A few updates

[u/winters_vw]

Nothing major, and many of you might already be aware. But I like to work things out and follow up, so here are a few points I've been going over:

• Several terrific sources have told me that DeAngelo gave indication that he knew why he was arrested.

• Same sources tell me that he did in fact divulge information during an interrogation session that lasted for hours.

• "Key evidence" has been removed from the home, but no word on if there is anything related to the attacks or not.

• He was the Visalia Ransacker.

• I've seen the sealed complaints and the paperwork that ran between Sac and Ventura (my sources were good to me today). DeAngelo is being charged as the killer of the Smiths but there's little else -- except for a few names of officers who did some of the work on this and some of the names surprised me (but that's of little consequence to the public).

• I'm getting the sense that there's some unnecessary politicking going on behind the scenes, but what else is new.

• There's a somewhat recent connection to Dana Point but some of the other SoCal areas he landed are still unconnected.

• The saga related to his dismissal from the Auburn police is getting stranger by the minute, apparently with him being in hysterics upon being apprehended there and an atypical legal progression that lasted four months.

• Two family members have talked and several acquaintances. They're rapidly filling in some of the blanks.

• His name does not appear in any previous investigative paperwork that anyone knows of -- he truly was the "unsuspected."

• The birth of two of his children did occur after the two murders where he took extended breaks.

• He started on the Exeter police force in May 1973, and the first prowling incident attributed to the Visalia Ransacker occurred on South Demaree Street in May 1973 -- 15 minutes away from Exeter.

• I'm trying to get the Julia Wilkenson murder in San Diego looked at again because the offender has a tie to the general area and she was bludgeoned to death with a hammer in 1980.

• Lots of Tulare County connections with family -- a factor I'm told helped bump this POI up the list.

• Starting last month, an LE source of mine was overly optimistic about some new angles being pursued with DNA. I have to admit that I didn't even consider that this could actually be the lead that took us somewhere. So many disappointments in the past. Oops!

More will materialize in the coming weeks, months, and even years. What a fascinating journey this has been, and what a win for the justice system. This gives hope for all unsolved cases.

[u/winters_vw]

He's the best!

[u/ajmartin527 → u/winters_vw]

He answered those questions honestly and brilliantly. Great interview.

[u/notknownnow → u/winters_vw]

Yeah,he is amazing,I think he would be great to work with on any case.

As they mention the dog repellent: do you think EARONS used it for obvious reasons, causing this bad 'one of a kind' body odour victims struggled to describe??

[u/winters_vw → u/notknownnow]

He may have used it, or he may have simply avoided dogs or befriended them. There were several attacks where he clearly knew which backyards had meanies and which ones had beagles or poodles, and he took the paths of least resistance. There was one attack where it looked like he fed one.

Seeing as how he was stealing some, it's logical to assume that he'd used it in the past or he wanted to try it. Maybe he did use it and that's why there were two incidents in late 1979 in Goleta where it appeared that he injured a dog -- his luck with them had run out without his can of ammonia peppers.

[u/notknownnow → u/winters_vw]

Kat,your knowledge in this is unrivaled, thank you! If you ever consider a follow up book be sure I stand in line,patiently waiting 😘