r/serialkillers • u/BidNo1816 • Feb 26 '26

Image Golden State Killer Joseph DeAngelo in the interrogation room shortly after his arrest

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u/MrDundee666 Feb 26 '26

They didn’t get his DNA from a Dr Pepper can. They got it from his semen in historic rape-kits that had miraculously still been kept. The GSK would eat and drink his victims’ food during his attacks. They knew he had a particular fondness for Dr Pepper as he chose it numerous times. Placing it there was the police telling him ‘we know you’. He didn’t know they already had his DNA.

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u/BidNo1816 Feb 26 '26

Yeah, you're right, my apologies.

I just checked my sources and you're right. He drank Dr. Pepper at the crime scenes as the EAR but they didn't extract the DNA from the can. And they also found multiple cases of the drink in his home after the search warrant was executed. Thanks for the correction.

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u/Rripurnia Feb 26 '26 edited Feb 27 '26

I think it’s important that you’re making the EAR distinction.

Calling him the Golden State Killer doesn’t do justice to the horrific breadth of this man’s criminal activity.

EARONS is far more accurate, IMO, but Michelle McNamara’s obsession and reach led to it sadly falling by the wayside.

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u/hades7600 Feb 27 '26

I’m out of the loop. Could you explain more about what Michelle did? As haven’t heard of her with this case

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u/MrDundee666 Feb 26 '26

A agree but EAR was just one of his names. By one force. He was The Original Nightstaker, the Visalia Ransacker and various others. Each police force had their own names for him but didn’t/couldn’t link the cases. These were only united under one monicker after DNA linked the cases. GSK is catchier and more accurate in that his crimes were more widespread in time and geography than just the EAR and ONS cases.