Five decades ago, Joseph DeAngelo brought terror, rape, torture and murder to Sacramento and California neighborhoods from San Ramon to Irvine. His arrest in 2018 was national news and an emotional reckoning with shadows from our past.
In his new book, “The People vs. the Golden State Killer,” Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho offers a vivid and humane account of a predator who hid in plain sight.
The book isn’t a sensational true-crime chronicle. Ho delivers a thoughtful narrative about justice and the process of restoring dignity to survivors.
He writes on two levels, as lead prosecutor in the case against DeAngelo and as someone who understands the emotional landscape of Sacramento. Ho lives and works here and knows the neighborhoods where victims slept with windows locked on hot summer nights in the 1970s when DeAngelo stalked the east area.
Ho describes conversations with survivors and decisions about how to present trauma respectfully. Readers learn how the prosecutor worked through challenges of asking victims to relive horrible experiences long past.
The prosecution was never just about putting DeAngelo away. It was also about affirming and advocating for victims and families.
“I wanted my book to focus on the generation of law enforcement that never gave up the pursuit of this monster,” Ho says. “Additionally, I wanted to make sure that we amplify the voices of victims and survivors who turned their pain into power. I believe I did that.”
He continues, “I was able to interview some of the survivors, such as Kris Pedretti, and talk to her about her experience as she navigated through the criminal justice system as a survivor. I also re-interviewed Carol Daly, our former under sheriff and one of the lead detectives on the East Area Rapist series. It just reiterated to me her compassion and dedication to victims.”
One of the strongest chapters recounts the painstaking work to construct a case that crossed multiple counties, two decades of crimes and shifting law enforcement standards. Genetic genealogy finally unlocked DeAngelo’s identity. Ho reminds us the DNA match was just a start.
The big challenge was building a case that preserved the integrity of the justice system and moved fast enough to ensure aging survivors would see the outcome.
The book explores Ho’s personal motivations. He describes his family’s arrival in the U.S. from Vietnam as refugees, the tough neighborhoods where he spent his youth and how those experiences shaped his belief that the law is most powerful when it protects the vulnerable.
DeAngelo was sentenced to life in prison, but Ho helps readers understand justice doesn’t stop with a verdict. Survivors continue to heal, communities remain marked. Institutions must evolve so accountability becomes not just retrospective but preventative.
Ho’s writing is candid. He acknowledges institutional shortcomings. He encourages reforms that improve victim support, jurisdictional collaboration and the responsible use of new investigative technologies.
For readers who lived through the East Area Rapist and Golden State Killer era, this book may stir dark memories. For younger Sacramentans, it provides essential local history. Anyone interested in how California justice systems work will find the book worthwhile.
I know Thien Ho and have followed his career. His book reflects how seriously he takes his job and how much he respects the community.
“The People vs. the Golden State Killer” testifies to the resilience of survivors, the power of dedicated public servants and the work of building a community where safety and dignity are priorities.
Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
