Case 53
The East Area Rapist 1977–1978
(Part 3)
Case 53
The East Area Rapist 1977–1978
(Part 3)
[Part 3 of 5]
1977 started off with a task force being created by the Sacramento Sherriff’s Department to catch the East Area Rapist. The crime lab was able to determine that the rapist’s blood was Type A.
The rapist continued following his earlier MO until the local papers made special mention of the fact he had never attacked a woman with a man present in the house. He adjusted, and from that time on he targeted couples.
As the year went on, and attacks grew more and more frequent, so too did the press coverage. But still, it was a time when not everyone got news the moment it happened. While there were many people terrified of the East Area Rapist, there were those who were still oblivious.
Despite the east area rapist having a very specific MO, it was not released to the public. The police didn’t want a state of panic and they didn’t want a copycat. But that meant when women got hang up phone calls, or heavy breathing calls, or when there was a break-in with nothing of value taken, only strange items moved around or stolen, the community had no idea these were related to the East Area Rapist case.
In mid may 1977 the rapist showed everyone he may have been in attendance at a community meeting that took place towards the end of 1976. At this meeting, a man stood up, paced up and down yelling that no man would stand by and let his wife get raped, he certainly wouldn’t. Just seven months later, the East Area Rapist targeted this man and his wife. During this attack, the rapist said he would kill his next victims. But there was confusion as to what exactly he said.
According to the survivor, he said he would kill two people if he heard about the attack in the media. But according to her husband, he said he would kill two people if he didn’t hear about the attack. When we left part 2, the police were deciding what to do…
________
Open and download map #3 of the attacks here
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
– Michelle Cruz
– Debbi Domingo
– Patti
– Orange County District Attorney’s Office Investigator Erika Hutchcraft
– Contra Costa County DA Cold Case Investigator Paul Holes
– Detective Richard Shelby
– Detective Larry Crompton
________
Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at anytime you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. Some suggestions for confidential support for men, women and children:
AUSTRALIA:
Lifeline Crisis Support: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: Depression and anxiety support: 1300 22 46 36
Rape & Domestic Violence Services: 1800 737 732
Men's Line: 1300 78 99 78
Headspace: Youth Mental Health Foundation: see headspace.org.au for your local centre
USA:
Distress & Lifeline: 1800 273 8255
Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741 741
Domestic Violence Helpline: 1800 799 7233
Victim Connect: support for victims of crime: 855 484 2846
UK:
Mind: mental health support: 0300 123 3393
SANE: mental health support: 0300 304 7000
Samaritans support network: 116 123
National Stalking Helpline: 0808 802 0300
CANADA:
For a list of Canadian crisis centres: https://thelifelinecanada.ca/help/call/
NEW ZEALAND:
Lifeline: 0800 543354
Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (Text 4202)
CREDITS
NARRATION:
Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host
EPISODE:
Episode researched and written by Anna Priestland
MUSIC:
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro www.dl-sounds.com
All other music and audio clean up performed by Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn
OTHER:
Logo design by Paulina Szymanska
RESOURCES
MAPS:
Open and download map #3 of the attacks here
BOOKS:
HUNTING A PSYCHOPATH: The East Area Rapist / Original Night Stalker Investigation – By Detective Richard Shelby
SUDDEN TERROR: The True Story of California’s Most Infamous Sexual Predator. The East Area Rapist And The Original Night Stalker – by Larry Crompton
DOCUMENTS:
The Original Nightstalker profile
WEBSITES:
East Area Rapist / Original Night Stalker
Phone calls and communications
Letters from Michelle and Debbi
ARTICLES:
Veterans honor California’s Vietnam War dead at Capitol Park memorial – The Sacramento Bee
Valley of death – News Review
The mystery of the Visalia Ransacker won’t go away after 41 years – The Fresno Bee
The story behind the first rape kit – CNN
USA: Rapists Escape Prosecution – Backlog of Rape Kit Tests – Safe World for Women
DNA Technology in Forensic Science – NCBI
Colleen Cason: Cast of thousands searches for killer – Ventura County Star
VIDEOS:
48 Hours (CONNECTING THE DOTS IN THE SEARCH FOR A CALIFORNIA SERIAL KILLER) – CBS News
UNSOLVED: CALIFORNIA’S ‘EAST AREA RAPIST’ REMAINS AT LARGE – Crime Watch
Cold Case Killer – FBI
Golden State Killer – East Area Rapist Survivor #5 Speaks
Interview with Debbi Domingo on Golden State Killer EAR-ONS
Interview with Det. Richard Shelby on East Area Rapist – Golden State Killer
SUSPECT’S SKETCHES:
The official East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer – FBI*
*Over the years nearly all of the sketches have been retracted as they were considered misleading.
FBI TOLL-FREE TIPLINE:
If you have any information regarding this case, please contact the FBI’s Toll-Free Tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), your local FBI office, or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. You can also submit a tip at: tips.fbi.gov.
