Photographs Offer Chilling Glimpse Into Golden State Killer’s Home, Trophies He Kept From Victims

The Golden State Killer kept “trophies” of his victims – bits of jewelry, wallets, clothing – and chilling photographs of those trinkets, as well as the inside of his home and other evidence, have been released.

As The Daily Mail reports, the Golden State Killer is believed to be responsible for at least 12 murders and as many as 50 rapes, if not more of each, across California in the 1970s and 1980s. In late April, police arrested Joseph DeAngelo, a 72-year-old former cop, and charged him with some – but not all – of the crimes tied to the Killer.

Now Paul Holes, a criminologist and investigator on the case, has revealed some chilling glimpses into what allegedly went on in DeAngelo’s home – glimpses accompanied by disturbing photographs, some of which you will see later in this article.

One thing that struck Holes almost immediately upon entering DeAngelo’s bedroom was a TV, covered with a towel. Similarly, in DeAngelo’s bedroom, was a computer monitor, also covered with a cloth. Holes eventually pieced together the reason: during his rapes, the Golden State Killer would turn on the victim’s TV, but then turn down the sound and cover it with a cloth. That way, he could see his victim in the soft glow of the light from the TV.

Holes surmises that DeAngelo covered his TV and computer monitor so he could reminisce about his crimes decades ago.

“I’m looking at that going, ‘Is that just a dust cover? Or is he reminiscing (and) he wants a glow, you know? Is he pulling out any of those souvenirs and replicating the glowing environment from back in the 1970s?'”

Found in DeAngelo’s home were several items that are believed to have belonged to his alleged victims.

That’s not unusual for serial killers, says former FBI Agent John Douglas via his website, Mindhunters.

“Killers like to take trophies and souvenirs from their victims. Keeping some memento — a lock of hair, jewelry, newspaper clips of the crime — helps prolong, even nourish, their fantasy of the crime. In my research, I’ve seen this happen again and again.”

Also found in DeAngelo’s home were masks, believed to have been worn during his alleged crimes.

Now it appears that police have finished their investigation into Joseph DeAngelo’s home. In addition to the trinkets and masks shown above, investigators also removed guns, cars, a motorcycle, a boat, and boxes of other evidence.

DeAngelo remains behind bars, where he is being held without bail.