Authorities update case against Golden State Killer suspect
California authorities update Joseph James DeAngelo case.
A trial for the 72-year-old man believed to be the Golden State Killer will be held in Sacramento, officials revealed Tuesday.
The announcement regarding the case against Joseph James DeAngelo came during a news conference held by six district attorneys in the state.
Taking into account various factors, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said prosecutors made a group decision to hold the trial in Sacramento.
“There was a complaint filed this morning in Sacramento and it alleges the combination of the cases from all of our jurisdictions that are going to be filed and prosecuted,” Rackauckas said. The officials present at the news conference represented Sacramento County, Contra Costa County, Orange County, Santa Barbara County, Tulare County and Ventura County.
Included in the amended criminal complaint are 13 counts of murder and 13 new counts of kidnapping for robbery.
DeAngelo is accused of committing dozens of rapes and murders across California in the 1970s and 1980s. Among the nicknames, the serial killer was also dubbed the East Area Rapist. He was arrested in April after his DNA was linked to those found in several murder scenes in California.
Describing DeAngelo as a “human predator,” Rackauckas said the suspect “took a path through all of these counties in our state and wherever he went, he left a wake of terror in his path.”
“He committed vicious, violent crimes throughout all these jurisdictions,” he continued.
The new charges filed on Tuesday include four alleging that DeAngelo is suspected of "carrying away four women" to commit robberies in Contra Costa County in 1978 and 1979.
The nine other new charges are in connection with attacks committed in Sacramento County, Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said. While prosecutors don't have DNA evidence in those cases, they are confident that DeAngelo is the suspect based on his "signature marks," she said.
Fox News’ Katherine Lam and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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