The official FBI poster
[Part 3 of 5]
1977 started off with a task force being created by the Sacramento Sherriff’s Department to catch the East Area Rapist. The crime lab was able to determine that the rapist’s blood was Type A.
The rapist continued following his earlier MO until the local papers made special mention of the fact he had never attacked a woman with a man present in the house. He adjusted, and from that time on the targeted couples.
As the year went on, and attacks grew more and more frequent, so too did the press coverage. But still, it was a time when not everyone got news the moment it happened. While there were many people terrified of the East Area Rapist, there were those who were still oblivious.
Despite the east area rapist having a very specific MO, it was not released to the public. The police didn’t want a state of panic and they didn’t want a copycat. But that meant when women got hang up phone calls, or heavy breathing calls, or when there was a break-in with nothing of value taken, only strange items moved around or stolen, the community had no idea these were related to the East Area Rapist case.
In mid may 1977 the rapist showed everyone he may have been in attendance at a community meeting that took place towards the end of 1976. At this meeting, a man stood up, paced up and down yelling that no man would stand by and let his wife get raped, he certainly wouldn’t. Just seven months later, the East Area Rapist targeted this man and his wife. During this attack, the rapist said he would kill his next victims. But there was confusion as to what exactly he said.
According to the survivor, he said he would kill two people if he heard about the attack in the media. But according to her husband, he said he would kill two people if he didn’t hear about the attack. When we left part 2, the police were deciding what to do…
________
Open and download map #3 of the attacks here
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
– Michelle Cruz
– Debbi Domingo
– Patti
– Orange County District Attorney’s Office Investigator Erika Hutchcraft
– Contra Costa County DA Cold Case Investigator Paul Holes
– Detective Richard Shelby
– Detective Larry Crompton
______
Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at anytime you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. Some suggestions for confidential support for men, women and children:
AUSTRALIA:
Lifeline Crisis Support: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: Depression and anxiety support: 1300 22 46 36
Rape & Domestic Violence Services: 1800 737 732
Men's Line: 1300 78 99 78
Headspace: Youth Mental Health Foundation: see headspace.org.au for your local centre
USA:
Distress & Lifeline: 1800 273 8255
Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741 741
Domestic Violence Helpline: 1800 799 7233
Victim Connect: support for victims of crime: 855 484 2846
UK:
Mind: mental health support: 0300 123 3393
SANE: mental health support: 0300 304 7000
Samaritans support network: 116 123
National Stalking Helpline: 0808 802 0300
CANADA:
For a list of Canadian crisis centres: https://thelifelinecanada.ca/help/call
NEW ZEALAND:
Lifeline: 0800 543354
Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (Text 4202)
CREDITS
NARRATION:
Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host
EPISODE:
Episode researched and written by Anna Priestland
MUSIC:
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro www.dl-sounds.com
All other music and audio clean up performed by Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn
OTHER:
Logo design by Paulina Szymanska
RESOURCES
MAPS:
Open and download map #3 of the attacks here
BOOKS:
HUNTING A PSYCHOPATH: The East Area Rapist / Original Night Stalker Investigation – By Detective Richard Shelby
SUDDEN TERROR: The True Story of California’s Most Infamous Sexual Predator. The East Area Rapist And The Original Night Stalker – by Larry Crompton
WEBSITES:
East Area Rapist / Original Night Stalker
Phone calls and communications
Letters from Michelle and Debbi
DOCUMENTS:
The Original Nightstalker profile
ARTICLES:
Veterans honor California’s Vietnam War dead at Capitol Park memorial – The Sacramento Bee
Valley of death – News Review
The mystery of the Visalia Ransacker won’t go away after 41 years – The Fresno Bee
The story behind the first rape kit – CNN
USA: Rapists Escape Prosecution – Backlog of Rape Kit Tests – Safe World for Women
DNA Technology in Forensic Science – NCBI
Colleen Cason: Cast of thousands searches for killer – Ventura County Star
VIDEOS:
48 Hours (CONNECTING THE DOTS IN THE SEARCH FOR A CALIFORNIA SERIAL KILLER) – CBS News
UNSOLVED: CALIFORNIA’S ‘EAST AREA RAPIST’ REMAINS AT LARGE – Crime Watch
Cold Case Killer – FBI
Golden State Killer – East Area Rapist Survivor #5 Speaks
Interview with Debbi Domingo on Golden State Killer EAR-ONS
Interview with Det. Richard Shelby on East Area Rapist – Golden State Killer
SUSPECT’S SKETCHES:
The official East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer – FBI*
*Over the years nearly all of the sketches have been retracted as they were considered misleading
FBI TOLL-FREE TIPLINE:
If you have any information regarding this case, please contact the FBI’s Toll-Free Tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), your local FBI office, or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. You can also submit a tip at: tips.fbi.gov.
The official FBI poster
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