Thien Ho’s talk at the Cordova Community Luncheon on May 15 centered on the Golden State Killer’s ties to Rancho Cordova. Ho published his firsthand account of the case, “The People Vs. The Golden State Killer,” last fall. Photo by Abbey Wicks

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) – The Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce welcomed Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho to the Cordova Community Luncheon on May 15. The event drew a packed audience of community members, business leaders and legislative representatives to City Hall.

During his one-hour presentation followed by a question-and-answer session, Ho gripped audience members with a retelling of the horrific crimes of Joseph James Deangelo, widely known as the Golden State Killer, up until his prosecution in 2020, of which Ho led the prosecution team. Ho published his firsthand account of the case, “The People Vs. The Golden State Killer,” last fall.

The Golden State Killer’s connection to Rancho Cordova has had a lasting impact on the region, as a captivated audience recounted the stories of victims including Brian and Katie Maggiore, who were murdered by Deangelo in 1978.

Deangelo, who was also known as the East Area Rapist, Visalia Ransacker and the Original Nightstalker, grew up in Rancho Cordova and attended Folsom High School. His knowledge of the area aided in his escaping from law enforcement, Ho said. 

“He knew this area like the back of his hand because he grew up here,” Ho said. “He knew the areas of ingress and egress. He grew up as a teenager in Rancho Cordova. He was riding his bikes.”

The killer typically arrived and fled from his crime scenes on a bicycle and knew how to navigate the Rancho Cordova area in a way that he wouldn’t be seen from a car.

Ho expressed his intention to honor victims such as the Maggiores in “The People vs. The Golden State Killer,” rather than glorify the killer, whom Ho described as a “master manipulator” and a “monster.” Only one chapter in the book focuses directly on Deangelo himself.

The book’s front cover, taken by Ho on his cell phone, features the silhouette of a suburban house with a single glowing window against a dark blue evening sky, in the same neighborhood where the Maggiores were murdered.

“One of the (original) covers had a picture of Joseph James Deangelo, the Golden State Killer,” Ho said. “But we decided not to do that. … I wanted to make sure that this book paid homage to Brian and Katie.” Ho said he became particularly close with the Maggiore family during the prosecution process.

Ho praised the dedication of law enforcement in their search for Deangelo, which spanned over 40 years across six counties in California. As technology and genetic testing developed, there became more opportunities to connect crime scene DNA to the killer.

However, Deangelo was never a convicted felon, making him more difficult to track down. Ultimately, a database of DNA owned by genetic genealogy company 23andMe led law enforcement to the relatives of the killer and, eventually, the killer himself.

Former Rancho Cordova Police Department Chief Ralph Garcia, who was in the audience, was part of the law enforcement team that began following Deangelo around Citrus Heights, where he was living as a retired mechanic, gathering further DNA to confirm the suspect. 

The presentation concluded with Ho sharing the story of Phyllis Henneman, the first known victim of the East Area Rapist, who was assaulted in Rancho Cordova when she was 23 years old. Henneman was present throughout Deangelo’s prosecution, attending each court date until a cancer diagnosis kept her home.  

While undergoing chemotherapy, Henneman was present for Deangelo’s sentencing of life in prison without the possibility of parole. She passed away three months later.

In her honor, fellow victims Kris Pedretti, known as Victim No. 10, and Gay Hardwick started “Phyllis’s Garden” a non-profit committed to “providing survivors of sexual assault the strength, support, and resources they need to rediscover their voices, share their stories, and find hope on their path to healing,” according to their website, phyllissgarden.com/.

One of the organization’s programs focuses on funding soft interview rooms, which are designed to provide soft lighting, soothing wall colors, neutral artwork and other décor that creates a comforting atmosphere for victims rather than a standard interrogation room; Phyllis was interviewed by law enforcement in the room where her raping took place.

The Rancho Cordova Police Department is one of four Sacramento-area police departments that have a soft interview room, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.

“When I think about the case now, I don’t think about him. I don’t think about his crimes. I think about Phyllis,” Ho said.

During a question-and-answer session, audience members had the opportunity to ask Ho questions related to the case such as if f Ho believes Deangelo’s wife and three kids knew of his crimes; Ho believes they did not.

“The People Vs. The Golden State Killer” can be purchased on Amazon.