Thien Ho’s new book recounts the April 24, 2018 arrest of Joseph DeAngelo, identified through genetic genealogy as the Golden State Killer. A sheriff’s fugitive team subdued DeAngelo outside his Citrus Heights home; he reportedly shouted, “I have a roast in the oven.” DeAngelo later pleaded guilty to 13 counts of first-degree murder and is serving life without parole. Prosecutors believe he may be responsible for additional crimes and continue to investigate.
‘I Have a Roast in the Oven’: Book Reveals Strange Moment During Golden State Killer’s 2018 Arrest
AP Photo/Randall BentonJoseph James DeAngelo
Joseph DeAngelo, long suspected as the Golden State Killer, was identified through genetic genealogy and taken into custody on April 24, 2018, according to Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho in his new book, The People vs. the Golden State Killer. The arrest ended a decades-long search that tied DeAngelo to murders, rapes and burglaries across California in the 1970s and 1980s.
Third State Books IncThe People Vs. The Golden State Killer by Thien Ho
The Arrest
A Sheriff’s Fugitive Apprehension Team, nicknamed the “Body Snatchers,” watched DeAngelo’s tidy Citrus Heights home. When the 72-year-old former police officer and mechanic stepped outside, Sgt. Steve Girdlestone decided to act. Ho recounts that Girdlestone approached DeAngelo under the pretense of asking for directions and subdued him before he could react.
Thien HoThien Ho
“I have a roast in the oven,” DeAngelo reportedly shouted during the takedown, a remark Ho says reflects how unaware DeAngelo appeared of the investigation closing in on him.
What Officers Found
Ho describes DeAngelo’s house as orderly and notes officers found cases of Dr Pepper — a detail investigators linked to earlier crime-scene behavior. The discovery helped strengthen connections between the suspect and prior attacks.
Justin Sullivan/GettyJoseph DeAngelo
Prosecution and Custody
In June 2020 DeAngelo pleaded guilty to 13 counts of first-degree murder and multiple other charges to avoid the death penalty; two months later he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He is currently housed in protective custody at a California prison. According to Ho, DeAngelo has refused to discuss additional suspected crimes.
Unanswered Questions
Prosecutors suspect DeAngelo may be linked to additional offenses beyond those included in his plea. Ho highlights a roughly three-year period in the late 1980s when DeAngelo’s whereabouts were unclear as an interval investigators believe warrants further review. Ho also reports unsettling behavior observed while DeAngelo has been in custody, which Ho says underscores lingering concerns about the full scope of his crimes.
Source: Account and details are drawn from interviews and Thien Ho’s book, The People vs. the Golden State Killer.
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