SACRAMENTO, Calif — Over 40 years later, the victims and their family members were finally able to face Golden State Killer Joseph DeAngelo admit to 13 murders and dozens of rapes across California.
DeAngelo, a former police officer, took a plea deal Monday, taking a life sentence without parole, instead of facing trial with the potential of being sentenced to death.
Victims and their family members spoke with ABC10 about what it was like to hear the man who tormented them for decades admit to his crimes.
Jane Carson-Sandler
Jane Carson-Sandler was one of the first survivors raped by DeAngelo. She and Carol Daly, the original investigator on East Area Rapist case, have been close friends for years.
They said they have waited for this day for more than 40 years.
In the makeshift courtroom on Sacramento State's campus, Jane stared down DeAngelo during the court hearing and gave two thumbs up when the DA talked about his "small penis."
Kris Pedretti
Kris Pedretti was 15 years old DeAngelo raped her. Pedretti said it was empowering to see DeAngelo answering for his crimes in court.
"We are not Jane Does," Pedretti said. "We want people to know who we are. We want people to know that we are survivors and that there's hope and that we are not afraid to face him."
(Watch Pedretti's full interview below.)
Margaret Waldrow
Margaret Waldrow was a 13-year-old girl when DeAngelo broke into her home. She was his youngest rape victim.
Waldrow said she learned from reading newspaper articles about DeAngelo's crime spree that he enjoyed inspiring fear in his victims.
"When he threatened to kill me and threatened to kill my mother," Waldrow said. I just simply replied I don't care, and I think it took some mojo out of his act."
(Watch Waldrow's full interview below.)
Jennifer Carole
Jennifer Carole's father and her stepmother were murdered by DeAngelo when she was 18-years-old.
"I am disappointed this man so powerful did so many things couldn't sit up at the table like his mother would tell him when he was 5-years-old. Sit up and speak clearly. Now he's doing this act, so there you go. He leaves as he came in, as a coward and a shameful human being.
(Watch Carole's full interview below.)
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