimes, most notably his East Area Rapist atrocities, may have included a co-conspirator.

Detective Paul Holes, the investigator who is often credited with the idea of using family-tree tracing to connect crime scene DNA with likely suspects (DeAngelo was caught via this method), said on Monday (May 7) that it was "possible" that two men could have carried out the early East Bay Rapist crimes. "I've always been open [to] the possibility of a second person assisting in a few cases," Holes said.

Holes was quick to point out that he believes that this potential second man did not work alongside the East Area Rapist on every crime. Most importantly, when the East Area Rapist became the Golden State Killer and began bludgeoning couples to death during home invasions, Holes is convinced that it was all the work of one man.

The crimes

The East Area Rapist may have begun his criminal days as a burglar and window peeper in the Sacramento area during the early or mid-1970s. By the summer of 1976, he had moved forcefully into home invasion rapes and robberies. When he graduated to murder in 1979, the East Area Rapist had already committed over 50 rapes.

Many of these cases showcased the disturbing hallmarks of the EAR: his calm patience and serious reconnaissance work, his expertise with knots, his habit of placing dishes on the backs of victims and warning them not to move, etc. Because of these trademarks, many in California law enforcement thought that the EAR had either specialized military training or worked as a police officer.

The theory that the EAR may have worked with a partner is based on eyewitness accounts. In one instance, a victim reported hearing the EAR saying to a second party, "Take this to the car." In another case, the victim told police that her attacker screamed at an unidentified individual to "shut up!"

Junkfood Joe

Since his capture, several news articles have focused on providing details about DeAngelo's life. The US Navy veteran may have been inspired to rape and kill following a bad breakup with a woman named Bonnie. Also of note is the fact that DeAngelo worked as a police officer for a time in Auburn, California. According to true crime podcast hosts Tim Pilleri and Lance Reenstierna, DeAngelo was known as Junkfood Joe during his time as a patrol officer.

The nickname derived from DeAngelo's habit of constantly snacking on candy, potato chips, and soda during the workday.

The Sacramento Bee noted that when he was arrested by police, DeAngelo made only one comment: "I have a roast in the oven." DeAngelo's strong affinity with food is something he shares with the EAR/Golden State Killer. At most of the crime scenes, the infamous assailant would raid refrigerators and help himself to food while his victims squirmed helplessly with their makeshift handcuffs.
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