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Man Accused Of Six South Coast Murders, And 13 Statewide Seeking Plea Deal

Joseph James DeAngelo, who is accused of being the Golden State Killer, at a 2018 court appearance

A man accused of a statewide series of murders, sexual assaults and burglaries including six killings on the South Coast may enter a guilty plea, to avoid the death penalty.  Public defenders representing the man accused of being the Golden State Killer are seeking a deal.

It was a crime wave in the 1970’s and 80’s which left hundreds of victims.

Among the victims were four people murdered in Santa Barbara County, and two in Ventura County.  In the 1980’s, the attacks stopped.  But, investigators didn’t give up.  In 2018, DNA evidence led detectives to Joseph James DeAngelo.  He was a former City of Auburn police officer. 

The Los Angeles Times reports the 74 year old man will enter guilty pleas to 88 counts. Prosecutors say with the state’s current moratorium on executions, a plea deal could avoid a long, painful trial which would still end up with him spending the rest of his life behind bars.

Ventura County prosecutors say victims and their loved ones have a right to be heard, and if there is a deal, they would have a chance to speak before DeAngelo is sentenced.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral. 
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